# ??Gentle Birth Formula??



## hecdavis (Jun 5, 2008)

Can anyone tell me about her experience with the Gentle Birth Formula from Mountain Meadow Herbs? http://www.mountainmeadowherbs.com/g...mula-p-31.html

I'm 34w2d and planning on starting the herbs this weekend at 35 weeks (as instructed).

I was diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes (but was very borderline). I am requiring insulin (long-acting at bedtime) for "high" fasting levels in the mornings. I am measuring slightly ahead (36 cm) at my 34 week appointment. They are doing an u/s next week to estimate fetal weight. But I feel an induction coming my way.

Does anyone have any experience with the herbs? I would be especially interested in anyone with GD or anyone who had a successful induction with them.

Really any info would be great!

Thanks!


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## wombatclay (Sep 4, 2005)

heyla and welcome!

I used the gentle birth formula (the one without the cohosh) during my most recent pregnancy. I also drank RRL tea... they tell you not to do both, but I drink RRL more or less every day of my life so I wasn't really worried about getting "too much".









My personal experience? Hard to say what affect it had. Here are my "stats"...

dd1 (no gentle birth formula but EPO and RRL)- carried to 42+ weeks, long hard labor, eventual c/s. She was posterior and asynclitic.

dd2 (no gentle birth formula, but EPO, RRL, and OFP)- carried to 40 weeks, 12 hours of labor, successful vbac but complicated delivery with significant pph.

ds (Gentle Birth formula, EPO, RRL, OFP, Acupressure, Homeopathics)- carried to 42 weeks, 4.5 hours from first contraction to babe in arms, successful vbac with no pph.

Sooooo.... Gentle Birth says it encourages a 40 week gestation, a short easy labor, and limited pph. My gestation was longer, my labor _insanely_ intense but much shorter than my previous births, and I had no unusual pph. So kind of a mixed bag! I'd recommend it, but not expect much from it, if that makes sense?

In terms of induction... if your blood sugar is under control, make sure _you_ want the induction and are ok with the potential complications. You can say no (I know, it's harder than just saying no). A book like Penny Simkins The Labor Progress Handbook would be a great resource since it discusses many of the possible interventions (from minimal/holistic to major/allopathic) and the potential downstream impact of those interventions on the birth. Do you have a doula? If so, they may have a copy of the book you could borrow (it's available on amazon, but it's a pricey book and if you're not planning on having a few munchkins it may not be worth the cost... I've found it at libraries too).

Good luck and happy birthing!


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## hecdavis (Jun 5, 2008)

Thank you!

I do have a doula. And I do know that I can refuse the induction. I'm hoping that she'll measure fine this week and all will be well.

I'm worried that if she is big, and I do refuse the induction, then I'll be even more likely to have a c-section if she just keeps growing and growing....since the way gd babies put on weight (in the torso and not evenly distributed) can put them at higher risk for shoulder distocia (sp?).

Any thoughts there?


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## wombatclay (Sep 4, 2005)

When mama has uncontrolled blood sugar then yes, the babe can grow differently. And as a mama who experienced a shoulder dystocia birth (my first vbac) I never want to downplay the impact sd can have on the birth and the babe! However, you may want to explore the research surrounding women who have their blood sugar under control, and the research that explores the link between GD and SD.

There is some wonderful information about GD on kmom's website here, and a very readable overview of the SD literature here.

Really, a lot comes down to how you, personally, feel about the different risk factors involved. I was very worried about a repeat SD. The only strongly positive predictor of SD risk is having had a prior SD and although dd2 and I were fortunate, I knew that the risks were real. So I did a lot of optimal fetal positioning, I discussed birthing positions that might reduce the risk of SD and positions that could be used to resolve SD (though the sd hit while I was squatting, and the gaskin did not resolve the situation with dd2). I followed a healthy diet/exercise plan, took herbs and homeopathics that might help, visualized the birth, etc. I also decided to birth with a midwife at a major medical center with a NICU. I discussed with everyone that if my birth started following the pattern of dd2's birth (large contractions and strong pushing urges that didn't seem to move her down evenly, I pushed for ~4 hours) I wanted to move directly to a rc/s rather than risk another true dystocia. I spent a lot of time finding providers and support people who I believed would be honest with me in terms of if/when I should switch from a vbac to a cbac. I looked at the risks (in my case elevated risk of SD, risks due to my prior c/s, being post dates again, the fact that I'd had a 4th degree tear, significant pph, and pelvic organ prolapse), read all the literature/studies/reports/birth stories, and decided what I was comfortable with.

Like many (honest) care providers will point out... birth is always risky. You can't predict what will happen. Shoulder dystocia can happen with big, small, anterior, posterior, fast, slow, babies. Induction carries known risks too. So do cesareans (planned or otherwise). The trick is figuring out which risks are more meaningful to you. You can always wait for labor to begin and then move to a c/s if things seem to be going wrong. You could decide that the risks of induction are more acceptable to you than the risks of SD. You might decide that if the babe measures "too big" for your personal comfort range then you'd rather the known risks of c/s (keeping in mind the downstream complications of c/s, like secondary infertility, placental anomalies, and the difficulty of finding a vbac provider as well as the really rotten state of "fetal size estimation" in late pregnancy). But what's crucial is that you make these decisions based on your own comfort zone... not the comfort zone of a person online, or your doula, or your care provider. Because you're the one who will have to live with the outcome of your choices.

Ok... a huge rambling soap box speech there I know. Apologies! This just happens to be a topic i'm really passionate about after having run the vbac gauntlet to birth dd2, and then being forced to wade through the fears and statistics associated with ds's birth. Anyway, it boils down to "take a look at the research and imagine how you'd feel if different scenarios happened."

happy birthing!


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## hecdavis (Jun 5, 2008)

Thank you so much!! Great links...I've looked a little at K-mom's site, but it was when I was first diagnosed with gd.

I think that for this week, I'm going to relax, and see what the u/s estimates...and then go from there.

I might come back next week with a few other questions for you!

Thanks again!


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## josie423 (Jun 29, 2008)

I used GBF with my DS. He was born at 39w 3d, labor was about 12 hours and fairly intense. I did not have much bleeding at all.

I used no herbs of any sort with DD. She was born at 40w 1d, labor was also 12 hours but considerably more painful. I did not have PPH, but bled more than I did with my son and was definitely a bit shaky after her birth.


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## hecdavis (Jun 5, 2008)

Just wanted to update this thread since my ultrasound today...

She's perfectly sized! They estimate her to weight about 5 pounds 5 ounces and I still have 11.9 fl oz around her







No need to induce at all!

Started the herbs today, so maybe those will help her come on her own when she's ready!

Thanks for the input!


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## wombatclay (Sep 4, 2005)

happy birthing!


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