# cayenne for stalled labor?



## rainbowmoon (Oct 17, 2003)

has anyone used cayenne for stalled labor? if so how much did you take and how did you take it?


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## stafl (Jul 1, 2002)

I have read that one shouldn't use cayenne as it can come on too strong or cause excessive bleeding. (I think it was in Susun Weed's book)


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## pamamidwife (May 7, 2003)

I haven't ever used that or heard of it.

I like a warm bath, sleep and maybe some valerian, skullcap, etc., for a stalled labor.







And, for the mother, I may let her in the bath. (Just kidding!)

:LOL


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## rainbowmoon (Oct 17, 2003)

This is just some info I found in the midwife archives @ gentlebirth.org...thought it was interesting though I had never heard of anyone using cayenne either!

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From a story about "quilling" a woman nearly completely dilated with strong contractions coming only every 6 or 7 minutes and little progress: "Quilling" was apparently using a quill as a tube to deliver cayenne pepper - imagine using a regular straw. Dip one end of the straw into cayenne pepper, insert the other end into the woman's nostril and give a big blow. This will cause sneezing that overcomes the woman's pelvic floor resistance to allow the baby to descend into position to be born. [Some might argue that this is interfering with the normal lull between transition and pushing.]

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About 10 years ago I was assisting a 70s era DEM at a home birth in the hills above Los Angeles. Our client was a primip who was complete and pushing - and pushing - and pushing. It was beginning to look like we were going to need to transport for forceps or vacuum as the contractions were getting weaker and weaker. The MW asked me if I had any tricks up my sleeve - all I could remember was that the MW who attended my own home births had mentioned that cayenne was a uterine stimulant. I couldn't remember or hadn't learned what dose, what route, etc. - but we figured that we had nothing left to lose and could always transport (actually the sr MW had been on the phone once already to her OB consultant). Dad put a teaspoon of Tabasco (which is really just aged vinegar tincture of cayenne!) in an ounce of chicken broth, and mom chugged it down. In 5 minutes we had stronger contractions and mom proceeded to push the baby out in about 25 minutes. Oh, and she had tears running down her face and the clearest sinuses in the world!


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