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Original poster

If you believe you successfully induced your own labour, how did you do it?

95 replies

TheWorldIsCrushingMe · 01/12/2025 12:51

That age old question!

The consultant just told me that he'll likely schedule a c section in Christmas week and I would really rather not! If I can get the baby out naturally just before then, that would be amazing.

So what really worked for you?

OP posts:
Wynter25 · 01/12/2025 14:56

Curb walking! Did it with dd2 and dd3. Both came on their due date

landlordhell · 01/12/2025 14:56

IAmKerplunk · 01/12/2025 14:48

I ate a whole pineapple every night for over a week 🤮 dd is now 20 and still cannot bear it 🤣

Show quote history

DD 21 loves it haha. Had never made the link!

Trallers · 01/12/2025 14:56

IAmKerplunk · 01/12/2025 14:38

I’ll tell you what doesn’t work. Pineapple. Fucking pineapple! Don’t waste your time eating it.

Oh but it's not pineapple per se, it's the hard core of the pineapple that's meant to bring on labour (or so I heard!). I did eat some and it took forever because it's so tough. Can't say whether it worked though as raspberry leaf tea and a sweep were also in the mix!

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CarolCave · 01/12/2025 14:59

As a PP said: once I accepted that I would be induced, I mentally and physically relaxed (I remember thinking that it’s out of my hands now), and my contractions started within hours.

Fussyeater321 · 01/12/2025 15:01

I couldn’t sleep all night, at 5am I thought ‘sod this’ and went to McDonald’s for breakfast and the local carboot sale.

went out for lunch and a round of mini golf. Was just discussing dinner plans when my waters went in the car.

I basically got very fed up of being pregnant (was a day away from being 42ws!) and decided to enjoy my final days of being child free.

8008isbest · 01/12/2025 16:01

MsPossibly · 01/12/2025 13:28

Not one I've shared widely (!) but nipple tweaking worked like an on/off button. Baby born 4 hours later.

Oh I'd tell any fucker 🤣

Has to be proper twisting though so you feel it. Expressing colostrum? Not so sure?

Giggorata · 01/12/2025 16:06

I went for a long midnight ride in a friend's sidecar on a beautiful hot night, had some tea in an all night cafe and returned as dawn was breaking.
My waters broke the next afternoon.

Fasterthan40 · 01/12/2025 16:16

Reflexology with #1 and a weird Swiss yeast drink that all our NCT group swore by for #2 Both very fast labours. I am very psychosomatic so suspect anything I believed in would have worked.

Peanutbutterflies · 01/12/2025 16:29

I did the agadoo the evening before going into labor with my first 😅

ShaunaOfTheDead · 01/12/2025 16:33

I assembled some IKEA flat pack furniture. That worked for me twice - I think crawling around on all fours was the key action.

Biscoffbiscuits · 01/12/2025 16:40

I was overdue and DH had a week to go before going back offshore. Some very gentle sex saw me in the labour ward 2 hours later and DD was born 6 hours later.
She’s in her forties now. I’ve never told her 😂😂😂.

MoonBugs · 01/12/2025 17:28
colonel sanders chicken GIF by KFC India

So… there is not actual scientific evidence that this works, but it genuinely has for me 3 times. (Although it’s probably a complete coincidence!)

have a big portion of KFC.
I had kfc (on my due date) all 3 times, and I went into spontaneous labour every time 🙈
make of that what you will. lol

Twoshoesnewshoes · 01/12/2025 17:47

Raspberry leaf tea
had about six cups in a day, labour that evening, 3.5 hours (previous labour 18.5 hours)
I was so impressed I drank ten cups on DC3 due date, he was born that night in 25 minutes! So go easy.

8008isbest · 01/12/2025 17:52

Giggorata · 01/12/2025 16:06

I went for a long midnight ride in a friend's sidecar on a beautiful hot night, had some tea in an all night cafe and returned as dawn was breaking.
My waters broke the next afternoon.

I have visions of your hair and scarf billowing in the breeze whilst wedged in the sidecar 😉

Thulpelly · 01/12/2025 18:43

Spicy food, foreplay, bouncing on a yoga ball. (Not at the same time)

Thulpelly · 01/12/2025 18:45

(Orgasm causes a spike in oxytocin, which is what you want!)

WhyCouldntItBeFollowTheButterflies · 01/12/2025 18:51

Breast pump, 5 mins at 42 weeks (night before induction). I had been 3 cm dilated for 10 days, 4 sweeps, all the sex/walks/raspberry leaf tea etc. Put my breast pump on for 5 mins at 12:30am as last ditch attempt before induction, baby was out within the hour.

Flimpley · 01/12/2025 18:51

I don't think I "induced it" exactly (in fact I was medically induced with a gel) but as soon as I started feeling the smallest contractions I walked around as much as possible - popped out of the hospital to the shop, then walked up and down the hospital staircases multiple times until it really got too painful. It's only an anecdote of course, but I do credit the quick birth to that.

Curiousrobin · 01/12/2025 18:52

Sex. Could be a coincidence but a few hours later my waters broke at 38+6!

Stumbleine · 01/12/2025 19:01

Orgasm

Amammai · 01/12/2025 19:04

Gently bouncing on an exercise ball. I would sit on it each time I watched tv or read and even used instead of a desk chair for work at home. 2 ‘spontaneous’ labours just after my due dates. Sure it helped bring labour on.

WateringCans · 01/12/2025 19:08

Hoppinggreen · 01/12/2025 13:09

Rage
I had severe sickness so spent the whole 9 months hangry.
I went for a routine chck up a couple of days before my due date and ended up being told to go to hospital because my proteins were high and it could be pre eclampsia
Waited for hours to be told they had to induce straight away - I called DH to bring my bag etc and asked if it was really necessary to do it now
Was told yes and if I didn't agree it could be dangerous
Sat around for a couple more hours to be told there was no bed so I had to go home and come back tomorrow
Phoned up to be told no bed so just wait at home
Got a phone call to say come now
Got there - no bed
Got told to go home and call tomorrow
I said I was going to go into Labour and THEN they would have to BLOODY DO SOMETHING
4 hours later I did
The rest of it was a farce as well but I am convinced that pure rage causd me to go into Labour

Ooooh it was rage for me too ! Went to booked induction to be told that staff had called in sick , so I would have to come back the next day. It was my second child, and I knew the importance of getting this one out, and I was soooo angry. Went for a long walk up the woods and the contractions started. Straight back to the hospital !

Meem321 · 01/12/2025 19:17

Sex. Something in the sperm gets the cervix moving. Midwife recommended. Labour 4 hours later.

BeingATwatItsABingThing · 01/12/2025 19:23

Sex. Both times I went into spontaneous labour around my due date (40+5 and then 40+2), it was after sex. Could be coincidence though.

DS (third) was induced at 38w but I reckon I would have gone into labour spontaneously at around 40w again and probably after sex.

Frillysweetpea · 01/12/2025 19:32

Sat down on a loose loo seat which slipped sideways - very convenient as my waters broke into the loo! 😆