The Great Labor Thread

lmudra · April 2017

Did anyone start evening primrose oil? If so when, how much and how did you take it?
Did it help?

JessyKV · April 2017

@imudra I took it my last pregnancy starting at 36 weeks and will start at that time again this pregnancy. I think I did 2 500mg capsuls a day. I've read to up 4 capsuls a day at 38 weeks.

Ive also heard about inserting a capsul into your vagina to help soften the cervix. I haven't tried this but if you do I would do it at night with a panty liner!

swanbrooner · April 2017

@silliegirlie143
My hospital has started doing something where they empty your bladder every hour or so if you have an epdiural instead of leaving a catheter in. It might be worth asking about.

delujm0 · April 2017

@swanbrooner every hour?? That wouldn't be enough for me...DD was right on my bladder and before my epidural I felt the intense urge to pee with every single contraction. When they cathed me I actually said "this is amazing, it's the first time in months that my bladder has felt empty, i love it." DH was like "you have lost your mind" haha.

swanbrooner · April 2017

@delujm0 That's what they said in my birthing class. It may be more or less. I guess I'll find out!

lmudra · April 2017

I'm starting the red raspberry leaf tea regiment tomorrow. Anyone else (or your friends) do this and find it helped?

Stankonia2014 · April 2017

lmudra said:

I'm starting the red raspberry leaf tea regiment tomorrow. Anyone else (or your friends) do this and find it helped?

***SITB***

I will take it again starting next week, though I'm not sure it truly helped, but I did have a shorter labor, breezy recovery, and my milk supply was pretty good.

mombod · April 2017

Will start RRL at 36 weeks. Im not sure if it helped but my labor was easy and relatively short (6 hrs). Plus I like the taste.

halfthetree · May 2017

@lmudra I take it throughout the entire pregnancy (1 cup first tri, 2 in second, 3+ in third). If you have alfalfa or nettles, add those too!

I used it for my second, entire labor from first contraction to birth was 90 minutes. I count that as a success!

Is anyone getting started eating dates? Now is the time!

delujm0 · May 2017

RRL freaks me out because the last thing I want to have is a labor that is so short I won't have time to deal with logistics of DD's care and getting to the hospital that is 45 minutes away in time for my beloved epidural...haha. I didn't do it last time and from start to finish it was about 15 hours, including drugs to slow it down at one point and 2.5 hours of pushing because DD was sunny side up...so I figure that's tolerable?

There was a person on the third tri boards this weekend asking about castor oil...ugh. Terrible.

lmudra · May 2017

What's with the dates? I don't think I can eat them in their natural form (yuck). What do they do? How do you eat them? How much?

lmudra · May 2017

https://www.fitmittenkitchen.com/3-ingredient-chocolate-date-nut-bars/

Would these work?

danij0 · May 2017

I started 1 cup daily of RRL tea a couple weeks ago. I will go up to 2 cups next week or the week after. Then 3 towards the end. My friend (FTM) drank it towards the end and had a 7 hour med free labor/delivery. I would like the same experience, but I know its not scientific. Luckily, it doesn't taste bad!
ETA: Another friend did not use RRL and had a very long labor.

Stankonia2014 · May 2017

@halfthetree, I will start next week, but I eat a Larabar every day and they're made with dates, so I'm assuming it would have the same benefits...?

@lmudra, dates are supposed to help with dilation and spontaneous labor. You're supposed to eat 6 a day. I eat them raw with peanut butter, as mentioned above Larabars are made with dates and other ingredients, I would assume those or the bars you posted would be sufficient.

lmudra · May 2017

Do you like a particular brand of dates?

Stankonia2014 · May 2017

lmudra said:

Do you like a particular brand of dates?

No, I usually just buy them in bulk from the bins.

anitamargarita_82 · May 2017

Bacon wrapped dates are legit! Dipped in maple syrup... heaven!!

LMMama · May 2017

I drink one big cup of RRL tea every morning and have been doing so for a few weeks now. Gonna start adding in a second after work (so it's actually like 3/4 cups because the one I use is big) I drink it over ice with honey. I also plan to keep going after I have the baby because I've read about it helping with recovery too.

I think I'm definitely going to try out some dates too. Why not.

rmarble23 · May 2017

with RRL anything specific one should look for? like concentration or a specific brand?

mombod · May 2017

rmarble23 said:

with RRL anything specific one should look for? like concentration or a specific brand?

My midwife says to get loose tea vs bags bc they arent really strong enough. She recommends 1 tablespoon per 8 oz of water or if you make it in a big batch like for iced tea, 1 cup per gallon. She says 3-4 cups per day.

email2ash · May 2017

@lmudra have you tried Larabars? They are in the healthy section at grocery stores and use dates for sweetening vs sugar.

lmudra · May 2017

I haven't but I think I will!

sparrow-2 · May 2017

I started dates last week, just 4/ day but will increase to 6 now, thanks @Stankonia2014 for that info. I don't mind the taste and get the medjool ones from Trader Joe's. It sounds like consensus on RRL is loose leaf, I'm also interested if brand or formula matters if anyone had an opinion on that.

danij0 · May 2017

@sparrow I'm using the Feel Good Organics RRL loose leaf tea. The 16oz bag is huge!

lmudra · May 2017

Tell me all your induction stories. Unless this baby comes on her own before 39 weeks I'll be induced. Any induction tips so I don't have to get all the drugs? I'm reading Ina May's book and frankly she's a bitch and now I'm scared shitless...

ladylolly89 · May 2017

lmudra said:

Tell me all your induction stories. Unless this baby comes on her own before 39 weeks I'll be induced. Any induction tips so I don't have to get all the drugs? I'm reading Ina May's book and frankly she's a bitch and now I'm scared shitless...

I was induced and didn't get any drugs I didn't have to have. I was GBS+, so between the penicillin and pitocin and constant IV I felt like I already had enough going into me!
I had read up on the Bradley method ahead of time and that helped a lot with "pain". I honestly did not think that my labor hurt, though I'm not sure how much of that had to do with my already high pain tolerance, the perspective that I learned to have on pain, or that maybe my labor just wasn't that painful. Pitocin contractions are very strong, but it's all I've ever experienced and I didn't find them anywhere near unmanageable.

lmudra · May 2017

Sorry I meant ways to induce without the pit (or is that not a thing). Like do they have something gentler than iv drugs?

ladylolly89 · May 2017

lmudra said:

Sorry I meant ways to induce without the pit (or is that not a thing). Like do they have something gentler than iv drugs?

Oh! I think there are other ways. I know sometimes they just try breaking the water and seeing if that starts labor as well.

Kylieslip24 · May 2017

ladylolly89 said:

lmudra said:

Sorry I meant ways to induce without the pit (or is that not a thing). Like do they have something gentler than iv drugs?

Oh! I think there are other ways. I know sometimes they just try breaking the water and seeing if that starts labor as well.

My mom just went in and had her water broken when I was born. It was 2 days before the date I was due and she was just over being pregnant, no med reason. She had me all natural besides that part.

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