Anyone use blue or black cohash, castor oil or clary sage to help get labor started? Dilated to 2. Over due by 4 days.

My SIL is overdue and has a possible c-section or induction pending if she doesn't go soon. Having a hospital birth.

Any suggestions, advice, or stories about using these, positive and neg. please.

Thanks

Never done either of these, but I have had great success with egg plant for induction (and gentle and easy too). Make eggplant parmisian and invite your sil over... you both will be in labor with in 24 hours... really. I have done this for two of my closest friends and it has worked both times. If you are ready, it does the trick. A great first resort. :) Good food and induction too. ;)

Love Val

Somethings I did:
Mastergland levels your hormones out
Black Cohosh
Evening Primrose Oil-Break open and apply to cervix (or as close as you can get) take orally also.
Castor Oil is bad it makes you vomit and have diarrhea, it is a LAST resort IMO.

I did everything but the castor Oil.
Didn't have to go that far.

Okay, I might be totally out of line here and if so, I apologize.

4 days past one's ESTIMATED due date is not post due. If she does not want a c-section or does not want to be induced, she can refuse. I, personally, would not do either until there was a clear medical reason (not just practice policy) to induce or do C-section.

I think far too many doctors push for induction or c-sections out of convinience not good of the baby. And, I've seen too many babies show signs of not having been done by the time they are taken. (I warn, I am rather anti medical model right now). Both inductions and c-sections carry risk and, just because the medical establishment has made them common/routine, does not mean that they are without risk.

Let me briefly tell you about my sister. She was induced a full week after her EDD and that babe was CLEARLY not done cooking. Skinny, irritated, and covered with thick, thick vernix. Additionally, her labor was very difficult and unpleasant.

I know your sister is tired and ready to be done and it is sooooo easy to listen to the docs and get a sense of panic that one must have their baby or they'll have to be induced, but if she doesn't want either, she can refuse. Odds are, she'll go into labor on her own before she hits 42 weeks.

That said, how about a breast pump, or some dh action on the twins?

Oh yeah I forgot about the nipple stimulation...good starting place.

I agree she should def wait as long as possible before doing anything, but some drs and hospitals don't give women a lot of choices (espescially in our area) that is why I had a homebirth. If trying those things will keep her from induction or c-sections I'm all for it.

BTW...you are not out of line I agree with letting nature take its course...the mastergland actually just gets your system in balance to let nature take its course...and the EPO just softens the cervix

I tried EPO internally and on the cervix, stripping menbranes, castor oil (SUCH a bad choice! Wanna be on the potty for an entire day with hemmeroids so bad you can't sit down - do this one! LOL!) Good ol' sex can get the ball rolling as can nipple stim and accupressure. Good luck. :)

I was a week past due with my son and luckily a midwife saw me that day at the prenatal clinic instead of a doctor. she massaged my cervex and i was in labor the next day.

I took a "midwive's cocktail" with my youngest. 2 Tbsps of castor oil in some juice. It didn't give the the poops or make me throw up, and she was born less than 12 hrs later. Keep in mind I was already 5cm and 75% effaced though. ;)

You know, I get really irritated by people who like to tell you that if you are only a few days past an EDD then you shouldn't be doing anything. I am sorry, but I just think that that is not the case with every baby. I was dialated to 5 1/2 cm for over 2 weeks before the doctor broke my water to get contractions going. They broke my water ON my due date. My baby was almost 10 lbs, MOST definitely done cooking, and I had a very difficult delivery with 3rd degree laceration tearing. When I was first checked at labor and delivery the first thing out of the nurse's mouth was "oh, a big baby..." and I said, what makes you say that (the u/s predicted 9 lbs 3 oz and dear daughter was half a pound over that) and she said, "sometimes you can just tell" (she was feeling baby's head at this point). So, should every woman try to help labor along? No. But should some women, I definitely think so.

Emily

I appreciate the discussion. I agree that SIL was not that overdue and a c-section or induction at that time did not need to be discussed.

Fortunately, my niece, Olivia, was born March 2, 2005 at 12:17pm weighing 8lbs 8oz.


She was born without medical intervention--no induction of any kind and no pain meds. I was honored when asked to assist as a labor coach. What a thrill!

Thanks ladies!