My Amazing Journey With Evening Primrose.

I found Evening Primrose, after I had my first baby; That was 6 years ago now! So, let’s rewind back 6 years; I gave birth to my daughter and I remember the midwife mentioning to me in the hospital that I may get something called ‘baby blues’ and it might make you a bit teary! I was like ‘Okay-cool!’. Fast forward 2 weeks- I was teary and then some……! I couldn’t breathe, my chest was tight, I felt angry! It wasn’t a little teary it was insane tears more than tears though, I remember feeling trapped and I was so worried that my daughter would start crying and just not stop and my husband wouldn’t be there to help. I knew it wasn’t helping me to connect with my daughter, I knew I loved my daughter, but I didn’t feel anything, not just about her about anything. The feelings of being trapped and expecting the worst were so deep inside of me it literally consumed me. I used to think ‘well she is actually a really good baby and she isn’t giving me any problems’, she slept through the night from 6 weeks and in the day she just chilled!

It started to naturally lift around 6 months, it wasn’t easy but I talked to people about it and it was funny, so many people were like oh yeah, we had that! Hearing their stories, I really wished at that time that people would give you more of a heads up about it, but they kept saying you kind of forget about it when time goes on, but I did not understand how you would ever forget that feeling! It was horrible; some women kept saying it will be over soon, but all you could ask is when? You wanted a time and date for it to be over. Looking back on it now, I can see why people would forget those feelings as so much happiness with your child is yet to come but ultimately, they are hormones going crazy in your body, so the minute that all calms down it almost feels impossible to feel those feelings again, that’s how I see it.

However, I got to about 15/16months after the birth and those feelings came back, they were quite strong again, but this time I was very confused, I didn’t understand why those thoughts had come back. I researched it all this time, I wanted to know why it had come back so I read forums and all about the hormones that are going around the body, it was saying how the hormones fly around a women’s bodies for up to 18 months! Anyway, a common theme started to arise, Evening Primrose. People were saying how it really helped their hormones and regulated their emotions almost. The next day, off I went to buy some Evening Primrose capsules; I was taking them every day and I kid you not about 2 weeks in; I was sold! I had never felt as happy.

Since that day I have them daily and when I am coming up to my periods, I have 2 a day to settle any PMS symptoms. Being a new mum definitely comes with its challenges; but the hardest part is others telling you it is going to be hard! If I am honest with you, pregnancy, having the baby, raising a new-born wasn’t actually that much of a challenge for me. Obviously post-natal made it hard, due to the mad hormones, but people’s words made things harder, when I was pregnant people used to tell me how hard it is going to be, how they know or had a baby that cried all night and always the famous line, ‘say goodbye to sleep!’ I remember brushing it all off but when I had those trapped feelings and thoughts, then these words would all come back into my head; that was so annoying, because I kept waiting for my eldest to cry and cry uncontrollably- but it never came! In fact, she slept through from 6weeks old. This isn’t me boasting or belittling how challenging it is for many people. I am just showing another example of when people’s experiences can get into your head, I shouldn’t have allowed it, I should have just blanked it all out.

After my experience with my first, the first thing I did; was NOT listen to everyone when they said ‘having two babies is so XY &Z’ I genuinely did not care. The second thing I did, was to have bottles of Evening Primrose ready. In my research, I also saw that it helped soften the cervix, so I made sure from 37 weeks (I didn’t want to risk it before that, I didn’t want to risk softening the cervix too early and at least at 37 weeks the baby is full term) I had two a day to help the labour, it was a quick labour, I was at 3cm for 3 hours, intense contractions for those 3 hours and suddenly in 0.01 seconds, she flew straight down from 3cm to 10cm, like literally the cervix just opened wide in a second and she flew down, ready for me to push. I really believe the Evening Primrose softened the cervix for that to happen. With my second baby I had the typical baby blues, so it didn’t last as long and the feelings just weren’t the same, nowhere near! I was also so much kinder to myself in so many ways. I was mostly so happy that I managed to have control over my emotions, I even enrolled onto my HR CIPD Level 3 when she was 2 weeks old- it was the best thing I could have done as it gave me a distraction. I stuck to the evening primrose and it lifted my mood so quickly, it was nothing like the first at all.

My advice to you, if you do suffer any type of post-natal, PMS or any hormonal issues; TAKE EVENING PRIMROSE.

Disclaimer: If you are on any other medication, such as anti-depressants- please do consult your Dr before taking Evening Primrose.