Naturally inducing labour after 37 weeks?

[soon2befamilyof4]

I am not sure how I feel about this but wanted to get as much info as possible really. Basically I am now finding it very hard to do anything now - I have a 15 month old who can't walk so I am always carrying her and it is getting so hard to take her anywhere on my own. I have annemia and keep going dizzy and so I try not to even go for a walk on my own as I am worried about passing out and then anything could happen to DD as she would be left unattended.

ANYWAY. Been thinking about trying some of the old wifes tales to get labour going in the easter holidays when I would find childcare for DD MUCH easier and would be less stressful all round.

I remember you can do something with clary sage oil - can't remember what though? I rememeber eating tonnes of pineapple last time and lots of sex but thats it.

If anybody has any good (safe) suggestions then I would be very grateful so I can get everything I need together. I am only 36 weeks so would wait another week or so before trying anything.

[MoshiMoshi]

It isn't clear why you are finding it hard to do anything now. Is it because you are in the late stages of your pregnancy or is it something specific? If you are anaemic, then it might be better to deal with this than try and make yourself go into labour, in particular as you say you are finding it difficult to do anything. There are plenty of things that are meant to induce labour although I am inclined to just leave things be and try and relax for the time being and make the most of the time you have. If you are tired now you will only be more tired when the baby arrives.

As for conveniently timing the birth, I do know where you are coming from as my baby is due at the start of my DS's summer term and I am hoping for an early appearance so I can enjoy not having to fit in the school run while I try and get baby settled into some sort of feeding pattern for my sanity's sake. But then I will have 4 DC to juggle so I suppose there is never an optimum solution to these things and you just have to muddle through.

I have read some crazy ideas but wouldn't do them myself.

[soon2befamilyof4]

There are many reason I am finding it hard: really bad back, not being able to give DD the attention because she can't walk and I can lift her, I am still childminding, Feeling sick all the time, Feeling dizzy when I do anything. House is a mess as it hurts my back too much to do anything etc etc. I could go on but there isn't really anything anybody can do about it all which is why I was just asking about the induction ideas really.

[tristaleejac]

Hiya soon2be sorry to hear you're feeling so down. I can't really offer any advice I'm afraid, just thought I'd bump this for you.
On a totally different note, are you still ok to be buddies? I have your number but thought I'd double check on here first before texting out of the blue. Hopefully it wont be long now for both of us, I'm so sore and tired all the time too.

[soon2befamilyof4]

I didn't know we were! I gave all my details but then didn't hear back from anybody so completly forgot about it! I haven't been on the April thread for ages though, although I am on mumsnet everyday. I find the thread moves so fast I can't keep up

[tristaleejac]

Yes I agree it's very hard to keep up! I got an email from nutty with your mobile number saying you were my buddy. It's entirely up to you whether you want to continue with it and I don't mind either way. I can delete your number or I can send you mine. I'll leave it entirely up to you, wouldn't want to add to a busy list of things to do around birth time!

[soon2befamilyof4]

No its fine, I am happy to do it, I must of just not got the email! I defiantly didn't get anybody's number sent to me!

[Sunflower100]

In response to your original Q I asked my mw this yesterday. Am 37+4 and fed up too! She said when baby active rotate on birth ball to ease him down in pelvis (do you know if head engaged or not- my baby's isn't -its 'at the brim'), have sex and drink raspberry leaf tea. I am sceptical as I kind of think these things happen when they should but dd1 showed no signs of coming - head never engaged properly - and I was induced at 40+16. That time I did everything- pineapple, TONS of sex, you name it and zilch happened!

[soon2befamilyof4]

Lol. Thanks for that sunflower. Let me know if you give anything a go.

[minksy]

I had a sweep at 41 weeks which didn't work and I was told my cervix was still very hard. So in the following week I had reflexology and took the homoeopathic remedy 'Caulophyllum' to try to get things going. I still required induction but my cervix was very soft according to the midwife - I only needed a very mild induction and things were fairly quick after that.
I'm 28 weeks this time round and will start the homoeopathy and reflexology from around 37/38 weeks as I think they worked last time but I started too late to avoid induction.

[soon2befamilyof4]

minksy - don't suppose you could tell me a bit more about it? What do they do etc? I have never had anything like that before and haven't really got a clue!

[minksy]

soon2befamilyof4 - The homoeopathy is a natural remedy - look up Nelson's or Ainsworth's online. You can order the remedies online too. Caulophyllum is said to help soften the cervix and encourage contractions. There's a lot of cynicism aimed at homoeopathy but many believe it works. I took a cocktail of remedies when I went into labour last time, just after I was induced. I had DD 8 hours later with no no pain relief (just TENS). I like to think it helped, even if it was just on a psychological level.
My reflexologist did this excruciating manouvre on me which also aimed to soften the cervix, but the rest of the treatment was lovely and relaxing. Find a reflexogist which specialises in pregnancy treatment.
Although these remedies didn't send me into labour (did 'em too late I reckon) I like to think they helped me to have a quicker and easier labour. Hope this helps!

[PinkTulips]

ds2 was engaged from 34 weeks.

from 37 weeks onwards i was drinking cumin tea, birth ball bouncing, pressure point palpatingf, walking, squatting, nipple twiddling and shoving evening primrose oil up my fanjo in a constant rotation.

when i went overdue i even resoted to bouncing on a trampoline

little darling was 5 days late anyway!

the only thing i only did right at the end was clary sage oil rubbed all over in a hot shower as i only found my bottle of CS oil a few days before i had him.... that one is worth it just for the gorgeous relaxing smell

i did single handedly set up a very heavy bed the night before i went into labour though and with both my others i had a spurt of very physical activity the day before labour started but exerting yourself is hardly a helpful suggestion when you're pregnant and exhausted