Herbals to jumpstart labor

The question is in regards to patient use of black and blue cohash to jumpstart labor. As nurses, what have you experienced with this herbal?

[SmilingBluEyes]

I would recommend you post this one on the midwife board.

I have never had a patient who used these herbs to enhance or initiate labor so I can't speak on this area.

The CNM's I work with have not used herbals in their offices or had patients use them at home to start labor that I know of. As far as the midwives were concerned, they either were ready to go into labor or not; this is true of all meds/herbs we may use to get things going. They either work (sometimes too well) or not at all. If a patient was OVER DUE or had a medical reason to induce, the midwife more often stripped the membranes first then---if this did not work---- admitted the patient to the hospital for cytotec ripening or pitocin induction. funny, few I work with have mentioned herbals for labor induction at all. They practice more like OB's do than anything else, really. Just tend to be more conservative with use of meds and labor induction.

Anyhow, try asking at the midwives board. I bet there is someone there much smarter than I who can answer this for you. Good luck!

[kimmicoobug]

Good suggestion, Smiling...will do.

[L&D_RN_OH]

I haven't had pts who used it, but do have friends who have used it. I used the black cohosh myself.

I agree with Smiling Eyes though. It's the same as any other induction drug. If they're not ready, it probably won't work.

[kimmicoobug]

I had hoped to find out about this herbal. I did a google search, but it just didn't give me what I was looking for. I had a patient last week that used it and the outcome wasn't very good for baby.

[kids]

This link provided info on several herbs and their effect on the reproductive system:

(BTW, posting this is NOT an endorsement of the methods the site recommends, it is just a random link I picked up in my travels around the net)

http://www.sisterzeus.com/