Raspberry Leaf / Evening Primrose Oil

[thepartysover]

Hoping someone can help. Is there any evidence that either of these things can actually aid labour?

Thanks!

[GhostOfTheRobot]

Here's my experience: I have had two dc in the last 4years.
Dc1 - I took raspberry leaf capsules religiously. I had a 17 hr labour.

Dc2 - I didn't take it at all (DH reckoned it was a load of codswallop and we had to cut back on some things at the time) I had a 3 hour labour!

Honestly, I don't know why they were so different!

[shellshock7]

I took RL capsules, building up dosage from 32w (I think) I had a horrendous early labour took nearly 2 days to get to 4cm...then got to 10 in abt 3 hours, MW said that short second stage was due to RL, who knows if it's true tho (then had a horrendous time trying to actually finish the job off too but ignore that!)

[thepartysover]

Thanks for sharing your experiences. I had a very loooooooong first labour so I suppose I'm hoping RL could help this time round. I'd be interested to know if there's been any research into the effects.

[Cookethenook]

Took RL from 34 weeks with DS1- 6 hour labour at 38 weeks.
DS2 i've been taking RL and epo (2 tabs orally and one...ehem...vaginally of the epo) since 34 weeks. 36 weeks now and nothing yet.

TBH i have no idea if it made a difference, but it was one of those 'why not take it' things, they're hardly expensive. Plus my hair and skin has been absolutely smashing since i started taking the epo.

[thepartysover]

Cookethenook - that's sort of how I feel. I'm 38 weeks now and willing to try just about anything not to go too far past my EDD or indeed have a repeat performance of my first labour.

[AdiVic]

I tried everything..............and I mean everything (apart from cod liver oil or what ever it is you do)

NOTHING worked. The body is really well designed to hang onto the baby until it is all ready to kick off. If any of these things worked, they would be banned in pregnancy.

Hypnobirthing breathing helped with my 2nd (who had to be induced early) and they said he wouldn't come without a cs - i declined and after the breathing he was delivered in 1 hr - from 1st twinge to out. Very easy, no damage. Great experience - good luck

[ShowOfHands]

What is it you are trying to achieve?

Nothing will help start labour short of chemical induction.

I don't know anything about EPO but raspberry leaf is a uterine tonic, taken to help the second stage of labour. Some women believe that it makes the pushing stage more effective and I have seen a study which suggests that it might well do that.

I like RLT generally. It's rather nice. Not sure if it had and effect on my 2nd stage (8hrs of pushing and an emcs).

[thepartysover]

*ShowOfHands - I've been taking raspberry leaf for exactly the reasons you outline... evening primrose oil is supposed to ripen the cervix. I'm not trying to achieve anything really - just prepare my body for labour using any means possible! As I said, my first experience of childbirth wasn't exactly a rose garden...

[ShowOfHands]

That makes perfect sense. I wasn't sure how to word my question. It's just that a lot of people take raspberry leaf because they've erroneously heard it can start labour (hence some of the replies on here telling you about whether it started their labours!). I wanted to check what specifically you were asking and make sure you weren't hoping for something it couldn't achieve. It can be so demoralising hoping it's about to start and then it just going on and on and on. The sad truth is that nothing influences the onset of labour in a healthy pregnancy.

I have read some stuff about the effectiveness of RLT and it's rather pleasant and can't hurt. I've read much more about people having much shorter labours second time round if that helps! I had a hard time first time round and swore I'd never have another baby. Second labour was extremely positive!

Sounds like you had a bit of a nightmare first time round. How long ago was it? Every labour is different. Remember you body has done this before and should be much more efficient second time round.

[thepartysover]

I totally agree. It's the pineapple thing all over again!

Cheering that you've read some positive stuff about the effectiveness of RLT. Even more cheering that your second labour was a positive experience... I'm very much hoping for the same. My first was born 2.5 years ago and I remember saying the same thing - that I'd never ever do it again, but here I am. Mother nature is a crafty so-and-so

[shellshock7]

Hi show I took RL capsules solely for the reasons you state...but I also ate pineapple, went for walks, had sex etc.to try and induce labouring e I was overdue. I know it doesn't work, but it's all you can control iyswim so it gives you something to do/a little bit of control if that makes sense