I drank RLT and the Epi-No but cannot comment on their effectiveness due to birth issues. RLT is just meant to tone the uterine muscles so I figured nothing wrong with taking it but one could never measure whether it worked or not becauseyou don't know how it would have been otherwise, ikywim? Regarding the Epi-No, I was recommended it by the Bith Centre I attended after they saw the benefits of its use. I used it over about a 10 week period prior to birth and it was very painful pushing it at 3cm to start with but by 40 weeks I could do the 10cm although it wasn't a walk in the park. So it really did help the muscles to stretch. To cut a long story short I laboured36 hours from first contraction to birth, stopped dilating at 7cm, had an epidural and needed forceps to get bubby. Thus cannot comment on how effective Epi-No was but I swear by it for what it did in the lead up and will def use this time around.
I bought some tablets today...which I find will last me about a week (going by the instructions...take 3 tablets 4/5 times a day!!) Cost around $10-11 for little bottle. Not sure I could drink a lot of tea either though.... Maybe I'll mix it up a bit with both lol. The tablets have a horrid taste to them...glad to swallow them quickly down. Is the tea a horrid drink? or is it pleasant enough?
I have decided to order the epi-no..what the heck. Anything the helps... I figure the price is worth it if I don't tear or don't tear as much as i might have..
I had the tea (I think it's bloody awlful) started at 34wks on one cup a day for a week then 2, up to 3 by 36wks.
DS was induced at 36wks due to preclampsia but I was already 4cm dilated (had being having mild cramping for a a few days) labour was 5hrs with syntocin
DD was induced with ARM 4 days over as again I was 3-4cm dilated and was over being pg (long story) drank 4 cups the day before induction was up most of the night with braxtons and prelabour, waters "probably" broke that morning before induction as there was nothing there and bub was born 3 1/2 hrs from ARM 2 hrs after contract became regular
For me, I reckon the RLT worked but I wouldn't recommend the 4cups labour was extremely intense!
I really can't see myself drinking 4 cups of stuff I hate.. But I will maybe manage a couple.. Maybe I will stick to the tablets..or both. My son was born 2 hours after a drip inserted into my arm (syntocin?) because my waters had slowly leaked out and contractions had died down. He came out pretty fast. The midwife never had time to check my dilation! (the only check I had done was when the drip went in..I was 3cm then!). I gave birth standing up leaning over the bed! The midwife wanted me to get up on the bed..and I was like "Ok...and then NOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooooooooo!" (contractions too painful). The labour was very stop/start at the beginning, and the hospital (different one) for this birth, won't induce labour...so i hope that labour starts better this time round (2nd time too...I may get lucky). I plan to stay home a bit before going in.
Last edited by CathyS; April 24th, 2009 at 11:48 PM.
Cathy - it was dreadfully hard to stomach but I really wanted to go into labour naturally :-) I used to make the tea,let it cool and either scull it down or mix it with juice (but then you had to drink twice as much cause it was diluted :-)
Have you tried the tea? It is actually quite pleasant. The first sip was unusual, but after that I really like it. You can add sugar to it too.
ETA I HATE green tea lol
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