Any success using cohash to bring on labor?

[Beppie]

I'm 41wk2days along, and if baby hasn't come by Sunday (42 weeks) my MW will have me do castor oil. I really DON'T want to do castor oil!

Since I'm not keen on castor oil, my MW suggested I start taking cohash this week, both black cohash and blue cohash. I have never used these herbs before... I really am curious how effective they are. Has anyone used them to help get labor started?

[Gena 22]

Nope. Tried with no effect. Ended up using castor oil.

Remember though, the average spontaneous labor for a first time mom is 41w1d! You're not that far along in the big picture!

[Beppie]

yes, this is my 3rd baby... and I've gone over with both my other 2. But homebirths aren't really legal here after 42 weeks. and I DREAD castor oil!
just wanted to help things along so it didn't work for you at all?

[emnic77]

I used cohosh with my DD, when she was 10 days late. It worked, I went into labor the next day, but (and maybe it's not related) my labor was like pitocin labor, according to the nurses at the hospital where I delivered her (and no, I did NOT tell them I had taken cohosh, ).

I don't know if it was related (or even if it sent me into labor, I mean, I had to give birth at some point right? ) but man, her labor was tough.

[Kidzaplenty]

[Turquesa]

Didn't work for me, either.

The best advice I got on MDC was that these "natural" induction methods only work if your body is ready to have a baby. Go figure.

Is it your midwife who's pushing you to hurry up? And if so, what reason is she giving? Or are you just sick of being pregnant?

[Youngfrankenstein]

I actually did 2 of 3 days of a black/blue cohosh regimne this week. It burned my mouth and gave me a big temple headache!

It didn't do a thing for me, but my body is showing no signs of labor at all and I'm only 39 weeks today.

So you've tried castor oil before? Was it horrible and crampy?

(((hugs))) I'm sorry you're still waiting!

[bsideu4ever]

I tried it for 5 days straight, ALL DAY LONG!!!! It did nothing at all! My DD came when she was ready, at almost 42 weeks.

[Beppie]

I just talked to my MW today, and she said we'll go until the 25th until we try castor oil. On the 25th I will be 42 weeks and 3 days. So considering what I hear from other mws and obs on these boards, that sounds generous of her!

I've been having all kinds of signs with this baby (cramps, on and off contractions, etc.), for the past 2 weeks. I really feel baby will come before 42 weeks, it's just...maybe she won't, since I've been wrong with all my guesses so far! And now we are 41 weeks + 2 days and counting...

maybe castor oil is better than cohoshes. I've heard so many stories of the horrors of castor oil, I really hope it doesn't come to that!

[jeminijad]

I did alternating black and blue as part of an all day induction protocol. This was just prior to my due date (no, I wouldn't do it again before 40 weeks.)

How well it worked is difficult to say... I did end up dilating to about a 4, with strong, regular contractions, but then I entered the hospital and was augmented/AROM'd, so I don't know if my natural labor would have sustained itself or not.

[abc123xyz]

We did the blue/black cohoshes but here is our story: We tried everything before that as "natural" methods and nothing worked. Castor oil did NOT A THING!!!!! Not even a poop run!!! So at 41w5d we did a cervical check and I was 4cm dilated, 75% effaced and we talked about possibly breaking my waters later in the week. Planned to at 42w1d but even though I was 6cm dilated and 90% effaced no musuc plug at all and no membranes, the baby just wasn't low enough to feel what the presenting part was so my MW felt like it wasn't a great idea to go breaking the waters! I had a GREAT prenatal massage earlier in the day and was having some light contractions but this was nothing abnormal for me at this point in this pregnancy. MW recommended doing 30 drops of each of the cohoshes in a cup of water (the less the better cause it's hard to down), chase it with juice every 30 minutes for 6 doses. Do this in the evening when you can relax and focus on you. Keep walking a bunch, taking EPO orally and vaginally (as long as waters are not broken) and sex... Do this for 3 days. On the last day, do the castor oil. And then if labor hasn't started by then, break the waters. This was our plan since I was scheduled to have a NST the day after my 3 day regimine was up and I really wanted to avoid that. Needless to say, I only did one night of the cohoshes because my labor sparked right up. Those light contractions became stronger and more regular and I had my little boy 10 hours later!!! But, there was so much that could have gone wrong...My MW couldn't tell the presenting part because he was breech!!! And my labor was incredibly intense and painful because of his presentation. He had the cord wrapped around his neck...However, I did not want a hospital birth at all and had I waited and gone to the NST, I would have ended up with on FOR SURE!!! Breech birth is a NO-NO here and all things considered, I am glad that it all worked out.

So, if you want to do the cohosehes, it can't hurt to try! Just make sure things are favorable, baby is in a good birthing position and nice and low!