Third Trimester Tricks!

[mandyk1821]

Okay ladies, I've just heard a couple of recent things that I wanted to know if anyone who's had any babies in the past have used....

I'm currently almost 32 weeks pregnant with my first (a fantastic baby boy)...

A friend recently told me to start taking Evening Primose Pills at 35 Weeks to start softening my cervix... She said that could help me to dialate more quickly once labor starts?!

Also, she recommended that I start massaging myself *ehem* down there- with vitamin E oil to prevent tearing....

Her whole labor was 4.5 hours long, and she went from 5 to 9 inches dialated in one hour (and this was her first baby)... and she hardly tore at all (didn't need ANY stitches at all, and she's tiny).

Any other ladies out there have any success with the whole Vitamin E Oil or Evening Primrose?

I'd appreciate any advice that you have on making delivery as easy as possible! (Preferably natural methods!)

Thanks!

[JoyRenee]

And here's another website's take on it (and she emphasizes greatly that it won't INDUCE labor but these items can HELP things along and help with recovery). I forgot about the part that the tea helps make your contractions more "effective" if that makes sense.

Evening Primrose Oil and Red Raspberry Leaf Tea

    Neither will actually induce labor. While some lay midwives will argue that statement about the Evening Primrose, which is the reason it is not recommended until 36 weeks or "full term", almost all sources with experience agree that it does nothing that the body was not ready to do on its own. I will repeat this at the end of this section, to make sure you understand this, as there is a lot of confusion and misconception surrounding these two substances.

    Evening primrose oil is an excellent source of prostaglandins, which we already determined readies your cervix for labor. It can be taken orally as soon as 34 weeks, and can be applied directly to the cervix at full term (36 weeks). The general recommendation is two 500mg capsules per day until week 38, at which time you increase to 3-4 per day. The entire capsule can be inserted vaginally (inserted just before bed, it will dissolve before the first time you wake to use the bathroom), or you can use the oil on your fingers for your perineal massage, then also rub on your cervix (assuming you can reach it). Applying directly to the cervix is optimal, but the beneficial ingredients are absorbed through the external skin or the stomach also.

    Red raspberry leaf tea is a uterine tonic used by Native Americans for thousands of years. It tones your uterus by helping to "focus" your Braxton Hicks contractions. Think of its job as helping your uterus do more effective exercising while you are pregnant. It does not "cause" contractions and can be safely used throughout pregnancy. It is contraindicated for those having complications "just in case", however, by most doctors who do not understand its use. Many women safely use it from the moment they learn they are pregnant at six weeks until months after delivery. (It helps to tone the uterus after delivery as well, shrinking it back to size more quickly and reducing bleeding.)

    Again, neither of these actually causes labor to start!

[JoyRenee]

Found this for you (and it has encouraged me to take mine orally this time around when I reach 9 months):


Evening Primrose Oil (EPO)

EPO is a rich source of gammalinolenic acid, a precursor to prostaglandin production in the body. Prostaglandins help soften and prime the cervix in preparation for labour, thus it is thought that by taking EPO in the last few weeks of the pregnancy that the cervix could be encourage to soften and dilate more easily and also lead to less post-dates pregnancies. The oil is usually taken orally in capsule form (2400mg per day) but is also sometimes inserted as a vaginal pessary (note – extreme caution should be taken as this could introduce infection and is therefore not advisable). EPO is also commonly recommended as a pre-conception supplement due it’s effect on the production and thinning of cervical mucus, thus aiding in the passage of the sperm to the egg. It should not be taken during the first 8months of pregnancy.

[JoyRenee]

Midwives typically recommend drinking raspberry leaf tea (has to be the leaf tea, not raspberry-flavored) and to take Evening Primrose Oil (EPO). Doctors usually do not recommend these practices though there are a few who do. If in doubt ask your care provider. They may roll their eyes and say it won't do anything but I beg to differ. ;-)

The tea is to prevent blood loss and reduces the risk of hemorrhaging. It can help you heal much more quickly after birth. I'm encouraged to drink the tea any time in my pregnancy. However the EPO is usually recommended the last weeks of pregnancy as far as I remember.

The EPO is to help soften the cervix. I was told to take one pill vaginally. Then when I reached 38 or 39 weeks they recommended one vaginally and one orally. My water broke 3 days post my due date and baby girl was born 5 hours later without tearing. But I credit how I pushed to not tearing, not the EPO or any oils (I didn't have any oils but you can most definitely do the massage with oil!).

And like I just mentioned massaging your perineum with oil will help. It won't hurt anything.

But again, with the EPO you should do some research (a quick Google brings up great resources) and ask your doctor what they think or to let them know you plan to do it. More than likely they'll tell you it won't hurt and to just go ahead.

[chantal21]

This will be my third baby and with my first, starting at 36 weeks and under the supervision of my midwife, I would take Black and Blue cohosh, Arnica (for pain), and one other herbal medicine that I cannot remember the name of at the moment. They were all tiny pellets that dissolve under your tongue.
My midwife gave me low doses of these and if I re-call correctly, I did not take them every single day. I also took evening primose oil (can be taken orally or applied on the cervix) and also Red Raspberry Leaf tea (2-3 cups a day) Perineal massage is also very beneficial to prepare for labor as it will help stretch things out. You can use Vitamin E oil, olive oil, or coconut oil. Obviously, if your body is not ready to go into labor, none of these things will do much. When your body is ready, these medicines aid in the process. I had my son 2 weeks after starting these things (38 weeks) and he was healthy and 8lbs 4oz. :)

I did not do any of these things with my second pregnancy because I had pre-term labor, but if all goes well with the rest of this pregnancy, I plan on using some of these tricks again. Once again, it is not safe to try some of these things (especially the black and blue cohosh) without your midwife or your doc instructing you to do so. The tea is great to drink when you're pregnant or not, it just supports the female system.

And remember, no matter what, your baby will come when he is good and ready. :)