Has anyone found homeopathy useful?

[lunavix]

I want to do anything to prevent needing pain relief for the birth of this baby, and someone suggested homeopathy even though there doesn't seem many practitioners locally!

Who has used it and was it worth it?

I used aconite in labour when I was feeling panicky, and felt as though it really helped me calm down. Arnica afterwards is good for bruising.

yes- aconite before my section (prob not what you were thinking of) and also erm - can;'t remember the name, but the standard remedy used to increase the strength of contractions, worked a treat every time.

Hypericum - few drops in the bath afterwards for healing. My c-section stitches were apparently very good according to the midwoves :o

Have a look at a fabulous book that i have just read on this and lots of more practical ways to minimise the pain rather than just how the body does it.

healthy body better birthing by francesca naish and janette roberts. I got it from the libary and i will be buying it. It has taught me alot and it doesnt really just describe the mecanics of labour but how to make it better to manage. There are loads of bits on homopoathy.

How far are you?

jellyjelly - 28 weeks. Starting to think about my options!

Hi Lunavix - I use rescue remedy, which is great for preventing panic.

Don't have much experience with other homeopathic remedies, but did find hypnotheraphy useful.

I'm 29 weeks & have been recommended the Lamaze

Active Birth Classes. My friend used them & found them very helpful - particulary as she ended up having her baby on the bathroom floor in less that 2.5 hrs !

Whereabouts do you live as I know of a reputable homeopath if you're interested.

PS ist or 2nd birth ? I am on my 2nd & am hoping for an(other) epidural

I started taking arnica a few weeks b4 I was due to help with the brusing etc from the birth (midwife suggested it). Although I had a difficult birth all the brusing and swelling etc went down much quicker than expected. Also ds had a ventouse and by the next morning (he was born at 9pm) you could hardly see any marks from it. The doctor called lots of other nurses and stuff over to look as she was so surprised!

Didn't use it in childbirth but have used it since for myself and for children and have found it enormously helpful. Definitely arnica for bruising, but also other remedies, as recommended by our homeopath. Only reason I didn't use it for the birth was because I wasn't that aware of it at the time.

hi lunavix, i used aconite when i was getting stressed during labour, arnica during and after to minimise bruising and nat. mur for the pain in my back. tried to get caulophyllum which is supposed to strengthen contractions but my local health shops didn't have it, supposed to work wonders though. you can also take kali. phos if you get exhausted during labour.

the best thing to do if you don't have a local practicioner is to get a kit on the net, neals yard do one \link{http://www.nealsyardremedies.com/shop/bin/pxisapi1.exe/catalogue?level=600396\here}

helios do a birthing kit for £20 tha ti used and it was a BIG help, more so in that the midwife made notes of what i`d taken to help other moms!!

Hi lunavix, I've found homeopathy to be excellent since having my DS. Unfortunately I didn't really know enough about it to use it in the labour but I've heard nothing but good reports about it since.

There are many homeopathic organisations online which list practitioners (you can search by postcode etc)-I'm not sure where you're based but in the UK you can try:
\link{http://www.homeopathy-soh.org/about-the-society/organisation.aspx\society of homeopaths}

hth

As a doula I quite often have used homeopathy at births (I have had training on how to use the birth kit). I have seen very interesting results.

I used the helios kit, before during and after. Thought it was excellent. Not a substitute for a consultation though.

Lunavix, try not to be entirely closed to the options of more standard types of pain relief, it's good to know ALL your options. I was determined to have a home birth first time round, and was thoroughly prepared for that,and entirely unprepared to go to hospital, which is what I ended up having to do when I didn't dilate past 4cm ( after 27hrs of labour).

I consulted my homeopath before my son's birth and she gave me a protocol to follow. This inculded adding 15 drops of mothorwort tincture to a bottle of mineral water that i sipped during the labour. This along with my Helio's birthing kit was a godsend. Mainly using Aconite, arnica, hypericum etc etc. I would say that half of the labour was homeopathically assisted and the other half was positive frame of mind, the benefit of learning the NCT's active birth techniques and also really good breathing techniques. Half the experience is visualising the baby making its way out and feeling empowered that this is what your body is designed to do and you need to go with it rather than fighting it! My labour lasted for 7 hours with a very rapid second stage of three pushes. I also had my baby in the bathroom with the assistance of paramedics who arrived as the head was being born . I would recommend a birthing ball and a warm bath for the early stages!! Because the birth was so rapid I was able to take remedies for the shock we experienced at the time.

I'm training to be a homoepath and used it at the birth of both my sons. Would definately suggest the helios kit as all the remedies will be useful for other situations ie first aid, shock etc. There'll be a small book enclosed with directions but if you get a taste for it, it would be worth investing in a family first aid book - Miranda Castro does a good one.

The society of homoeopaths will be able to let you know a list of practionners in your area.

I agree that a birthing ball is essential. I also had hypnotherapy second time around. Also worthwhile hiring a TENS machine.

I went to a reflexologist pre birth which was great. Then I used arnica after the birth for bruising. have to say i am a bit sceptical about it reducing the pain during birth.

I would say get it if you can but be open minded when it comes to it. make sure your partner knows what you do and don't want so they can help remind you to take the remedies and talk to the maternity nurses/midwives etc

I am a big fan of water too it def does help.

bought and regretted buying the helios birthing kit - bloody waste of money, IMO! i did believe in it working...and it didn't..I know others on here swear by it, so make yr own mind up, I guess. It's v v expensive - I'd rather hav e spent the money on a bottle of champagne to celebrate the birth!

but agree with Ruth - water is great for labour pain relief - the best ime!

i agree with OzJo. The reason I'm posting is because I felt very betrayed by being sold teh idea that a positive frame of mind and a few otehr things would get me through. I'm afraid to say it most certainly did not. I hope this doesn't sound negative, i just personally felt I would have liked to have been told the view that it might not work and I swore I would tell others how I felt because I wouldn;t want anyone to feel like I felt afterwards. I hope taht makes sense.

Waste of time IMO. But then I did end up having 3 CS birth experiences. I'd recommend keeping an open mind about pain relief and if it gets unbearable there's nothing wrong with a bit of conventional medicine!

Besides if you think of the volume of water that would be held in by Wembley stadium and you put a grain of sand in it, that's about the strength of the homeop remedy you're taking.... do you really think it's going to do anything?????

I used arnica after the birth. Don't know if it helped or not, but it was really nice to be able to take something inbetween the pain killers, (had painful episiotomy) even if it did only have a placebo effect.

I had a supply of various remedies after consultation with my homeopath. I took arnica post birth, and one to help with sickness in the early days, but most useful seemed to be one I can't remember the name of: I had a very very gradual labour (in total 24 hours) and even at 23 hours-ish, my contractions were still variable in intensity and 5-10 minutes apart. I then remembered she'd given me one to take if things weren't progressing and within in about 20 minutes of taking it I recognised I was in transition, screamed to my husband to get the midwife, and 15 minutes later dd was born!

Thanks everyone.

OzJo - Sorry I should have given more background. This is my second child, with the first I was very open to pain relief! I have pethidine and an epidural, I used tens too. The pethidine (for me) was dreadful, slowed me down, paralysed my right hand side, and I felt constantly sick.

The epidural was lovely - a little too lovely. My memories of the hours post-birth are very very blurred. Also, had to have the catheter, episiotomy ventouse etc.

The tens was crap, just like gnats biting at my back!

I am open to an epidural or similar if I need one. But I want to avoid it - plus I know as most second labours are shorter, I may not have the chance.

So, rescue rememdy for panic, arnica for the bruising, caulophyllum to strengthen contractions, mur for back pain, kali. phos for exhaustion, acontite for stress....

Will look at online kits!