Need coshosh help

[TheMoMo]

Hi all! My due date was the 12th and the mw practice I'm using can only allow me to be 2 weeks late before I'd have to be induced at a hospital. I'm less than thrilled about this, obviously, but agreed to it at the outset. I really know nothing about cohoshes and need any advice you can give. I refuse to use castor oil, am not having great luck with nipple stim, cohoshes are next on my list.

Any help out there?

Maureen

[cottonwood]

Hi, I don't know a lot about the cohoshes, but I can point you to an article discussing the pharmacology of blue cohosh:

http://www.birthlove.com/pages/health/two_ways.html

This site is by subscription only (I think it's $10/yr) -- I'm sure you can do a search and come up with similar information elsewhere. Here's a summary of the article:

"Blue cohosh is a North American herb with a reputation for both causing and preventing miscarriage (abortion), but it is most widely known for its use in labour induction.

There are some unpleasant side effects from blue cohosh, including elevated blood pressure and blood sugar levels, nausea, severe stomach pain, and toxicity. There have been two case reports where blue cohosh was blamed for severe cardiac toxicity in infants whose mothers used the herb to induce labour. In addition, the plant contains a toxic compound which is known to cause birth defects in cattle."

In other words, like all methods of induction, cohosh apparently carries risks.

If it was me I would try some deep squatting, a lot of relaxation and meditation, and heavy sex/masturbation. In any case, if the midwives drop you from their care and you have to go the hospital, you can still refuse to be induced.

[cottonwood]

BTW, according to the research Henci Goer has done (The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth) you are (assuming you are sure of gestational age) just now at term.

[Corriander]

I hope that you have a good relationship with your practice, and that they explain to you why an induction is truely necessary - something more than "2 weeks past due is our policy". Even if they do explain their reasoning to you, you can always refuse an induction. It is your choice and no one else's.