EPO / Red Raspberry Leaf

[hannahbear]

I know this popped up in a randoms, but I can't find it.

Any advice on evening primrose oil, red raspberry leaf, dates, etc? When to start, how much?

[remylove1011]

I think that dc2london was talking about one of these.

[dc2london]

EPO: up to 2,000 mg orally and pretty much any amount vaginally each day. I swallow one capsule in the morning and one in the evening, and insert one vaginally at bedtime. Be aware that some will leak out when you get up and move around in the morning.

RRLT: My MW suggests 3 cups/day until a day or two past delivery

Dates: IIRC, the NIH article said 6/day

[dc2london]

AFA when to start, that really depends on your body. For most FTM it's fine to start any of those at 34 weeks . I don't start until 36 weeks bc of a history of preterm contractions.

I obv can't say for sure what a difference anything does or does not make, but I used EPO with both of the boys and my cervix was very favorable and cooperative leading up to and during delivery so I am a believer.

[lennonkdc]

Jul 14, 2016 16:58:22 GMT -5 hannahbear said:

I know this popped up in a randoms, but I can't find it.

Any advice on evening primrose oil, red raspberry leaf, dates, etc? When to start, how much?

I literally logged on to ask about this! I meant to ask my MW today when to start these but it slipped my brain. 

So dc2london , when did you start the EPO/RRL? Would 34 wks be too early?  


we must have been posting at the same time oops! lol

[dc2london]

I will just warn you, when I am taking the EPO I can smell it coming out of my pores. It's not really an unpleasant smell, and DH swears he can't smell it at all, but my preg nose is vaguely aware of it

[spicysalmonroll]

Ask your doctor. I just asked mine and she applying oil directly to the taint area (sorry I forget the real term) is fine but she strictly advised me not to take it orally.

[frodabaggins]

I took one capsule of EPO per day starting at 39 weeks and I drank one cup of red raspberry leaf tea daily, also at 39 weeks. I don't know that either of these things made a difference, but my son came 4 days after his due date. This time around I will probably start the tea at 38 weeks and now that I read spicysalmonroll's post above, I will ask my OB about taking the EPO orally.

[dc2london]

I'm not a doctor, so my words should not be taken as medical advice, obviously. Often drs will advise against use of things like supplements bc they aren't as tightly controlled and studied as pharmaceuticals. And sometimes they advise against a supplement for other perfectly good reasons. The 2 MW I have used both ok'ed it, so I feel comfortable taking it, but yes, please, run it by your own doc:)

[thelorax]

I take both at roughly the same amounts as dc2london. I don't shove anything inside because it weird me me out, but I also went to exactly 42 weeks last time.

[hannahbear]

Interesting. I'll ask my doc today. Thanks!!

[katelm]

Jul 14, 2016 19:37:17 GMT -5 dc2london said:

I'm not a doctor, so my words should not be taken as medical advice, obviously. Often drs will advise against use of things like supplements bc they aren't as tightly controlled and studied as pharmaceuticals. And sometimes they advise against a supplement for other perfectly good reasons. The 2 MW I have used both ok'ed it, so I feel comfortable taking it, but yes, please, run it by your own doc:)

I asked my OB/GYN about EPO and she said yup take it. I asked her about the dose and she told me to Google it ha

[dc2london]

Jul 15, 2016 11:41:14 GMT -5 katelm said:

Jul 14, 2016 19:37:17 GMT -5 dc2london said:

I'm not a doctor, so my words should not be taken as medical advice, obviously. Often drs will advise against use of things like supplements bc they aren't as tightly controlled and studied as pharmaceuticals. And sometimes they advise against a supplement for other perfectly good reasons. The 2 MW I have used both ok'ed it, so I feel comfortable taking it, but yes, please, run it by your own doc:)

I asked my OB/GYN about EPO and she said yup take it. I asked her about the dose and she told me to Google it ha

Thanks for reporting back!

[katelm]

I know it seems a little weird that my doctor told me to "Google it" but I think she was saying that because she is an OB & not a firm believer in alternative medicine but enough of a believer to agree that it's worth trying. When I asked her orally or vaginally she said orally but didn't really seem to indicate that it mattered much. She also suggested trying other natural methods such as walking a lot, sex and .... cleaning the floors?

[dc2london]

Jul 15, 2016 12:00:06 GMT -5 katelm said:

I know it seems a little weird that my doctor told me to "Google it" but I think she was saying that because she is an OB & not a firm believer in alternative medicine but enough of a believer to agree that it's worth trying. When I asked her orally or vaginally she said orally but didn't really seem to indicate that it mattered much. She also suggested trying other natural methods such as walking a lot, sex and .... cleaning the floors?

LOL it sounds crazy but there is something to it. Being on all fours and rocking back and forth (much like the motion of scrubbing the floors) can help an OP baby flip into a more favorable position for labor.

[katelm]

Jul 15, 2016 12:22:07 GMT -5 dc2london said:

Jul 15, 2016 12:00:06 GMT -5 katelm said:

I know it seems a little weird that my doctor told me to "Google it" but I think she was saying that because she is an OB & not a firm believer in alternative medicine but enough of a believer to agree that it's worth trying. When I asked her orally or vaginally she said orally but didn't really seem to indicate that it mattered much. She also suggested trying other natural methods such as walking a lot, sex and .... cleaning the floors?

LOL it sounds crazy but there is something to it. Being on all fours and rocking back and forth (much like the motion of scrubbing the floors) can help an OP baby flip into a more favorable position for labor.

My baby is already heads down so I think I'll skip cleaning the floors. Maybe a little yoga cat cow instead !!! Haha

[dc2london]

I definitely scrub the floors in late pregnancy bc I have a couple of friends who had OP babies and wound up pushing for 3+ hours and winding up with a c/s on top of vaginal tearing. So, uh, I'm not taking any chances with the sunny-side-up thing

But there's not really a lot of evidence that it works, I think it's more a "sure, why not try it, it certainly won't hurt anything" type thing

[gratefulgirl]

Jul 15, 2016 12:30:58 GMT -5 katelm said:

Jul 15, 2016 12:22:07 GMT -5 dc2london said:

LOL it sounds crazy but there is something to it. Being on all fours and rocking back and forth (much like the motion of scrubbing the floors) can help an OP baby flip into a more favorable position for labor.

My baby is already heads down so I think I'll skip cleaning the floors. Maybe a little yoga cat cow instead !!! Haha

Your baby can be head down and still not ideally positioned. DD2 was face to my front and thanks to that I had 3 nights of intense prodromal labor and no sleep before my VBAC attempt. You want LO face back. If you can manage, all 4s type positions (scrubbing the floor, cat-cows from yoga, or even lying on a pool ring float for sleep) are great. I did a lot of cat-cows with DD1 and she was ideally positioned.

[dc2london]

Plus if baby is OP you usually have back labor. DNW.

[thelorax]

Jul 15, 2016 12:40:52 GMT -5 gratefulgirl said:

Jul 15, 2016 12:30:58 GMT -5 katelm said:

My baby is already heads down so I think I'll skip cleaning the floors. Maybe a little yoga cat cow instead !!! Haha

Your baby can be head down and still not ideally positioned. DD2 was face to my front and thanks to that I had 3 nights of intense prodromal labor and no sleep before my VBAC attempt. You want LO face back. If you can manage, all 4s type positions (scrubbing the floor, cat-cows from yoga, or even lying on a pool ring float for sleep) are great. I did a lot of cat-cows with DD1 and she was ideally positioned.

Yup #2 is sunny side up! #1 was head down but facing the wrong way and I was stuck at 7cm for 24 hours.

[countrycotton]

Jul 15, 2016 12:00:06 GMT -5 katelm said:

I know it seems a little weird that my doctor told me to "Google it" but I think she was saying that because she is an OB & not a firm believer in alternative medicine but enough of a believer to agree that it's worth trying. When I asked her orally or vaginally she said orally but didn't really seem to indicate that it mattered much. She also suggested trying other natural methods such as walking a lot, sex and .... cleaning the floors?

HOLD ON!?!?! Does this mean I can stop cleaning the floors untill I'm ready to go into labor?? I mean I just got my hoover floor mate that I ordered on prime day, and 1/2 my floors are cleaner than they have been in years. BUT, I will gladly stop, you know gotta do what's best for baby!

[steph]

Jul 15, 2016 13:26:05 GMT -5 countrycotton said:

Jul 15, 2016 12:00:06 GMT -5 katelm said:

I know it seems a little weird that my doctor told me to "Google it" but I think she was saying that because she is an OB & not a firm believer in alternative medicine but enough of a believer to agree that it's worth trying. When I asked her orally or vaginally she said orally but didn't really seem to indicate that it mattered much. She also suggested trying other natural methods such as walking a lot, sex and .... cleaning the floors?

HOLD ON!?!?! Does this mean I can stop cleaning the floors untill I'm ready to go into labor?? I mean I just got my hoover floor mate that I ordered on prime day, and 1/2 my floors are cleaner than they have been in years. BUT, I will gladly stop, you know gotta do what's best for baby!

Ooooh I have one of these and I'm in love with it!!!

[katelm]

Ugh, how am I going to know if my baby is op or not

[dc2london]

Jul 15, 2016 19:09:16 GMT -5 katelm said:

Ugh, how am I going to know if my baby is op or not

No way to be sure, best get scrubbing thise floors!
(Kidding. But I think they can only really tell on u/s)

[thelorax]

Jul 15, 2016 19:09:16 GMT -5 katelm said:

Ugh, how am I going to know if my baby is op or not

At least for me when this when goes sunny side up it hurts. I vomit, have lots of lower back pain, and feel like I'm have one long BH contraction.

Spinning babies has some good tips too.

[countrycotton]

Dirty delete

I posted to the wrong thread. Reposted in Friday randoms.

[katelm]

Jul 15, 2016 20:17:49 GMT -5 dc2london said:

Jul 15, 2016 19:09:16 GMT -5 katelm said:

Ugh, how am I going to know if my baby is op or not

No way to be sure, best get scrubbing thise floors!
(Kidding. But I think they can only really tell on u/s)

I have a growth ultrasound on the 25th. If she is in ideal position does that mean they wouldn't be able to get a 3D photo of her face? Like they would only see back of her head?

[katelm]

Jul 15, 2016 21:00:18 GMT -5 thelorax said:

Jul 15, 2016 19:09:16 GMT -5 katelm said:

Ugh, how am I going to know if my baby is op or not

At least for me when this when goes sunny side up it hurts. I vomit, have lots of lower back pain, and feel like I'm have one long BH contraction.

Spinning babies has some good tips too.

I can't feel my baby like ever (2x weekly NST because of it) & I can't feel BH either but the monitors show im having them. So who knows!

[gratefulgirl]

Jul 15, 2016 20:17:49 GMT -5 dc2london said:

Jul 15, 2016 19:09:16 GMT -5 katelm said:

Ugh, how am I going to know if my baby is op or not

No way to be sure, best get scrubbing thise floors!
(Kidding. But I think they can only really tell on u/s)

I felt DD2's hands all the time, which is a good clue.

The back labor was a dead giveaway too.

[dc2london]

They can turn during labor too, so don't freak out if it feels like your LO is sunny side up right now