Quick Question

[forty's_wifey]

Ok so someone had given me this Motherstar Natural Birth drops, and I told my friend what the internet said it was for (i had never heard of it) and she went out and bought some. She was due today (well yesterday if you go by 12 am and not going to sleep ) anyways, she took it 3 times yesterday and 3 times today, and she said nothing is happening. She asked me how long it takes to work... and im like.. Uh... i dunno.
It says its for strengthening the uterus, and to stimulate labor. The ingridients are :
Extracts of Blue and Black Cohosh, Beth & Spikenard roots, red raspberry, partridgeberry, alfalfa, spearmint & lobelia leaves & lavender flowers, Mariposa llily flower essence & Jade Gem essence.

Can I get some help here? I dont know what to tell her, much less if it is SUPPOSED to work or what happens from when you start taking it. Anyone have any experience with this?

I had planned on taking it 3 x daily starting the week of my due date, to hopefully "lessen the need for medical intervention" as the website says. But honestly, i really know nothing about what it is for or supposed to do other than those 3 things stated above.
Any help would be appreciated.

[faithhopelove]

There is nothing that will make your body go into labor if it's not ready... period. So just tell her that patience is the only thing on her side IF she is wanting to use it to knock her butt into labor anyway. Not saying it's not doing anything at all but she shouldn't expect it to be *the thing* that works.

[faithhopelove]

also, I like like with anything it will really vary from person to person as far as what it will end up doing yk?

[LionTigerBear]

Whatever she does, she must NOT take MORE than what is recommended! Black cohosh can have very dangerous side affects if you take too much, like causing placental abruption. This can lead to infant or maternal death.

And I agree, personally I don't think there is any herb that will make you go into labor if your body is not ready. What these herbs perhaps can do, is help your body to be ready maybe a little sooner.

I am not against the concept of taking herbs to help things along, I myself am taking a 5-week antenatal herbal formula, however, I just think you need to be really cautious with this sort of thing. (And my antenatal formula does not contain black cohosh.)

Good luck to your friend!

[LionTigerBear]

PS-- is that the herbal formula I gave you? If so, it is meant to be taken (as I understand it) during labor to help you have a faster and easier birthing time. It is not intended to start labor. It could possibly be used to help turn some prodromal labor into the real thing, but again, it would work in that regard only if your body is really ready.

And again I would stress to not take more the recommended dose.

[leurMaman]

Nothing will make you go into labor, as PP said, until it is ready. I tried just about every trick in the book with DS and nothing worked until he was ready (then any little thing can tip you over the edge). Since this is proven true, be careful about tinctures like that. No herb is completely proven safe for pregnancy - they still have a lot of research to do. Some of the herbs on your list are controversial, like Red Raspberry leaf. Blue and Black cohosh in the wrong dose can thin the blood - which becomes quite dangerous if a woman is hemorrhaging since she won't be able to clot and stop the bleeding as quickly. I don't think I like the sound of that herbal mix - especially 3 times a day.

Patience for labor is the first lesson in parenting (I know you are already a parent). I'm having to learn it all over again this second pregnancy. I think the best activities are walking, exercising lightly, sex, nipple stimulation, putting pressure on the roof of your mouth (if you suck your thumb and do this, it stimulates a pressure point associated with labor), foot and thigh massages (also associated with pressure points), and possibly acupuncture. These don't have proven harmful side effects that I know of. HTH.

[LionTigerBear]

Personally I think red raspberry leaf is very very safe.

The cohoshes are only dangerous if you take too much or if you already have heart problems. And at least one of them is supposed to help you bleed LESS after birth, not more.

I don't think the formula sounds unsafe, however, personally, I wouldn't take it three times a day. I might take it once at the onset of labor and then maybe a second time after several hours if I was still in labor at that point. If I was experiencing prodromal labor, I would take it once to see if the prodromal labor regulated into active labor, and if it didn't, I wouldn't take any more of the herbal formula until it was my real birthing time; and if the labor did become active, then I wouldn't take it again for several hours.

I'm just not comfortable with the idea of taking it three times a day to try to stimulate labor from nothing. I don't think that's a good idea.

[forty's_wifey]

Originally Posted by Caitlin320

PS-- is that the herbal formula I gave you? /

yeah. I told her i didnt know anything about it, but what the internet said.. and she went on some herbal site and got it. My husband wont let me touch it until my due date because it say very big CAUTION dont take until your due date.

I asked her, she said she only been takin it 3 times a day like the bottle says, but that it says stimulate labor so she "assumed" it would start her labor. I read her the replies. She is pouting i told her to be patient. Thanks.