VBAC UC herbs for "helping things along" - Page 4

[TzippityDoulah]

still here and still pregnant!

[AngelBee]

Originally Posted by HennyPenny

still here and still pregnant!

[KariM]

I haven't read through all the replies, so forgive me in advance if these have been covered:

1. I'd drink more water (I tend to get contractions when not properly hydrated)

2. I'd discontinue the use of any supplements with red raspberry leaf (they give me contractions)

3. I'd go to a chiro for an adjustment

Again, these are things that have helped me in the past get rid of annoying/painful contractions.

[TzippityDoulah]

Originally Posted by KariM

I haven't read through all the replies, so forgive me in advance if these have been covered:

1. I'd drink more water (I tend to get contractions when not properly hydrated)

2. I'd discontinue the use of any supplements with red raspberry leaf (they give me contractions)

3. I'd go to a chiro for an adjustment

Again, these are things that have helped me in the past get rid of annoying/painful contractions.

thanks for your thoughts

I'm well hydrated for sure. I don't take RRL, and I go to the chiro... heh but thanks anyhow!

[mwherbs]

Originally Posted by HennyPenny

ok so I'm not much into interventions... well I thought I wasn't, until I have had more than 3 weeks of on and off labour. prodromal labour. and I am SORE. I ache on every part of my body. no amount of sleep, resting, meditating, talking to the baby, walking, sitting still or any other thing is helping. I am only worse. it's so bad I can hardly stand up now! (seriously, the baby is that low and I have PSD) i'm been stuck in a chair, sofa or bed for days and it's only getting worse.

I'm in pain frankly. so I'm thinking of trying a few milder things. But I have a little concern b/c I'm a VBACer. granted this will be my second vaginal after a c/s nearly 9 years ago, but I still want to use precaution. the last thing I want is to be hasty and then end up rupturing!!

any thoughts on these herbs for "helping things along" for VBACers?

• Pennyroyal
• Blue cohash
• black cohash
• False unicorn root
• Blesssed thistle
• squawvine herb
• lebelia

(I have a little mixture a friend gave me with all of these herbs)

I've never used anything like this b/c I never thought I'd want to induce labour. but I'm already labouring, and baby is all but sitting inside my vagina, so I'm not sure what else I'm waiting on.

I'm actually a little ashamed... I always thought I would stick it through. and be tougher. and see it through the end. I'm kinda mad at myself for considering this. but I'm also hurting so badly!! I'm scared my physical tension might be making it hard for baby to come... no matter how much my mind relaxes my body is too tired to relax anymore. bleh

also herbalist here and I don't like this combo either and I know that several formulas are made up like this-- and it is true that there is some action either irritant or stimulating on the uterus but several of the herbs are toxic- or can be toxic depending on how they are administered
pennyroyal- so in small amounts and like a tea the English have used it as flavoring for pudding- but what it is used for mainly is to KILL lice and is neuro toxic-
blue Cohosh- caulyphyllum - Paul Bergner wrote a decent historic article on its use you can down load the bit from Journal of Medical Herbalism 2001-- http://medherb.com/bi/home.htm
and a more recent full text review/article written by a Canadian doc-Can J Clin Pharmacol Vol 15 (1) Winter 2008: e66-e73; January 18, 2008
SAFETY AND EFFICACY OF BLUE COHOSH (Caulophyllum Thalictroides)
DURING PREGNANCY AND LACTATION
Jean-Jacques Dugoua1,2,3, Daniel Perri4, Dugald Seely3,5, Edward Mills6, Gideon Koren1,4
basically tea or tincture is probably ok- for a labor stimulant (very time focused use) CAPSULES are not ok
Lobelia - small doses even for adults are the norm but you have to think about how much of mom's dose is getting into the baby- so something safe and comfortable for mom can be toxic to babe- over the years I have seen 2 cases one early on 27 yrs ago and the other more recently (mom was an dr Christopher trained herbalist) who took a similar combo with some extra lobelia on the side- the babies had eye rolling and what looked to me like seizures but went away when the herbs were discontinued- mom the most recent one mom stopped taking the formula after the birth ( because I said could be making a problem) but decided to take the lobelia for after pains and when she took it the baby had a couple other bouts of eye rolling and then had apnea- met her at the hospital(when we talked she mentioned the lobelia and so I recommended to stop taking it)- transferred to a larger hospital they had an overnight stay at maybe 9 days postpartum all tests were fine - the hospital was a whole other circus but that is another topic so we haven't seen any lasting effects but I would not recommend a pregnant or nursing mom to take it ever
-------------------

here is the web address for the Canadian article
http://www.cjcp.ca/hm/

[TzippityDoulah]

Originally Posted by mwherbs

also herbalist here and I don't like this combo either and I know that several formulas are made up like this-- and it is true that there is some action either irritant or stimulating on the uterus but several of the herbs are toxic- or can be toxic depending on how they are administered
pennyroyal- so in small amounts and like a tea the English have used it as flavoring for pudding- but what it is used for mainly is to KILL lice and is neuro toxic-
blue Cohosh- caulyphyllum - Paul Bergner wrote a decent historic article on its use you can down load the bit from Journal of Medical Herbalism 2001-- http://medherb.com/bi/home.htm
and a more recent full text review/article written by a Canadian doc-Can J Clin Pharmacol Vol 15 (1) Winter 2008: e66-e73; January 18, 2008
SAFETY AND EFFICACY OF BLUE COHOSH (Caulophyllum Thalictroides)
DURING PREGNANCY AND LACTATION
Jean-Jacques Dugoua1,2,3, Daniel Perri4, Dugald Seely3,5, Edward Mills6, Gideon Koren1,4
basically tea or tincture is probably ok- for a labor stimulant (very time focused use) CAPSULES are not ok
Lobelia - small doses even for adults are the norm but you have to think about how much of mom's dose is getting into the baby- so something safe and comfortable for mom can be toxic to babe- over the years I have seen 2 cases one early on 27 yrs ago and the other more recently (mom was an dr Christopher trained herbalist) who took a similar combo with some extra lobelia on the side- the babies had eye rolling and what looked to me like seizures but went away when the herbs were discontinued- mom the most recent one mom stopped taking the formula after the birth ( because I said could be making a problem) but decided to take the lobelia for after pains and when she took it the baby had a couple other bouts of eye rolling and then had apnea- met her at the hospital(when we talked she mentioned the lobelia and so I recommended to stop taking it)- transferred to a larger hospital they had an overnight stay at maybe 9 days postpartum all tests were fine - the hospital was a whole other circus but that is another topic so we haven't seen any lasting effects but I would not recommend a pregnant or nursing mom to take it ever

interesting stuff.

I decided a bit ago I just wasn't comfortable with taking the combo of herbs. I looked it over and people have varying degrees of opinions... but in my gut i just didn't feel good about it so I didn't go there.

I'm not a huge fan of "combo" herbs like that. I wonder how they will all interact together and I don't know... it just doesn't sit well with me for this one.

[sarahwpen]

i am kind of surprised no one has mentioned this yet... but then maybe I am just a lot more backwoods and old fashioned than i thought!

Sometimes when under a lot of stress and pain, a shot (or two depending on your tolerance levels) of strong liquor (not getting smashed or anything) can help to even things out and allow your body to release enough of the tension to kind of re-set itself and start over from a more balanced place without the pain hormones interfering and causing blocked signals in your body.

I have heard several midwives suggest a glass of wine and a relaxing evening (maybe some quality time with hubby) as a good way to calm things down. They say that this will usually either slow the labor if it isn't ready, or allow it to kick into high gear if it is being blocked.

Of course this wouldn't help much except for some pain relief if the true problem turns out to be malpresentaion, which at this stage of the game, there really isn't anything you can do about that other than c-section or grin and bear it, depending on what presentation.

Hope you get your birthday soon!

[TzippityDoulah]

SARAHPWEN-

actually a few people did suggest it!

I'm not against it except that I have a SERIOUSLY sensitive stomach so if I drink anything (wine, beer, whiskey or fruity drink) I always puke after words. I can't even tolerate kombucha! so as tempting as it is... throwing up just sounds like an extra added not fun thing right now

I have taken unisom and benedryl to help me sleep... but that doesn't help when I'm awake.

for now I'm just taking it easy. walking/up and down stairs to get things going did nothing but give me terribe contractions that kept me up all ngiht. I have a seriously irritable uterus! heh... so for nowI'm just taking it a day at a time. I want this bay to come SO badly... but I've done everything right and it's not coming. so either it wants a little more growing time, or time to work out a funny position. I can only guess.

[fyrebloom]

When is your due date or are you not calculating that?

[TzippityDoulah]

I'm roughly 41 weeks and some days. of course I could be 40 weeks and 5 days... I just don't believe dates can be 100% accurate. but taking what I know from all of it I believe I'm 41 weeks and 1-3 days.

(FYI- I'm not worried about being "overdue" for any reason but my liver problems and my SPD)