evening primrose oil to bring on labour?

[catftm]

anyone tried evening primrose oil at end of pregnancy to help ripen the cervix or bring on labour? Did it work at all?

How can you tell whether it worked or not, as it is impossible to know what would have happened had you not used it??? I used it with dd2 as I was desperate to avoid hospital induction and I did at some point go in to labour. That's as much as I can tell you I'm afraid. I also was drinking bucket loads of raspberry leaf tea, going to reflexology and acupuncture, having sex and eventually took castor oil. So some, all or none may have worked!

i know its a weird question really, i am trying to avoid a second induction too so i was just wondering if anyone else had tried it or whether it was dodgy to try using it. I suppose i was hoping for some positive experiences to make me feel like it might work! I tried raspberry leaf, sex, pineapple, curry, long walks etc etc last time and ended up being induced and nothing worked so ive just heard about this and clary sage so thought i might give it a go

Don't do it. I have a friend who put a capsule of it directly on the cervix, apparently at recommendation of her midwife, and all it did was give her a nasty case of thrush

I think the only things scientifically proven to bring on labour are sweeps/induction and possibly nipple twiddling. I went 11 days over, and I am very much of the opinion that in most cases baby will come when she's ready

The only thing scientifically proven to bring on labour is prostin, ARM & oxytocin drip (and even they don't always work!) Nipple twiddling may be worth trying but you have to do it for extended periods every 10 minutes or so, better for encouraging irregular contractions. But Don't forget you don't have to go for indution on the date the hospital recommends, you can choose to be monitored instead (I went to Term + 16 with dd1 before finally going to be induced). I would recommend a good acupunturist though as it can give you a good surge of energy if nothing else ready for labour ime.
Obviously scrupulous hygeine (washed hands and gloves) if you choose to put anything into the vagina.

Don't know about evening primrose oil but castor oil works.

Don't shout at me they give it in hospitals in some countries.

I think I'll be able to tell whether it works or not, I've had four births with 3 out of them being at nearly 42 weeks, so I have a track record of going over my due date.

I had never done or taken anything to try and bring on labour previously, just sort of waited for it to start naturally. However this time round I've been taking primrose oil capsules(orally!) since about 32 weeks, I'm now 38.5...we'll see if it helps me to not go over my due date.

The baby measured at least 7.5 pounds at a scan two weeks ago, so I think it's ready to face the world and I am definitely more than ready for it to come out!

LittleMs - how many capsules do you take a day?

When I just started taking it, it was only 1-2 500 mg capsules a day, since 36 weeks have been taking 2 in the morning, 2 in the evening when I don't forget.

On the jar it says the recommended dose is up to 6 capsules a day, I just cannot make myself take that much, but cannot see it doing any harm. It is only supposed to ripen the cervix quicker, if there are different factors delaying the labour, it won't help.

Also the effect may somewhat depend on the quality of the primrose oil? Mine isn't high-end, just off the supermarket's shelf...

mine is just supermarket stuff too, its 500mg and says one a day on the tub but has 10 mg of vitamin e in it as well and was unsure about whether its a bit dodgy to take too much vitamin e.