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August 2015 Moms
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EPO !

jonjas0350jonjas0350 member
in August 2015 Moms
Had my 36 week check up yesterday and Baby Bentley is head down and will be term Sunday ! My doctor suggested I take evening primrose oil vaginally & well be checked for dilation at 2 weeks. For the people who have used it,  what brand would you recommend? I forgot to ask her which one she would suggest :) thanks !
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  • 4foxsake4foxsake member
    edited July 2015 Answer ✓
    37 weeks IS term. Its early term though, not full term. When you are 37 weeks the baby will no longer be considered premature, and is generally considered safe to deliver, IF the baby decides to come. EPO is not for inducing labor, it is for making the cervix more favorable for labor when it happens.

    Edit- by the way OP, I have "Barlean's" EPO, its what my midwife recommended.  Its organic, if you're into that sort of thing.
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Re: EPO !

  • ChristyM87ChristyM87 member
    How are you term on Su if you are due in Aug?
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  • Kwest1007Kwest1007 member
    What does primerose oil do?
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  • neludeluneludelu member
    Why rush it? 40 was is so much better than 37
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  • jesselayne8jesselayne8 member
    It may soften your cervix but it won't jump start labor.


    TTC#1 for 19 months with PCOS and MFI IUI#3 + injectables = BFP!!!!  Beta#1-134(13dpiui) Beta #2-392(15dpiui) 
    #1 born December 2011
    TTC#2 - Beta #1 -51@10dpo Beta#2 -1353 @16dpo
    #2 born May 2013
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  • Kwest1007Kwest1007 member
    Does it work along the lines of perineal massage? Or in combination with?
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  • jonjas0350jonjas0350 member
    Because anything before 37 is considered preterm if he were to come . After 37 is term I'm full term at 40 .
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  • jonjas0350jonjas0350 member
    Not rushing it, just want a easy labor and on time . I don't want to go over 40 weeks and that's what the oil is for. I'm getting my membrane stripped at 39 weeks if the primrose helps with my cervix.
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  • jonjas0350jonjas0350 member
    Suppose to help soften the cervix and make it easier for labor and easier to dilate. Kind of like what sperm will do for the cervix during sex basically.
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  • Kwest1007Kwest1007 member
    jonjas0350 said:

    Suppose to help soften the cervix and make it easier for labor and easier to dilate. Kind of like what sperm will do for the cervix during sex basically.

    Good to know. I'll have to do some research on it. Have u tried perineal massage at all? I've heard good things about that as well (suppose to decrease your likelihood of tearing or needing episiotomy).
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  • Kwest1007Kwest1007 member
    micshi said:

    Kwest1007 said:

    Does it work along the lines of perineal massage? Or in combination with?

    No. Perineal massage is to help your perineum stretch and hopefully not tear while giving birth. EPO supposedly softens the cervix so that effacement and dilation occur more rapidly and smoothly once labor has begun.
    Hm. Def things for me to look into. I never heard of EPO before. Thx for the info!
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  • jonjas0350jonjas0350 member
    I've heard good things about epo ! & no, I don't even know what that is! I'll have to look into it :)
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  • ChristyM87ChristyM87 member
    jonjas0350 said:

    Because anything before 37 is considered preterm if he were to come . After 37 is term I'm full term at 40 .

    I am pretty sure that the new guidelines are that 39 weeks is now term. Your baby is still developing
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  • lifesabeach85lifesabeach85 member
    ChristyM87 said:

    jonjas0350 said:

    Because anything before 37 is considered preterm if he were to come . After 37 is term I'm full term at 40 .

    I am pretty sure that the new guidelines are that 39 weeks is now term. Your baby is still developing
    Right, but I don't think OP is trying to induce with EPO just help labor along when it starts naturally. I drink raspberry leaf tea for the same reason. I may ask about EPO at my next appointment.


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  • Ambermom043Ambermom043 member
    EPO isn't to induce labor, most MW's suggest starting at 36 weeks vaginally to "ripen" the cervix. The idea is to help the delivery go more smoothly (whenever it does start..)
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  • shamy dougharthshamy dougharth member
    My midwifery considers 37 weeks to be term as well, 40 is full term. They also recommended EPO to help with labor and recovery after baby comes. It has omega-6 fatty acids as well as some other good stuff. As others have said, it will not induce labor. I use Nature's Way EfaGold because it's non GMO. I got it at Sprouts. Good luck!!
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  • 4foxsake4foxsake member
    ChristyM87 said:
    Because anything before 37 is considered preterm if he were to come . After 37 is term I'm full term at 40 .
    I am pretty sure that the new guidelines are that 39 weeks is now term. Your baby is still developing

    37 weeks is considered "term"
    37 and 38 weeks are "early-term"
    39 and 40 weeks are "full-term"
    41 weeks is "late-term"
    42+ is "post-term"

    Babies do well at 37 and 38 weeks, but they do best at 39 and 40 weeks, after 41 weeks, risks go up again.  The main reason the guidelines have been made more "clear" was to stop doctors from scheduling inductions and csections before 39 weeks.  If your baby decides to come at 37 or 38 weeks its considered safe to deliver.
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  • hjenkiihjenkii member
    I use the Spring Valley brand from Walmart. I take 3-4 capsules and pop a hole in the pill and squeeze it into a cup and suck it in a baby medicine syringe and have my fiance squirt it in vaginally. Works much better than sticking the pills in and waiting for them to dissolve. I also prop myself on a pillow with a towel over it and lay like that for 15 minutes so it gets to the cervix sort of like trying to conceive. Good luck!
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  • kate1524kate1524 member
    Will just taking capsules do help soften as well? Forgot to ask my OB about this at my appointment today. While trying to conceive I took EPO because of all the good benefits.
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  • shamy dougharthshamy dougharth member
    I was told to take them orally with food at 36/37 weeks and then start inserting them vaginally at 38. I hit 38 yesterday, but was nervous to try it! I may just stick to taking them orally, I haven't decided...
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  • babyyyy3babyyyy3 member
    Primrose and sperm have the same benefit!
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  • kate1524kate1524 member
    Thanks @shamy dougharth !
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  • emmiemae08emmiemae08 member
    My mw did say that EPO will help with tearing as well (if inserted). It's like how lotioning up can potentially help your skin stretch and prevent stretch marks. Not sure if it's true but I'm willing to try!
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  • melody27melody27 member
    babyyyy3 said:
    Primrose and sperm have the same benefit!

    So if you do one orally and one vaginally than it should be double the benefit, right??
    first mc- 2007
    second mc- 2014
    third times a charm- EDD 08/17/15
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