Natural Birth

Evening Primrose Oil??

I will be 39 wks on Monday, and my situation is a bit complicated. At 31 wks I was already dilating and my cervix was softening. I was put on bedrest and some meds to help with the contractions. Now, that I'm this close to my due date I have a new midwife (LONG STORY), but she told me last week if I am not past 4cm dilated in my 39th wk, chances are I will be induced. I asked her why and she explained to me that doctors and midwives just don't want to be bothered with calls all hours of the night, that close to the due date. I've been walking about 2 miles a day and I've been trying the nipple stimulation, but I haven't felt any changes. I'm just afraid they will induce me because they are too lazy to be patient and let nature take her course. My first born was born at 35wks, but this pregnancy is quite different. I'm about 3.5 cm dilated and 80% effaced, but I really think the midwife is trying to rush it. My last check up, she checked my cervix and was really rough. I'm wondering if she was trying to manipulate my cervix and manually "help" me dilate. No other midwife has ever been that rough before. My question is will evening primrose oil help me dilate, and if so how often do I apply it? I do not want the midwife to induce me or manipulate my cervix.
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Re: Evening Primrose Oil??

  • First off...holy crap??!?! I  cannot believe she said that. Is there any medical reason why? Or is it simply because she doesn't want to be bothered????? I am in awe!

    I absolutely unequivocally would not consent to an induction without any medical need.  If they are concerned that an induction would become iminent for medical reasons, then I can understand them doing stretch and sweeps to make an induction, if necessary, have a higher chance for success. But she should inform you of what she is doing. Decline internals from now on. You are already pretty highly dilated and effaced.

     As for EPO... it isn't intended for dilation. It is supposed to help with effacement. As far as using it, generally I would say ask your MW...but she seems like a freaking toolbag. I have just started taking EPO vaginally, 2x 500 mg capsules at night (which I believe is on the low end as I have heard of women taking up to 2000mg.)

  • oh my.  i'm a little shocked at what you wrote.  please tell me that the medwife you are seeing is a CNM.  sweet baby jesus, what are these people doing to birth???

    i don't understand why you have to be 4cm by 39 weeks.  that part doesn't make sense to me.  can you discuss it with her further at your next appt?  is there anyone in the practice that you can see that has diff protocols?  you said this is your new mw, what happened there?  why did you switch? 

    it would be really hard to switch at this point, so i encourage you to talk to her and tell her how you are feeling and that you do not want to be induced. 

     

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  • oh and if you are already 3.5 cms (which is ridiculous to tell someone they are half a centimeter) i think you are in the clear.  would she really induce you over 0.5 cms?? 
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  • They are CNMs. But the thing is she was straight forward with me. I'm hoping that I get to what she deems as appropriate. She is not the usual midwife I see. Mine moved w/o informing me. I found out when I saw the new one that the old one moved out of state. Doctors here seem to be very impatient and don't want to be bothered. But I'm hoping I can help myself w/o her jamming her fingers into my cervix. It hurt so bad! I don't know why they would do it either but I'm not comfortable with it.
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  • I honestly don't know what to think. I'm upset about the whole ordeal. There are 3 CNMs in the practice, 2 no longer work there. Their last week was when I was 37wks. I had no idea until on my 38th wk, when I asked who would be on call. The whole situation is a bad one. The office personell and the midwives knew but told none of the clients. I only know one midwife now. I've met one of the new ones but I really do not trust her judgement. I really don't even want to be seen by her. Unfortunately I don't have a choice this late in the game. So, if anyone has any ideas how to dilate quicker that would be awesome! I don't want to risk it with this woman.
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  • i'm sorry that you are in this situation.  i'm still confused about you being 3.5 cms.  you need to be 4, don't you think you will get there this week? 

    there is no magic way to dilate a cervix.  all of those remedies will only work if your body is ready.  usually a cervix will not dilate without contractions.  i think the reason you are already dilated is because of your history. 

    it is not going to hurt to try EPO. 

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  • Thanks. I just haven't felt any changes at all. I'm really reluctant to have that same CNM check me. I'm just worried that I wasn't 3.5cm and she just manipulated the cervix. Afterwards she told me that she could've stretched it to 4cm, if she was rougher. But she WAS rough and it hurt. So, my goal is to make myself as dilated as possible w/o her help. I don't want her digging away at my cervix.
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  • I have been having internals with stretch and sweeps and I am typically about 2cm able to be stretched to about 4cm (3 conservatively) and it really doesn't hurt at all. Does this mean I have a higher pain tolerance than you....highly unlikely. Did I have a "better" provider....damn straight. My MW at the second to last appointment I had just met for the first time was doing the stretch and sweep...and she was describing everything she was doing, making sure I was relaxed and prepared. She was very in tune to what I was feeling and made sure I was comfortable. Stretch and sweeps don't feel great obviously, but they should not be painful. Your MW was a D-bag and there is no excuse for that.

    The only reason I am having this done is because since 37 weeks I have had high BP and the talk of induction has been looming, and at 37 weeks my cervix was so posterior she could not palpate it. If you don't have a medical reason for having the stretch and sweeps done, I would decline them.

  • Well, the cervical checks started at 31 wks because I began feeling contractions and due to my 1st born being premature, the CNM decided to check me. I agreed to it. And no it did not hurt. They don't check my cervix at every appointment, but the new one asked to see how far I've dilated since the last time I was checked and I agreed. I'm not sure why it hurt either; I've been checked about 3-4 times now, and this was the first time it hurt. Maybe I am just uncomfortable with her, but I don't have any other options. I have been considering a home birth because of it. But there is no one certified in my area and my partner isn't sure it's a good idea to deliver on our own. I guess I'll just have to wait for my appointment on Wednesday. I'm really nervous about it.
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  • PLEASE do not do an unassisted home birth! 

    CNM's have to work under a dr's supervision, have you met with this dr?  is he/she any nicer or have a diff opinion about the induction at 39 weeks? 

    do you have a doula?  if not, is there anyway you can get one ASAP?! 

    is your partner good about speaking up?  if not, or if he/she can't go with you, can you have someone go to your appt that will speak up on your behalf?  mother, sister, friend, doula? 

    try to calmly explain to the mw how you feel about the induction and how since it isn't a medical necessity you would like to wait for your body to go into labor on it's own.  they cannot force you to do anything that you don't want to do.  you just have to stick to your guns and realize that you are doing the best thing for you and your baby.  you are already a parent and this is one of many many decisions that you will have to make to protect your child. 

    you don't have to be rude, just be firm.  YOU CAN DO IT!! 

     

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  • He's going to the appointment with me. This is our second child- together. I've tried to find a doula but I had no luck. Southern MS. just doesn't have a lot of options for women who prefer to do things naturally. I'm really just fed up with the healthcare here. I've never met the OB/GYN but from what I've been told he's a medical kind of guy. At this clinic they seem to prefer the medical side of things. It's hard to re-establish everything in a birth plan when my old CNM knew exactly how I felt and supported it. She was the most natural friendly a person in a medical position could be. I'm frusterated beyond belief. The old CNM, myself and my partner had a plan that we all agreed to. The OB/GYN usually allows the CNMs to take charge unless there is a medical emergency. Regardless, I know I'll be fine. I'm just upset because the birth of my first born was the worst experience and I've done everything possible to prevent a repeat. I don't want to walk out of another hospital again saying "The only good thing out of this is my child".  I've already decided that if this is the case, I will not have anymore children. I'll either get tied or have it all taken out. I'm tired of researching all possibilities to no prevail. (Sorry, but now I'm just venting.)
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