Raspberry leaf / evening primrose oil / dates

[greenette]

So I'm a little over 31 weeks with my first baby and have started thinking about things to help labour.

I'm after some advice:

1. Raspberry leaf tea or capsules - from how many weeks and how many to take?

1. Evening primrose oil - orally and vaginally, from when and how many mg to take

1. Dates - how many should you eat a day and from when?

I have been very lucky to not have any complications so far so do not think I will be put at risk from the above.

Any advice, experience and birth stories would be great!

Hi 😊 I'm 37 weeks now and have been doing the following -
Raspberry leaf tea from 32 weeks, 1 cup a day to start with now I'm having 3/4 a day
Raspberry leaf capsules from 35weeks and evening primrose oil capsules orally
Clary sage oil massages (just a few drops mixed with normal moisturiser every day)
I've upped the spicy food intake to.

Everyone will have different opinions on this and will say wait until your due date but as long as you are sensible you will be fine.
I wouldn't recommend eating pineapple as you need to eat about 8 at a time and the hard middle bit and also swerve the castor oil.
I took 1 spoon of castor oil with my first baby at 39 weeks and went into labour the next day and had a horrendous labour for 2 full days xx

I had raspberry leaf tea and dates late into pregnancy. During labour (my first DC) it felt like both things did fuck all to help. My waters broke slowly, so I had to be induced. I was kept in overnight and hated.

But when I think back to the labour itself and pushing, it was pretty straight forward. I had an active birth and was able to go home the same day. I felt perfectly fine after birth and pretty much felt back to my normal self in no time (minus the obvious things - post birth bleeding, extra weight etc.)

I would steer well clear of castor oil. I personally think it's dangerous and seems more about bringing labour on rather than helping with the labour experience.

Thanks for your advice so far.

How many mg of evening primrose should I take and from when?

I take 1000mg, I wouldn't like to say when you should take it but I started at 35+ weeks but this is my third baby.
I'd probably be inclined to start at 37weeks when you are full term