Stuff I Use: [Pregnancy Edition] Evening Primrose Oil

I feel a little bit like the queen of trying everything and anything to make this pregnancy healthier, but I guess there are worse things to be in this world, so I'll take it! Earlier I wrote about drinking Red Raspberry Leaf tea, which I really like, and have kept steady on, even adding Mother to Be Tea, which is reallllly good too. I have also kept up on my exercise (Zumba as well as my birthing ball exercises and back stretches) and trying so hard not eat every cake every created on the face of the earth (since my sweet tooth cropped up.)

Just to warn you, this post is about to get graphic, so if you don't want to hear about my vagina, you should probably stop reading about now. Because this is mostly about my vagina. You've been warned. And no, I don't think it's a "TMI" moment because women need to know about this stuff. 

Another thing I have been doing, as it can only help and can't hurt, is beginning an Evening Primrose Oil routine, which I began at 35 weeks. I take one capsule (1,000 mg) by mouth in the afternoon, and then in the evening I have my husband burst open a capsule and insert it vaginally. He works it toward my cervix (as close as he can get it.) Another way to do this is to insert the capsule (unbroken) yourself, pushing it up as close to the cervix as you can get it, and simply let it dissolve overnight. If you do, wear a pad to catch any oil that leaks out while you sleep (which the one time I did this, wasn't too much, really.)

The purpose is to help ripen the cervix and thereby make the birthing process overall more easy on your lady parts. I have a friend who had her hubby massage the oil into her vagina, and she really enjoyed the difference it made for her. I like it because it's also a great opportunity to work on vaginal stretching, which is totally worth it since I'm planning on a natural delivery. It's a vague safety net against vaginal tearing, or at least can help minimize it according to my midwife.

I find it's a pretty intimate time with my husband when he applies the oil each night. I was worried it might be a little weird, but really, it's not. The stretching part can be a little uncomfortable, but it's a good opportunity to practice some communication.

There is a misconception that if you are taking Evening Primrose Oil that it can "induce" labor, but I want to break through that misconception and say it's just not true. I've been on it for over two weeks, and it hasn't induced me into labor, so don't worry. However, I am happy to report that my cervix is, in fact softening and ripening, which could be a coincidence, but hey, it's cool with me!

If you are thinking about doing the primrose oil, I can say I really like it so far. Postpartum, I will write about what I think worked and what didn't. Also, as a little "bonus" to this post, I felt I should also say that an even more natural version of this is to have sex and have your husband ejaculate inside of you--it has the same effect on the cervix. (There are some nights that we did this instead of the oil) Isn't nature great!?