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Original poster

Does anything actually work to bring on labour?

41 replies

Morehotchocolate · 26/12/2018 12:51

Trying to avoid being induced as everything I read says it's awful.

So does anything actually work to bring on labour? I've bought some raspberry leaf tea, just had a spicy curry after a walk and may get active in the bedroom later if I can be bothered 😬

But does anything really work?

OP posts:
kaytee87 · 26/12/2018 12:52

I think sex (with an orgasm) is the only thing that has any sort of scientific reasoning.

MrStateTrooper · 26/12/2018 13:04

OK, this is going to sound really odd, and make he seems like a troll, but, honestly, I swear, when I was trying to bring on labour, I read that twiddling your nipples can help. Apparently it's something to do with releasing the same hormone as when you have sex. My waters broke before active labour started; I was booked in for anext induction the next day, so was determined to get things started to avoid it! I had been having some pains after my waters went, but they faded as the day went on. I had a cup of raspberry tea, bounced on my birthing ball, and got twiddling Grin (unfortunately actual sex was off limits due to infection control). It seemed to do the trick!

Original poster
Morehotchocolate · 26/12/2018 13:27

@MrStateTrooper That's a good idea actually, I remember reading something about that before.

OP posts:

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Families
Santaisonthesherry · 26/12/2018 13:28

For me vacuuming has worked more than once. Whole house vigorously!!

DrinkReprehensibly · 26/12/2018 13:29

I don't know how they can prove anything particularly works because obviously anyone trying these things is at full term anyway, so how can you tell whether it worked or is just coincidence? Good luck though Op.

bringbacksummer99 · 26/12/2018 13:30

Nope. Not a sausage. Hence two pregnancies both 13 and 15 days over Hmm

MsChookandtheelvesofFahFah · 26/12/2018 13:30

Yes, my gp told me about twiddling nipples.

Lucylugs · 26/12/2018 13:30

Breast massage worked for me.

lubeybooby · 26/12/2018 13:32

well, the day I went into labour (39 weeks) I...

walked a mile (9am)
carried carpet roll ends upstairs and fitted them in (10am to 2pm)
had a hot bath (7pm)
had a curry (8pm)
had double the dose of raspberry leaf tea capsules (9pm)
had vigorous sex (11pm)

waters broke at 3am

dd arrived Midday

I suspect being generally active, raspberry leaf and sex to be the things that, if ANY of the above did anything, it was those.

Kemer2018 · 26/12/2018 13:33

Dtd

JaniceBattersby · 26/12/2018 13:34

Walking a long distance as quickly as possible to the point where I could not walk anymore has helped bring on all four of my labours. I might have gone into labour anyway, of course, but I do think it helped.

DonutCone · 26/12/2018 13:39

Stretching. I was trying to hang some pictures up and that started it. I do think it was all the stretching up.

Trinpy · 26/12/2018 13:41

Keeping active. I kept having contractions for 2 weeks with dc2 then as soon as I sat down for a rest they stopped. Same thing happened during active labour so I spent ages walking up and downstairs and doing little jumps to kickstart things. It worked in the end!

kaytee87 · 26/12/2018 13:57

@Trinpy if they stopped when you were resting then they were probably Braxton hicks.

Prokupatuscrakedatus · 26/12/2018 14:50

I got what translates as the "Midwife's cocktail':

castor oil and vodka in orange juice plus a walk around the block when I waited for labour after my water broke - worked for me. DC was out in 1 hour after labour started.

MrsTommyBanks · 26/12/2018 14:53

Back in my day it was caster oil in Orange juice which worked .
But these days that is very bad advice.

YouCantBeSadHoldingACupcake · 26/12/2018 15:11

Don't try clary sage oil, it didn't bring on labour, but gave me the worst Brixton hicks I have ever had

Original poster
Morehotchocolate · 26/12/2018 15:36

I did hear that caster pop just gives people the runs. I'm not sure I fancy trying that one!

OP posts:
Namelesswonder · 26/12/2018 16:02

Sex! Brought DD2 along 2 weeks early

Trinpy · 26/12/2018 16:04

@kaytee they stopped when I was in active labour! The midwife checked how many cms I was dilated and confirmed I was in active labour then sent me off to have a bath and relax a bit. I got in the bath and my contractions stopped! I was sitting around for ages waiting for them to restart, in the end the mw gave me a sweep which started things up again then I had to run up and downstairs to keep them from slowing down. I was at 9cm before I finally sat down and had a rest!

fatbrows · 26/12/2018 16:15

Expressing breast milk! You're not supposed to do it too early because it can cause early labour so I'm sure it can encourage yours

Myusername101z · 26/12/2018 16:16

I was in this position this time last year I tried absolutely everything ended up being induced 11 days after due date

merrypukemas · 26/12/2018 16:17

My midwife always said "what got them in will get them out" Didn't work for us though 😂

Stephisaur · 26/12/2018 16:33

You need to relax. Seriously.

Once baby is finished developing, your body will be waiting to go into labour. Anything that you can do to increase your oxytocin (happy hormone) levels will speed this up. If you are stressed (about bringing on labour, for example) then your body is producing adrenaline, which slows the process down.

Do some stuff that makes you happy, without wondering whether it will bring on labour. Enjoy these last few days before baby arrives.

For me, I think that resigning myself to a Christmas baby is what made him come earlier than expected! I wasn’t trying to rush him out, but he decided to make his appearance anyway.

Good luck, hopefully you won’t need that induction :)

vampirethriller · 26/12/2018 19:55

I tried raspberry leaf tea, curry, pineapple, walking, clary sage, nipples, sex. Still ended up induced!

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