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Pregnancy

Sex bring on labour?

19 replies

Moominy12 · 20/06/2015 21:38

I'm 37 weeks and had sex today for this first time in a few months. But ever since felt pressure and back pain so lying in bed to relax.

Is it possible it could have bought labour on?

OP posts:

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Gunpowder · 20/06/2015 21:47

I think it can, if your body is ready. I found it brought on false labour for me. Had a few hours of light contractions but they stopped when DD1 woke up. When I went into proper labour a week later it was v quick and easy though, so maybe they did something!

SaulGood · 20/06/2015 21:51

No it can't. In all research ever carried out, it has never once shown to have any causative effect on labour starting.

Nothing short of chemical induction can bring on labour. Sex, like any exercise can cause you to suffer Braxton hicks and it can, after a certain point of pregnancy, make you feel quite uncomfortable afterwards.

PositiveAttitude · 20/06/2015 22:03

I'm surprised at that SaulGood.

I swear it worked for me. No sign of anything happening for me, sex one night and I was in labour when I woke up at 6.30 the next morning.

Shootingstar2289 · 20/06/2015 22:12

It can bring on labour, but only if your body is ready anyway!

Some ladies swear it helps while others say it made no difference whatsoever! :)

SaulGood · 20/06/2015 22:13

Some people will have sex and then go into labour 12/24/whatever hours later. Many thousands more will have sex and not go into labour. It's just a coincidence and because it's an old wives' tale, people tend to insert a causal link there where they don't with anything else that they did 12hrs before labour started. So you could eat a stew, sniff some lavender, see a blackbird and have sex. Labour starts 12 hours later (generally because you're heavily pregnant and the baby is ready to be born) and people don't say "it's that fucking blackbird, I swear", they say "oh it must be the sex". It never is. It's just coincidence.

I ate Jaffa cakes the day I went into labour with both of my pregnancies. I'm trying to convince people to use it as an induction method.

Dogsmom · 20/06/2015 22:34

I tried it at 39 weeks when I was 1 cm and had been for a sweep but it didn't work

badg3r · 20/06/2015 23:05

In the last few weeks it have me false labour pains every time. But it didn't do anything to bring on actual labour.

chloechloe · 21/06/2015 03:01

I tried every old wives' tale in the book and nothing would bring me into labour (not even being induced!). There is some science behind the sex myth - namely that sperm contains prostaglandins which help ripen the cervix. I can't believe that the amount is anywhere near enough to get things going on its own. I think if your body and baby are already gearing up for labour it may give you enough of a nudge to send you off but that's about it.

@ saul!

Gunpowder · 21/06/2015 10:41

Love the idea of Jaffa cake induction method!

Number3cometome · 21/06/2015 10:43

Err hate Jaffa cakes

Number3cometome · 21/06/2015 10:44

I did however have sweet and sour pork the day I went in to labour !

NoMontagues · 21/06/2015 11:25

you could eat a stew, sniff some lavender, see a blackbird and have sex

Sounds like a nice day

Hope you feel better today OP

SaulGood · 21/06/2015 11:43

The prostaglandins in semen are better absorbed if ingested orally. That's if you carry the theory to its logical conclusion. It still won't work though.

Number3cometome · 21/06/2015 13:01

Orally? OH will be pleased

hartic · 21/06/2015 16:13

It worked for me, but I must have been ready. Otherwise from.around 36 weeks I felt like I was in early labour after sex..But it passed each time, well except for the last when Ds arrived a day later

Cloe2014 · 26/06/2015 00:22

My midwife has adviced me today to have sex I'm 39 weeks she said something in the sperm is the same thing used to induce labour so fingers crossed for me

mrstweefromtweesville · 26/06/2015 00:28

DD was born at 08.40. shortly after 9pm the previous evening, her father and I had had sex. I had also drunk a little Carlsberg Special. Not sure which of those caused the baby to arrive... I couldn't eat my meal the evening before, and the midwife had warned me to watch out for that as a sign the baby was coming.

Cloe2014 · 26/06/2015 00:58

My partner and I have had sex tonight and now I can't stop thinking what if I go into labour and I can't sleep also what do the obveviations mean e.g DD , DS ?

SaulGood · 26/06/2015 01:16

Cloe, sex won't start labour. Your midwife is wrong. The baby will come when it is ready.

There is an acronym list at the top of the page which explains the abbreviations. I will link to it if you can't find it. Hang on...

Ta-dah! Acronyms.

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