I had 4 natural home births, all with wonderful outcomes. My midwife prescribed both vitamins and herbs, as well as nutrition. After a visit, she would tell my husband... "Take her for a baked potato on the way home." Then she'd look at me and say, "And eat the skin!" (lol) She is well educated and trained in natural medicine. She is number one in my state, has delivered many hundreds of babies, and she is the one who trains other midwives and doulas in my state. She is a "nurse midwife."
I took herbals during my pregnancies to nourish the female organs and facilitate an easier less painful birth. I took a specific herbal combo beginning 5 weeks from my due date. This was to prepare the uterine muscles for birth.
When my water broke (2nd pregnancy) and I had no contractions or labor pains, she came to my house and gave me a 3-day "induction plan." This blue cohosh and black cohosh in pill form every hour the first day. The second day, the same. The third day, castor oil, and tinctures of blue cohosh and black cohosh (B&B tincture) held under the tongue for one minute, then swallow and walk, walk, walk. The "cohoshes" stimulate Braxton Hicks type contractions and help dilate the cervix. She also left a breast pump (same reason).
Well, I was to go straight to "day 3" of the plan since my water broke. It worked! Almost 20 hours later, I began to feel mild contractions (around midnight). My labor was very efficient, and I wouldn't classify it as "painful." I had about 2 hrs and 20 minutes of labor (start to finish). And delivery was very quick and easy. My husband was the only one present since I didn't call the midwife well enough in advance to get there before she was born. My husband caught.
We were perfectly fine. Our baby daughter was so calm and peaceful, lively, but not stressed as she might've been in a hospital. My midwife and a doula arrived 15 minutes after my daughter was born. We had a warm herbal bath (baby and I) which was amazingly soothing. And she left me with herbal packs to heal any swelling. And btw ....I had zero allergic reactions.
And this is very much as my other 3 home births went. My longest home birth was about 3 hrs and 20 mins. My shortest was barely over one hour and would've been quicker had I not fought pushing till my husband got home from a job across town. My 3rd home birth was an hour and a half start to finish, but I slept through the first 45 minutes. My husband said he knew I was in labor because my foot would wiggle every 5 minutes, then closer together, and then after 45 minutes I woke up. She was born 45 minutes later. Again, my midwife didn't make it in time and my husband caught. My midwife and a doula arrived soon after. All was well.
Now, I want to say .....blue and black cohosh should never NEVER be taken during pregnancy without the advise of a midwife. And NEVER take it unless you're past your due date and it's important to deliver soon (as with me, since my water had broken). The cohoshes WILL cause uterine contractions, and therefore can cause miscarriage or premature labor if taken early in pregnancy.