Evening primrose oil

[mamamanda]

Has anyone used this at the end if their pregnancy? Did it do anything? I am 37w and am not dilated. Cervix is soft but still posterior. I know EPO will not induce labor, but I want to know if it actually does anything to the cervix. TIA!

[babybluesash]

Everything I've read by the midwives says that it works, I know say go for it and RRL.

[rachoochoo]

I did it orally but refused to do it vaginally and I also drank red raspberry leaf tea. I think it really did help out. When I went in to be induced I was 3 cm dilated and 75% efface and was in active labor within 30 minutes of the pitocin hitting my system.

[pumpkinpeejays]

I heard that it can't hurt. However, I used it when PG with Sonja and she was still 8 days late AND I had to be induced! Probably doesn't work for everyone. I'm debating whether to start it this week too, just to see if it helps this time around.

[AlexL2010]

Did nothing. I used it vaginally for about 2 weeks. Drank the raspberry leaf tea too. I went into labor myself, but progression was very very slow. Go ahead and try it if you want, your body may react differently. GL!

[hpfan04]

Didn't work for me. I started using it orally at 35 weeks, and then both orally and vaginally at 37 weeks. I didn't dilate beyond 1 cm between 37 weeks and nearly 41 weeks when I was induced. Though I was induced with just prostaglandin gel and my labor went pretty fast, even though my dr said just prostaglandin gel isn't supposed to start labor like it did with me, so maybe the EPO helped in that aspect? Who knows. I'd honestly still say that EPO is worth a try because I've heard great stories about it working. I'm even willing to try it again next pregnancy despite it not working last time.

[Dreya]

I used it orally when I went overdue with my first, didn't work.

[moosh34]

I used it orally and vaginally with my dd. I was already 4 cms when I went into active labor (at 39w6d). WAY different from ds1. With him I wasn't even 1 cm at 40 weeks. He was born at 40w3d. Could have been just because she was my second, but it seemed a big difference to me.

[raspberry]

I think it worked for me, I started it vaginally at around 37 weeks. I also started drinking RRL around the same time frame. My son was born at 40w4d. It can't hurt, so I say go for it! Good luck!

[pumpkinpeejays]

Kyli, same thing with me. They put the insert in me after my epidural, my water broke and I went into labor without the addition of pitocin or anything else. So in retrospect, maybe the oil DID help a little..... though I was 8 days late so it could've been my body was ready anyway.

[wannabmomof3]

I'm not sure if it worked for me. I did the RRL tea religiously though, but i heard that can help for a number of things not only ripening your cervix, but for bleeding after giving birth. I did the EPO both orally, and vaginally whenever I remembered or felt like it. I had a hectic, long first labor (4 days) but an awesome, easy delivery, 3 pushes she was out. And my two labors after that were amazing. The last one I got the natural birth I wanted, all three easy deliveries. I'd like to say the RRL tea and EPO helped Doesn't hurt to try!

[cassi]

I used it orally and vaginally and it didn't work. I had to be induced and dd was 10 days late. Sorry!