Anyone taking it? I'm 36 weeks now, I didn't do it with DD, but anything that will help ripen things is welcome, I don't want a long labor like I had with DD. I'm a big weirdo and the idea of using it vaginally bothers me :o so I'd only take it orally I think- Is it even worth it if you're not doing both? How much do you take? Any one brand better than another?

I'm taking it. I started a couple days ago and I'll be 37 weeks tomorrow. I have no illusions of going early, so it's more to make things go smoothly when they do happen. I'm only doing orally for now. I have 500mg Naturally Preferred and I'm taking 3, but I have no idea if it's a good brand.

I heard/read somewhere that orally was actually better than vaginally. Don't quote me on that, though! :)

I'm going to get some this week and start taking it orally. I didn't do it w/ DS and had a 7.5 hour labor. I did use it with DD (orally and vaginally...it's not that bad, it just melts in there and kinda oozes out in the AM. :p) and I was over 5cm and 70% effaced about a week before I had her. Dunno if it was from the EPO or not...but it can't hurt, I figure!

I don't know about brands either. I asked earlier this week, I think on Birth and Beyond about this. I was told I could take my 1000mg capsules twice a day orally.

I did the internal thing too, and it wasn't gross or anything. I did it right before bedtime and everything just kind of fell out in the morning when I went to the potty (sorry if TMI).

I plan to do this too.

Don't forget the RRL tea! I hear it helps make a smoother, faster labor for many.

I was just going to post about this!!

I finally picked up my frontier order, and got some!!

Can someone link an article or other information as to what EPO does? I haven't read about this yet.

Do tell, what is EPO? Does it stand for something that my brain is just not connecting at the moment? :lol

I believe it stands for Evening Primrose Oil.

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

I've read some really contradictory statements online as to whether or not EPO is safe during pregnancy. Does anyone have good research on this? I'd like to read it before I start taking any.

I did use it with my last birth... which was a 10 lb girl and my easiest yet... but I can't say if the epo made a difference or not. I did START labor at 7 cm, lol.....

EPO is actually one of the safest things you can do to try and prepare your body for labor.

it does not stimulate any hormones...it only helps to soften the cervix

My MW said I could start it if I want (esp since i have gone long with both) but I ma actually afraid I won't make it long enough.... since my work issues necessitate me staying PG until Nov 6th at the absolutely earliest (EDD nov 5th) I *might * start it maybe last week in OCT but it might be too late to make a huge difference then?? I don't know,, I have it so will decide as I go along...

it was on the shopping list for Tue -- then insert stomach big and NST and NO SHOPPING got done -- i am VERY fustrated by this fact.

so it is on the shopping lsit for next tue -- course by next tue i will only feel generally owrse, be more tired and waddle more and feel less like trudgeing around town to get sh*t done......

I used it orally for 2 week and interanally for a week before DS. Internal was no biggie -- didn't even feel it.

My midwife just got back from a midwife conference and wants me to try this:

I've been taking the 1500 mgs for a couple days but now I'm to take
2500 mgs today
3500 next day
4500 day after
5500 day after
6500 day after
7500 day after
8500 day after
9000 until birth

The midwife that uses this method doesn't usually have late babies and since I have a history of going right to the 42 week cutoff for non hospital births here, she thinks it would be good for me to try it. If I take all that and still go to 42 weeks I'm going to be annoyed!

I've been taking the 1500 mgs for a couple days but now I'm to take
2500 mgs today
3500 next day
4500 day after
5500 day after
6500 day after
7500 day after
8500 day after
9000 until birth


what week are you now -- so what week is the "today"

also -- I am assumeing this is orally? All at once or thought the day

intresting

Aimee

I used EPO and RRL tea in the final weeks of my pregnancy last time...my labor from first "real" contraction to birth was only about 6 hours pain-free. So there isn't any way I'm skipping it this time.

Right now I'm drinking RRL tea everyday I can remember it (which is most). I'll start the EPO by mouth at 36 weeks. Insert, if necessary, after 37 weeks (don't want to go early by any means).

and for those that don't know...RRL tea only strengthens and tones your uterus.

it does not help to bring on labor so if you are worried, it is totally fine to be drinking now.

EPO is normally started at 36 weeks and taken through term....it should not put you into labor right away

HTH

I've been taking the 1500 mgs for a couple days but now I'm to take
2500 mgs today
3500 next day
4500 day after
5500 day after
6500 day after
7500 day after
8500 day after
9000 until birth


OMG that seems like an awful lot!!

what week are you now -- so what week is the "today"

also -- I am assumeing this is orally? All at once or thought the day

intresting

Aimee


I'm 37 weeks today, and like I said I've been over for both my others-so I'm not expecting it to start labor right away.

Kelli-I agree it sounds like a lot to me too. I think my midwife should supply the EPO since this is her "experiment" right? I'll definitely look up some more stuff before going up that high.

And yes, she said to take it throughout the day. Interestingly I've been having more BH's today. But I also had tons before and after I was due with the other two.

Wow, I haven't heard that much suggested before.

that does seem like a high amount

most midwives suggest starting with 1500mg in the 36-37th week then tapering off until delivery

Talked to my midwife about this yesterday, she suggested twice daily by mouth and once daily vaginally. I'm taking a 1000 MG cap.

:lol :o TMI ahead! OT but- it makes a great lubricant! I was impressed when we DTD the other night shortly after I'd inserted a couple casules. Made the whole process much easier than astroglide.

I could see how it would make a great lubricant...hmmmm...though DH is against me doing crazy stuff like this. So I couldn't try it.

I'm wondering if the high dosage experiment isn't because of your tendency to go "over" in past pregnancies. I've never seen dosages that high.

Right now I don't remember how much was in each pill. But I took 2-3 pills by mouth each day and then inserted 1-2 with a pinhole in them. Once inserted, I'd lie down and do my hypnobirthing practice and take a nap. :wink

I'm wondering if the high dosage experiment isn't because of your tendency to go "over" in past pregnancies. I've never seen dosages that high.

Totally, I wouldn't do it if I haven't gone through the stress of almost losing the non-hospital birth before. And I wouldn't suggest to for anyone else, since my midwife is the one telling me to do it. I wouldn't do it on my own, in other words. I did see the maximum dosage for skin issues is 8g, so I'm not going much over that. And my skin is getting softer!

Honestly, I'd wait until baby is ready to come out on it own happily if I didn't have the 42 week cutoff. Next time, I swear I'm lying about my LMP to get myself an extra week or so! But hospital induction or UC is not a decision I want to make.

This is the regimen I followed and recommend to all my friends and doula clients:

36 weeks- 2 1300mg capsules a day orally and 1 inserted vaginally at bedtime (wear a panty liner)
37 weeks- 2 capsules orally and 2 vaginally
38 weeks- 3 capsules orally and 2 vaginally
Continue with 3 capsules a day orally and 2 vaginally until you deliver


I also drank RRL tea religiously starting from 5 weeks all the way through to postpartum. I had a really fast and easy home waterbirth. From my first contraction to the birth was 9 hours total, but I didn't have a single uncomfortable contraction until 55 minutes before my son was born. My midwife arrived 10 minutes before my son's birth and to my surprise told me I was 10cm! My water broke a minute later and my son was born in 2 contractions! My midwife said it was the fastest birth for a first time mom that she'd ever attended! I'm a HUGE RRL and EPO believer!

I hadnt gotten any EPO yet and wasn't convinced I should, but I may just start using it soon. I don't know. I am so uncomfortable as it is... to add something leaking out of my vagina all night to the mix might just push me over the edge.

GR, you can just take it orally and it would be fine (and less messy!) My MW recommends 3000 mg if taking it orally from 37 wks til birth. She says to spread it out to 2 or 3 doses throughout the day. The gelcaps usually come in 500 or 1000 mg doses so make sure you are calculating correctly and taking the right # of pills! :wink I did it both vaginally and orally with ds, but this time only orally. Couldn't deal with the drip :o

So....um, does anyone know if semen has more effective prostaglandins in it than EPO?? I'm getting to the point where I may ingest some orally.... :duck:

Somehow we always get back to sex, huh?! I'd like to know the answer to this one too. Wish my hubby was one of those fast shooters so I could do this EASILY. I don't feel like working for anything at this moment!

So....um, does anyone know if semen has more effective prostaglandins in it than EPO?? I'm getting to the point where I may ingest some orally.... :duck:

Well I'm still on the 9g of EPO and still pregnant, but (TMO) did try some semen orally the other night and had some contractions, but they stopped obviously. So re-reading this thread, I've been taking 9g of EPO oil for 2+ weeks. I really hope that it's doing something besides making my skin softer-but I'm still waiting. And I take all the EPO oil orally, I'm up to the bathroom too often to think that anything is going to stay up there all night if inserted at bedtime!

I took 500 mg for the first time at 9pm-ish and it's 1am and I'm up with the itchies. Luckily nothing to the point of hives (yet... ((SIGH)) but I think I'd better take some Benadryl just to be safe.

I'm glad I didn't take more. I was worried since I'm allergic to basically EVERYTHING. Ugh. :(