Evening primrose oil

[.Ruth.]

Just doing some forum searching this morning and came across some advice...

Taking evening primrose oil, orally and vaginally is said to help ripen the cervix, much like raspberry leaf tea!

Though I would share.... I have some in the cupboard and may try this anything to stop tearing etc and give a smoother labour plus, raspberry leaf tea is not the nicest of things to drink!

Evening primrose oil is an excellent source of prostaglandins, which prepare your cervix for labour. It can be taken orally as soon as 34 weeks, and can be applied directly to the cervix at 36 weeks. The general recommendation is two 500mg capsules per day until week 38, at which time you increase to 3-4 per day. Applying directly to the cervix is optimal, but the beneficial ingredients are absorbed through the external skin of the stomach as well.


anyone used it before? heard of it?

 

[k8_005]

Iv not heard of this, is it safe to take ...trundles off to read n do some googling! X

 

[k8_005]

Oh and rlt.... I found the twinnings ones rank but other brands really nice! So do try a second brand in case its just the one u have you don't like? X

 

[.Ruth.]

I think it's just my dislike to hot drinks ha...

I tried it cold with ice and was much nicer... but capsules are so much easier!

 

[mablestarr]

I inserted 2 capsules a day from 36 weeks. I had a sweep at 38 weeks so didnt want any remaining capsules falling out so stopped 2 days before the sweep. I had 3 sweeps in total and after each one my cervix progressed a bit. Didn't tear and everything down below settled back to 'normalish' quite quickly.

Don't know if it was the EPO that helped but if I were to have another baby would try and do the same again.

 

[SpinSugar]

How high up did u insert them? And I assume u did it at night?

Sounds like a good idea but I would be worried about introducing infection :-\

Xx

 

[mablestarr]

OH put them in just as we went to bed. He washed his hands beforehand to reduce risk of infection. At that stage I hadn't lost my plug and cervix was closed so the risk was pretty low, not sure if i would have continued using them if I knew my cervix was more open. x

 

[l_maclean]

As high as you can get them. I've just started this.

EPO is good and I've not come across any contraindications for it.

There are quite few for RLT so check before you start it.

 

[BevG]

i did this last time, i didnt tear i had an episiotomy but it might have helped lol, i used to stick a cap up there each night at bedtime so it could work its magic and take a couple each morning/night

 

[BKR123]

Like an actually evening primrose oil tablet?! Not a certain type just any capsules? And then take some in the day too? Is this safe?!

Lots of questions - sorry!x

 

[l_maclean]

Like an actually evening primrose oil tablet?! Not a certain type just any capsules? And then take some in the day too? Is this safe?!

Lots of questions - sorry!x

The oil filled capsules - but yeah any brand. It's a natural induction method. X

 

[SpinSugar]

Will def give this a go. Will have to make sure its not on the nights where hubby wants nookie lol!

Xx

 

[mummy2b19]

epo are £1 for 30 in asda if you get their own brand im starting mine along with raspberry leaf capsuals this morning starting off taking 3 raspberry leaf a day and taking 1 epo orally and 1 vaginally per day witch i will double at 39 weeks x

 

[BKR123]

Do you hve to pop the tablet before you put it in, or for it just dissolve?x

 

[mummy2b19]

I think ... think so do quote me you pierce it with a needle first but if you didn't it would still disolve x

 

[BevG]

i stabbed mine with a needle just in case lol