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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be getting impatient now??! (Tips for getting baby out please!) :)

59 replies

Absofrigginlootly · 21/10/2014 18:04

Baby due this weekend..... NO signs of imminent labour.. Had a few days a couple of weeks ago where I had period pains on and off all day but obviously never came to anything. Not sure I've even had a proper BH (what exactly do they feel like?!.....and WTF are 'tightenings'?!)
Told baby is 3/5ths down, but that was 2 weeks ago and no change since.

Have been sitting on my birthing ball and prowling round the house. Tried eating pineapple. Nada.

4 ladies in my NCT group (who were due after me) have already had their babies....why do I get the feeling it's going to be at least another week or 2 for me???!?

Any tips for helping to start labour?! What worked for you?

I'm sure you'll say it will happen when it happens, but if anything, I could do with a laugh and willing to try things purely for distraction! Grin

Thanks in advance! :)

OP posts:
DisgraceToTheYChromosome · 21/10/2014 18:52

Get your OH ratarsed on tequila and you'll be in labour in 3 hours. Blush

seasavage · 21/10/2014 18:56

Clary Sage in the bath
Raspberry Leaf tea (yuck)
Spicy meal
Decent walk
sex
I tried all those with dd1. (Clary sage seemed to cause some tightenings - bump going v hard and tense).
active earthquake tremors worked a treat (dd2). But kind of tricky to plan for!

SomeSunnySunday · 21/10/2014 19:00

I tried everything with DC1, including climbing a fairly large hill at a week overdue. Nothing worked.

I finally went into labour at 40+10, after spending the morning crying hysterically (much of this down the phone to my mother) at the prospect of being induced 2 days later. I'm not sure whether the hysterics played a part in getting things going Grin.

WftsC · 21/10/2014 19:20

Due this weekend as well and am just using it as an excuse to eat curry, frankly.

I have booked lots of stuff to do that I really want to go to, so am actually ok with it being late. Am lying on the sofa a lot, reading and watching shit TV. I will let you know if that works! Grin

Aherdofmims · 21/10/2014 19:21

BUT can I just add induction is not necessarily something to be afraid of if none of the above brilliant suggestions work. Mine were both really easy and it avoided travelling to hospital whilst in pain and allowed us to plan childcare.

Both were for medical reasons not overdue babies.

Moobaloo · 21/10/2014 19:30

Midwives told me the only things that bring on labour are sweeps, sex or induction.

It's SO frustrating being overdue, I went to 10 days and every one felt like a month but tiring yourself out won't help when you're in labour.

You don't have to be induced (I was) but it can be very quick, especially if your body is ready/nearly ready by itself

Xx

mummymeister · 21/10/2014 19:46

the three "hots" worked for me - hot bath, hot balti and hot bonk! though not all at the same time obviously.

kinkyfuckery · 21/10/2014 20:02

Midwives told me the only things that bring on labour are sweeps, sex or induction

But each of those will only work when things are ready!

Allstoppedup · 21/10/2014 21:11

Tried EVERYTHING including but not limited to:

Walking up the stair sideways for an hour
birthing ball
Pineapple (LOTS)
Raspberry leaf tea
Jumping up and down
sex
birthing ball
cleaning all skirting boards in the house
sweep
curry

I still went 2 weeks overdue and was induced...BUT it was no where near as awful as I thought it would be!

Hopefully you will go before, I remember how fed up I was and wouldn't wish it on anyone, but if it goes to induction, don't buy into all the horror stories, it really might not be that bad.

Good luck!I'm little bit jealous you will have a brand new gorgeous squishy within the next few weeks! :D

trilbydoll · 21/10/2014 21:29

Lavender oil in the bath.

But tbh, I went into labour and DD wasn't really on board with the plan. So she never moved down and I had a CS.

You have my sympathy, I hated being overdue. Constantly convinced baby wasn't moving etc. Was a wreck by the time she arrived!

splendide · 22/10/2014 20:36

I'm so down this evening. I'm overdue, I have a shitty cold and i now have two friends that were due after me who have their lovely newborns. I know I'm being a sulky dick but I can't help it.

AveryJessup · 22/10/2014 21:17

Yes, I second the suggestion to book an induction - it was the only thing that worked for me. Tried all the old wives' tales mentioned above and lots of walking but there was nothing moving at all at 41 weeks. I was so desperate not to go overdue as I had a lot of anxiety about the birth and sitting around with the dread of birth hanging over me was torture. So I went into the hospital and pleaded and begged to be induced a bit early and they booked me for induction at 40 + 11 days.

Contractions started at 40 + 9 and then DS was born the next day, 10 days overdue. This time around I am booking an induction for my due date to get this one out a bit early! (Am allowed to do that as I'm in the US and they'll induce you here at 39 weeks if you like. They love their scheduled inductions here...)

StarlightMcKenzie · 22/10/2014 21:22

There is research evidence base for eating a couple of dates a day.

kaffkooks · 22/10/2014 21:29

I went for a 2 mile walk in the dark in the coutryside 2 days before my due date (it was the middle of winter). I was getting cabin fever from staying in the house due to bad weather so when there was a short spell of clear weather one evening, my husband thought it would be nice for me to go and get some fresh air. The initial plan was just to walk round the village but I was enjoying myself so we kept going then had to climb over a gate which we weren't expecting to be shut. The following morning I woke up to find my waters had broken and DS arrived the next day, on his due date.

jlb1234 · 22/10/2014 21:32

Out of interest, those of you over due, how many days is your average menstrual cycle?

LiverpoolLou · 22/10/2014 21:37

Get everyone you know, including DH, to turn their phones off. You'll be in advanced labour before you can say 'taxi'.

WftsC · 22/10/2014 22:22

Interesting, jlb1234 - quite irregular cycles, but generally quite long (32-33 days). Head isn't even vaguely engaged yet for me at 39 + 5, no BH, nada. Am settling in for the long haul.

Are you brewing a theory?!

Flexly · 22/10/2014 22:37

I went 2 weeks over due with my first, I sympathise! With number 2, my midwife suggested castor oil. 2 table spoons in juice. It clears your bowels (sorry!) which kick starts labour. Dd2 was born under 24 hrs later. Good luck! x

Miriama · 23/10/2014 06:10

Oh, I feel your pain, I was 15 days late, and it was so frustrating! I tried walking, raspberry leaf tea, curry, sex, wee glass of wine. Oh and a sweep, which was awful! Nothing worked . I ended up with a elective c section as I grew massively in last week, and baby was predicted to be very big, ended up being 4.7 kilos. The section was a great experience, having a planned date suited me better! Good luck!

BonjourMinou · 23/10/2014 06:26

Nothing works. I had 2 (extremely painful, I was hobbling afterwards) sweeps, apparently they're not as effective for the first baby anyway, a hell of a lot of pineapple and even the induction didn't work for me. Nothing would have apparently, because the cord was around the baby's neck. Sit on the sofa and have people bring you Cake

ithoughtofitfirst · 23/10/2014 09:27

40+5

LOVING the big sleeps.

Mammanat222 · 23/10/2014 10:13

Just use it as an excuse to eat cake and lay on the sofa!

Babies come when they are good and ready (well kind of, my first labour kicked off @ 40w 6d and I had DS an hour into 41w 2d - so it still took a while even after I went into bloody labour!)

Mammanat222 · 23/10/2014 10:14

"I went 2 weeks over due with my first, I sympathise! With number 2, my midwife suggested castor oil. 2 table spoons in juice. It clears your bowels (sorry!) which kick starts labour. Dd2 was born under 24 hrs later. Good luck! x"

This wasn't recent advice was it? Shock

jlb1234 · 23/10/2014 14:08

Something like that WftsC

I'm thinking about writing my dissertation on it- that woman with longer menstrual cycles have longer pregnancies.
After all, our babies grow at different rates extra utero, so why shouldn't they intra utero. Menses is just my variable factor.

WftsC · 23/10/2014 19:01

Fascinating! Should add I am an IVFer, in case that screws with your hypothesis.
Makes sense if you think about it. Am now thinking of all my friends and think that probably seems true as well. Hmmm.