Due today - tips on getting started please!

[Loulou14]

I had a hot curry last night, I've been through a packet of raspberry leaf tea, I've just eaten half a fresh pineapple and I'm keeping active.
My hind waters broke 3 weeks ago and I've been leaking a little ever since (consultant not concerned) but this puts me off trying sex just in case of infection. I have been getting period pains and what I think are braxton hicks on and off for the last couple of weeks. Still nothing!
To top it all the emails and texts don't stop coming from friends asking if we've had it yet!
HELP!!!!! Anyone got any tips????

[MamaG]

You've done everything I would have suggested, but turn you phones off and don't check the email. The incessant messages from well wishers did my HEAD in and I ended up, at 9 days overdue, hysterically shrieking "no, I haven't had it yet" down the phone, instead of "hello?" everytime it rang.

The salespeople were quite surprised

[YellowFeathers]

Ok
Sit down and lay across the sofa. Get your dp/dh to sit with your feet on his knee.
Then get him to press the middle part of big toe with his thumb as hard as he can (if he looks for the arch print on the toe, thats pretty central).
Keep repeating.

Another good one is to rub again with his thumb along the fleshy inside part of your foot in an upwards motion.

Both these are reflexology techniques which are meant to stimulate the uterus.

A friend of ours told us to do it when I was 4 days overdue and my labour started that night!

Good luck!

[joanna4]

Another good one is to book a table at the most expensive resteraunt in town get all your mates and family together promising it to be the night to end all nights.Believe me you will look forward to it and if this alone doesnt move things on then nothing will.

[BROWNY]

Have a good bounce on an exercise ball - did the trick for me, hope things happen soon for you - good luck for the birth!

[Loulou14]

Thanks for all the tips.
YellowFeathers, will definitely give your foot trick a go. I went for reflexology last week and she didn't mention anything about the toe just the top bit of the foot where it joins the ankle. Does it matter if it is left or right toe?

[Melpomene]

Go for a long walk (if you're feeling up to it).

[Gizmo100]

I tried castor oil, accupuncture, homeopathy, curry, u know what, rasp leaf tea but it was the 3 miles walk that worked for me!

Gizmo100

[Darciesmum]

Reflexology worked for me :)

[pucca]

A day out shopping worked for me, walked ALOT and i got going that night.

Good luck

[schneebly]

stairs are supposed to help = lots of stairs.

[JiminyCricket]

positive thinking about the labour, and a short dip in my birthing pool seemed to help

[MissChief]

stomp up those stairs, again & again! Yeah, I know, not exactly what you feel like doing, worked for me though - waters broke after 3rd stomp!

[babyonboard]

lol..second the expensive restaurant plan..
someone on my antenatal group was due to have lunch at the ivy and went into labour a few hours before..lol

pineapple doesn't work..i ate one a day and still ended up a week overdue..

the best plan is to relax and make the most of lounging around..sleeping in, taking long baths and reading..you'll soon regret it if you dont!

best wishes!

[hotmama]

I tried absolutely everything and dd1 was 9 days late and dd2 was 12 days late - in fact had a show 4 hors before my induction was booked!

So fear of induction worked for me!

[BagelBird]

I laid paving slabs for a new garden path for DD1 - worked a treat not sure any GP would recommend hard labour though!! Still, went into labour that night and she was born on her due date.
With DD2 it started slow and irregular - long walk sorted me out and got things moving along.
Be careful not to do too much that is really energetic or when you finally start labour properly, you will be so tired out you will find it harder to cope!!
Good luck - keep us all posted :)

[LadyTophamOfHattingford]

Grapes.

Eat loads and loads of grapes. Lbs of them if you can manage it.


They will make you need the loo ALOT and it started my labour for ds2 and 3. And colditz's ds2 aswell I believe.

[sweetkitty]

Sorry you don't want to hear this but IMO nothing works, you will go into labour when you are ready to.

DD2 was 12 days overdue and I was on here trying everything including:

raspberry leaf capsules (from 34 weeks)
pineapple (made my tongue numb)
curry
grapes/apricots/raisins (gave me the runs)
sex (natural prostaglandins both the vaginal and erm oral route) DP was very happy!
lucozade
walks
bumpy drive

I know how you feel I was so desperate as I wanted a homebirth and was dreading being induced I would wake up every morning and cry as I was still pregnant.

I would second the book yourself a haircut, massage, manicure, meal out etc chances are the baby will come before you go but in case he/she doesn't you will have a good time and look fab.

Best of luck x

[Loulou14]

Quick update - still pregnant!
Am now 40+5 and have an appointment at the ANC at the hospital tomorrow to book an induction next week, which I absolutely do not want. Thinking about refusing to book in for one and asking for a sweep. Good/bad idea???
Having loads of crampy like pains on and off and still leaking water at night - this baby is just far too comfortable where it is!

[thebecster]

Hi Loulou - I've been looking at this thread for tips 'cos I'm overdue too (although only 3 days... so far). I had a sweep on Wednesday but nothing has happened since, have drunk raspberry leaf tea, eaten masses of curry & pineapple. Haven't run up & down stairs though - SPD makes that a little impractical... I haven't even got any cramps or water leaking or show or anything - just no sign of labour at all. At this rate I might get desperate enough to have sex!
It might be worth getting a sweep to see if you can kick things off before the induction, but you could book the induction anyway just in case. I don't want an induction either, but I'm resigned to the fact that this birth will just happen how it happens. Good luck - hope it happens soon for you!

[sunandmoon]

Reflexology definitely worked for me... at 10 days of being overdue, I went for reflexology and had my first contractions about 6 hours later!!! All the best Loulou...

[Loulou14]

40+8 now and it's still not happening. Had reflexology last week, maybe I'll go again. Had a sweep on Friday and was told my cervix was 2cm and posterior - please enlighten me if you know what this means.

Am booked in for induction this Friday evening but am absolutely dreading the thought of it. Particularly because baby has heart problem and I really don't want to go on the syntocin drip as this can effect the heart. Am scared that at the first sign of distress I'll be whisked in for a CS.

Desperately want a natural labour and for it to start ASAP - I don't even mind if it's 666... Anyone got an opinion on castor oil? Everything I have read on the net is very against it. Any positive experiences out there?

How are you getting on Becster?

[mears]

Loulou14 - try and relax a bit if you can. Chances are baby will come before then. The harder you try the more tense you get. Baby will come when it is ready. Would not try castor oil because that can cause baby's bowel to move which can also be a sign of distress.

If you have had no further leakge of fluid which you mentioned in your first post it might be worth trying sex. Hindwater leak should have resealed.

Can I reassure you though that if you do not go into labour on your own, the syntocinon drip will not affect baby's heart rate directly.

[thebecster]

Hi Loulou... No progress for me either - maddening isn't it?? I totally sympathise with you, it's driving me up the wall, especially with all the texts/phonecalls from well-meaning friends & relatives! I'm not booked for an induction yet, but it's looking likely if something doesn't happen soon. I panicked a bit this morning 'cos the baby is usually really lively but he wasn't moving when I woke up, and I didn't feel him moving in the night. Just as I was about to call the midwife he had a little kickabout - phew! But no contractions, no show, no nuffin', and I'm 40 + 6. Hope things get moving for you before Friday! Still haven't resorted to sex... I've still got really bad morning sickness which I've had all the way through. I can hear my chat up line now... 'Guess what darling, I've just been sick so the chances are we can fit in a quickie before I'm sick again, as long as you don't mind the decidedly unsexy pregnancy body... Best make it as quick as you can, before I accidentally barf on the sheets'... Mmm, very alluring, how could he resist?!
Best of luck Loulou - hope we both get these babies OUT soon!

[Loulou14]

Thanks for the reasurrance Mears - and Becster I'm glad I'm not the only one but I do hope it doesn't go on for you too long either!

I've just come back from another reflexology session - at a different place this time at double the price... she was very good, did all the way up to my knees, hands and head as well as all the pressure points on my feet.

Was convinced last night I was going into labour especially when I got out of bed and had more than the usual water leak. By 6am it had all stopped. Phoned the hospital and I'm going in to the day assessment unit at 4.30pm for a check. Just concerned that they may not be enough water surrounding the baby now with so much leaking out of me at night. Am taking bags as insurance that I won't be admitted - not sure if that makes any sense... will keep you posted!

[gegs73]

I tried everything with ds even raspberry leaf tea which was disgusting and didn't work. When I had resigned myself to the fact baby wasn't moving anywhere fast and set myself up for a nice relaxing evening in, out he decided to pop (but with abit more effort than that). I would just take it as easy as you can, you have 2 weeks max before you see you baby