Natural Induction?

[lilsishomemade]

Welp, my blood pressure is rising and I'm starting to get some edema, so needless to say, my provider is getting a little nervous...I am due in a week, and she's mentioned inducing if I don't deliver by then. I will NOT be given pitocin, I've gone down that road, but I'm not looking forward to the power struggle if I'm still preggo at my due date. Now, I know the date of conception, so I know my dates are pretty accurate. I am dilated to a 3 with 60% effacement. So, I'm ripe...and I've been having regular contractions, just not the really good ones that mean business. I'm wondering what I can do to help kick start labor? TIA!!

[lilsishomemade]

:help

Well, I should say I WAS having contractions, but they're gone now :(

[Mariposa]

:hugs

here is a link for you with lots of ideas from gentlebirth.org

http://www.gentlebirth.org/archives/natinduc.html

hope you find something useful! i wish i was close enough to try inducing myself. my BPs are high, i am spilling lots of protein and i am now without a midwife. :( i am terrified of being induced, especially so early when my body won't be ready.

[CharlotteSometimes]

I think I would start with the gentlest, most benign things and work my way up. Like right now I am taking cumin and red raspberry leaf tea.

Evening primrose oil (or semen).

Walking A LOT.

Acupuncture.

That would be my first course of action.

Then I would think about things like Motherwort, cottonroot bark, lobelia. (With caution of course)

And then I'd whip out the cohosh.

Good luck!

[lilsishomemade]

Thanks!! I do have a question: a lot of places recommend cohosh tincture. I couldn't find tincture anywhere around here, just the herb in the capsule form. I also couldn't find the tea. How do the capsules compare? Or, could I open them up and make a "tea" from them? If so, how many should I use per cup?

[lilsishomemade]

I think I would start with the gentlest, most benign things and work my way up. Like right now I am taking cumin and red raspberry leaf tea.

Evening primrose oil (or semen).

Walking A LOT.

Acupuncture.

That would be my first course of action.

Then I would think about things like Motherwort, cottonroot bark, lobelia. (With caution of course)

And then I'd whip out the cohosh.

Good luck!Thank you! I've been drinking RRT all through my pregnancy, and have been drinking it all day these past few weeks. I'm also taking evening primrose oil and walking a lot...I think that's what's gotten my cervix this far (dilated and 60% effaced), and so I guess I'm ready to go to the next phase...

[majorsky]

My childbirth educator says the ankle pressure point is a proven induction method. Repeatedly press firmly on it only if you're really ready to go into labor. If I go past my due date, I'm sure I'll be trying that one. :)

Kristin

[CharlotteSometimes]

Well, a capsule generally contains an extract of a substance....it's made by soaking a botanical in a liquid that removes specific types of chemicals. Then liquid can be used as is or evaporated to make a dry extract for capsules or tablets. So I think the key to figuring out the dosage is comparing chemical makeup. The cohosh extract is standardized to contain 2.5% triterpenes glycosides (which is the active ingedient), but I don't know what the tincture contains. I'm not an herbalist or professional, so I'm just guessing....But you wouldn't make tea out of it because that is another way of extracting goodness from herbs. You would take it like a pill once you figure out the dosage.

I do know that there can be a risk of increased blood pressure with cohosh. And that cohosh is often better used to enhance labor rather than start it. So you might look into Caulophyllum, which is the homoepathic version of blue cohosh.

See if you can find motherwort tincture and caulophyllum, and then get a sick amount of curry (anything containing chili pepper is going to get you going because of the chemical capsaicin) and some cumin tea, and visualize your baby's birth. Sounds hokey, but I know I get ctx when I do that :thumb

[Metasequoia]

Sex! Use some of those natural prostoglandins :lol, worked for me, plus the, uh, physical act seems to get things going. I also am a "stretchy 3cm, 80% effaced & babe is at zero station," but I'll just let babe come when he's ready since I have no medical problems - which will probably be on or very close to my EDD as my others were.

Good luck! Oh, & I second the visualization of birth, when I think about my previous births I have contrax like mad.

[AppleCrisp]

Sex! Use some of those natural prostoglandins :lol, worked for me, plus the, uh, physical act seems to get things going. I also am a "stretchy 3cm, 80% effaced & babe is at zero station," but I'll just let babe come when he's ready since I have no medical problems - which will probably be on or very close to my EDD as my others were.

Good luck! Oh, & I second the visualization of birth, when I think about my previous births I have contrax like mad.

I'm jealous, since we're due-date buddies! Nothing happening over here, as far as I can tell.