Black cohosh capsules, anyone have experience?

1568 Views 4 Replies 4 Participants Last post by laohaire, Apr 10, 2006

allmaydays

Discussion Starter · Apr 9, 2006

Tomorrow (4/9) is my due date; I'm not all that uncomfortable and me and the baby are still in perfect health. I would not even be thinking of inducing things before nature, but my DH is going to S.Africa on business with no possibility of changing the dates (4/17-5/4); I have some black cohosh capsules I got at the grocery store but am afraid to take them. My midwife had black and blue cohosh on a paper she gave me, so I know I technically have her approval. I've been drinking "double-shots", 2 bags per cup, of red raspberry leaf tea for a week or so. If things don't happen on their own or with my help, I can't see any other way to go than to be induced by Friday so my husband will be able to see me home before catching his plane. (FYI, I've had two 4-hr labors, no meds, so far; w #2 I was induced, in hindsight regrettably, b/c they wanted to "control" where I was when I went into labor (4 cm for 3 weeks, now I know no big deal)... anyway they just broke my water and that did the trick pretty fast. If I was trying to induce before my due date you could all slap me silly, but I just can not have my husband miss this baby's birth and I'd still like him to at least see us home from the hospital. Any advice would be sincerely appreciated.

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pamamidwife

· #2 · Apr 9, 2006

black cohosh starts contractions, but it also raises blood pressure. It's usually used in conjunction with blue cohosh because blue coordinates contractions and lowers bp. I also think that tinctures are far superior to capsules.

IMHO, I'd do something like nipple stim at night while watching TV every night before I'd do herbs.

It's more gentle and it seems to have fewer side effects. It's easy to do with a breast pump and nighttime is a great time, since typically our oxytocin levels are higher at night. And, it has a great history of effectiveness at at least increasing dilation and effacement if not starting labor!

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aisraeltax

· #3 · Apr 9, 2006

walking helps alot. i walked and walked and walked!!
but toward the end, when i got to the point where i thought i woudl go crazy, i ate a ton of stuff supposedly to help bring on labor (eggplant, etc...im sure there are a bunch of things you can find on here).
i had BH contrax forever (weeks and weeks).
finally, i drank 2 tbsp. of castor oil with a huge thing of smoothie. the first night i did it, i got major contrax. also the second night. the third night, labor was real (sat.) and E was born on Sunday (i always have long labors, just the way my body works).
good luck..hope the babe comes before you dh leaves and you avoid any medical induction.

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allmaydays

Discussion Starter · #4 · Apr 9, 2006

I should also have added that at my appt. 2 weeks ago I was a good 3cm dilated and 65% effaced.

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laohaire

· #5 · Apr 10, 2006

I took the capsules, and I believe they were effective at inducing labor (ya never really know of course).

I took them because my waters broke and 2 days later contractions were still extremely weak and nonproductive. I was starting to worry (about infection, etc.). It was my first pregnancy so I was also a little more worried than I might have been for, say, my fourth. So I took the capsules and within about 10 hours my labor had picked up and gotten productive.

I can't say for sure if there were any negative effects, but I do credit them with kick-starting the labor.

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