What part of having sex is meant to bring on labour?!

[cordiality]

Is it the physical act, or the semen or the hormones produced or having an orgasm?

Am 40+3 and willing to give it all a go, but it's not the most comfortable so I'm wondering which bits I can miss out?! (yep, romance is officially dead...!)

I think it's the semen, cordiality, though I'm not 100% sure of that. Now I'm thinking it's the hormones produced on orgasm. Not helpful at all! I'm sure someone else will be along to confirm.

Apparently, it is all three - just Googled. :)

So, unfortunately, if you're using sex as a last resort, you'll have to endure all three, I'm afraid!

The semen is meant to soften the cervix, and the orgasm is meant to start bring on the contractions.

Must be a bloody good orgasm to start them off IMO.

Charlee - when i was pg whenever I had an orgasm my tummy would go really hard like a BH, even if it was just a little one

but OP i would demand a multiple one - just to make sure

Good Luck

I told my DH last night that if he wanted to get the semen bit done quickly that would be fine, I can sort out the orgasm bit myself today!

I don't think he was very impressed

Right, early night tonight with pineapple, raspberry leaf tea, curry and a multiple orgasm. I'm exhausted just thinking about it!

It's the semen as it contains prostaglandins (the substance in induction pessaries) which help the cervix ripen.
Good luck!

the semen contains prostaglandins which are the same substance used in the induction pessaries, the orgasm helps suck up the semen right onto the cervix where the prostaglandins start to break down the mucus plug.

lie with a pillow under your bum just like trying to conceive all over lol

good luck x

Funny how a few weeks ago, sex would bring on monster BHs but now that I need it most (due today) absolute nothing!!!

Cordiality, that list of things is exactly what I was doing to get DS on the move!

There's only one thing you've missed out that worked for me with DD and DS: moving house!

So get packing :)

My waters broke but labour wasn't starting, so my midwife told me that the hormone they would use to induce me was basically the same as is found in semen. (I believe pig semen is actually used in the medical hormone they give you... sorry if TMI!) The way she put it was 'I'm sure you would rather he did it than we did it!'

So he did, and labour started about midnight that night. Had also had a hot curry and a Magnum though. (ice cream not champers :))

Good luck!!!

None of it.

NICE guidelines state that sex as a way to bring on labour is not recommended as it doesn't work.

I'm so glad my old mucker Fliss got here first.

It categorically does not work. Firstly, the prostaglandins in semen, you'd need buckets full to even replicate the chemical induction process, it's simply not possible. And as it's all built on theory, theoretically the particular prostaglandins in semen would be better ingested orally iyswim. Makes no odds as it doesn't work anyway but you should be offering a bj or catching it in your tea if you're thinking the theory through properly.

Plenty of people have sex and go into labour. Far more have sex and don't. Same as some people eat a carrot and go into labour or dust their best silver and go into labour. It's all just coincidence.

And you should never have sex once your waters have broken due to the risk of infection.

Good-o, cos I gave it a go and couldn't stop laughing at the sensitive look on my DH's face as he was trying not to lean too hard on any part of me. We have given up.

I shall suggest that he has a wank into my raspberry leaf tea, a la Michael McIntyre.

I'm sure all these things are old wives tales. How can having a curry help? Surely all babies in India etc would be born horribly prematurely?!

Moving house is a good idea, might moot it tomorrow.

Now, if only sitting on my arse eating cake and chocolate and watching cbeebies was a known way to get things going...

I heard it's the semen.

Ps good luck Abby, hope you get going soon, reckon I'm here for the log haul!

log hauling would probsbly work...

Haha!

Don't know full sex for DD1, half hearted mastication was all DD2 took

Mastibation (sp) autocorrect is too sodding polite.

If half hearted mastication was all it took I'd have had this baby weeks ago!!!

Brilliant freudian slip ladies! I hate the sensation of the tummy tightening after having an orgasm so whatever the benefits, forget it.