3,000 mg evening primrose oil/day: are you kidding?

[taffywelsh]

Hi all
The midwife has recommended taking 2x 500 mg evening primrose pills 3x/day. What the hell? That is really a lot..six pills.
What do you think? I am 36 weeks and uninterested in going much over 40, although I am willing to face facts.
Let me know
TW
ps. Checked "evening primrose" threads, didn't find answer.

[Baby~Braatens~Mama]

sounds like a lot to me, but I have no prior experience, just a vast aversion to taking pills. Is it supposed to help you not go over your EDD? Another natural inducer?

[Jayray]

Yeah, sounds like a lot to me. The last time, my midwives had me taking 500 mg orally and 500 mg vaginally per day at 36 weeks, increasing the vaginal amount by 500 mg every week.

[happythistle]

I start the 3000 mg dose this weekend. It's a cervical preparation thing and a pain to take all those pills. But if it helps me get ready for labor again, I'll do it.

[taffywelsh]

Originally Posted by happythistle

I start the 3000 mg dose this weekend. It's a cervical preparation thing and a pain to take all those pills. But if it helps me get ready for labor again, I'll do it.

hmm, interesting. Your due date seems similar to mine. Are you taking any of them vaginally? my MW said to take the 2 at night that way, poking holes in them first with a pin.
How did you find out about this 3,000 mg dose? Did you do it with the birth of your previous child?

[etsdtm99]

My midwife said 3 pills orally and 2 at night vaginally - I have read to increase that at 38 or 39 weeks .. Though I haven't yet & I'm 38+3

[ILovePie]

I did 2 orally and 1 vaginally each night before bed starting at 39 weeks with DS. He was born at 39w 2 days, so I only did it twice. My water broke out the outset - interestingly, I know two other moms who had the EXACT same thing happen: two days of the 2 by mouth and one vaginally, and then their water broke at the onset of labor!

I didn't poke holes. They just dissolved on their own. Frankly, I had so much discharge by that point I never even noticed anything extra.

I plan to do the same things this time that I did last time - massage to help labor start/make contractions a little stronger starting at 37 weeks, and EPO at 39 weeks.