DTD to bring on labour. Did it actually work for anyone?

[LovesToBake]

I'm 37+5 and this afternoon my midwife asked me if I was doing 'the things' to bring on labour. When I said I was drinking raspberry leaf tea and occasionally sitting on my exercise ball when I could be bothered, she basically suggested 'sex, curry and beer'. I know people say DTD can bring things on but I'm more of the opinion that it will start when it's ready. Anyone think it has worked for them?

Why is your MW encouraging you to bring on labour at 37+5? I'd be concerned about that.

I have no experience of DTD while preg whatsoever due to me totally going off sex while pregnant. However, I must point out that the supposed benefit of raspberry leaf tea is to strengthen the uterus ready for labour rather than to being on labour per se.

PS- enjoy the last few previous weeks of pregnancy btw. And good luck

Of course a few people will say they had sex and then the baby arrived 12 hours later. But I bet they did a thousand other things in those 12 hours too yet don't attribute labour to that.

Thousands upon thousands of women have sex in pregnancy. Many try it in a vain attempt to start labour. Sometimes, coincidentally, people then have a baby. But at 9 months pregnant, the baby was about to arrive anyway and the vast, vast majority of women won't go into labour afterwards and realistically, babies arrive when they are ready. If sex caused labour, they'd advise against it before 37 weeks. Having a baby after having sex is coincidence, not causal.

All scientific, empirical evidence shows us that no labour is not started by any of the myths. Chemical induction is the only thing which works (and even then it's sometimes bloody difficult to kickstart it). Nothing else works.

And raspberry leaf tea should be taken as a uterine tonic. It makes your pushing stage more effective. It's nowt to do with starting labour.

Congratulations. You're nearly there! Good luck for the delivery.

Damebabs, only because DS was born (a good weight and fully cooked) at 37+4 and she said baby's head is down in my pelvis so fully expects things to kick off within the next week.

37+5 does seem rather early to be thinking about it.

The best I can say about it is that it passes time...

Dd was 13 days over and I tried absolutely everything I could think of to no joy. She came when she was ready and no amount of sex, pineapple, curry or walking will change that.

Agree with pp that you arent at full term yet.

A baby being engaged has bog all to do with labour being imminent. In a second pregnancy you'd expect them to move in and out of being engaged too. My DD was fully engaged, head completely down and fixed at 31 weeks and she stayed there. She was evicted 8 weeks later by emcs at 39 weeks. DS's head never engaged and labour started spontaneously.

Honestly, are you sure your midwife is qualified?

I wasn't looking to be controversial, my midwife is excellent thanks, she's on the home birth team and very relaxed in her approach which suits me fine. As I said, her comment was based on my experience with DC1 so not unprofessional at all. Just sceptical about these old wives tales and wondered if anyone had any personal experience to suggest there was any truth in them!

Certainly tried it, can't say it worked though

I was joking about her not being qualified!

I think pregnant women are put under too much pressure. Hit 37 weeks and people start texting and phoning and Uncle Bob and Aunt Marge start recommending curry and sex and pineapple and walking for miles. And they do it and end up in pain and with heartburn and swollen feet and then they hit 40 weeks and people start shouting 'overdue' and it's miserable for some women. I want due dates changed to 'due period' because 37-42 weeks is normal but nowadays it seems to be 5 weeks of pressure and questions. It just all seems so unfair on a pregnant woman who should be cherished and looked after, not prodded and pushed to try and force something which will happen naturally.

You sound brillig and v relaxed and switched on OP. But I do have friends who have made themselves thoroughly miserable and demoralised by trying all these things and it not happening.

Ah, thanks Showy - I couldn't agree with you more about the idea of changing to a 5 week 'due window' rather than this crazy focus on one arbitrary date which just cranks the pressure up for pregnant women.

Went over with both DC's by 10+ days. Two inductions in hospital after I hoped for homebirths. NOTHING brings on labour, imvho. I tried EVERYTHING, and more than once too! Not ever stretch and sweeps (multiple times), unless i'm dome sort of a anomaly. The oy thing i didn't try was castor oil. They'll come out when they're ready. Good luck!

Loves, I wonder about the Old Wives stuff too. But I figure, once the house is clean and the baby stuff washed, it's worth trying a few things for your own peace of mind/having something to do if nothing else. Very odd that people would take the joy out of a light hearted discussion about such things, when one clearly wouldn't do anything to harm one's (soon to be) newborn child! We are only eating curry at our house this week, and DH is -ahem- plucking up the courage, so to speak. I haven't told him that apparently the prostaglandins in question are better absorbed through the gut any way....

Everything Showy said, verbatim.

Dtd didn't work for us, nor did curry, pineapple juice or long walks etc. However, I had two bouts of twiddling my nipples whilst in the shower - the first time (37+4) contractions started that afternoon and continued for almost 12 hours (I got to 3cm), and the second time I had v strong BH's the rest of that day and all night and dd was born the following day (39+3).
It was my friend who suggested it - she lived in Japan and had her first child there and it's advised to toughen up the nipples before breast feeding, although she did warn me it might cause contractions

Nothing works! Not even castor oil in my experience, unless it has a delayed reaction. Babies come when they are ready. Both mine a fortnight 'late' and I tried absolutely everything (to safeguard my home births). Sex, curry, hilly walks, cleaning the floor. You'd think I'd have learned the second time just to enjoy the last few days peace...

Hi twiddled my nipples for hours too.

I tried everything and nothing worked .

I tried sex and curry. Nothing.

Worked with DD2. Went into labour a few hours after DTD. DD2 born on her due date so fully prepared to admit it was coincidental though.

Nothing worked with my 1st ds who is 7 and I was 42+3him with my dd who is 13 months I was 41+ 5 withher and I had 4 sweeps and syrip of fig with her and the day after I had her

Yes 'small for dates' DD1 was due to be induced the next morning (39 weeks).

So DH and I thought what the hell, might as well give it a go as it will be a while before we were likely to get a chance again.

Went into labour about two hours later.

DD2 took a bit of light mastibation, never got as far as sex, but she was definitely getting twitchy earlier in the day.

To be fair DD1 had stopped growing and I think she agreed with the consultant it was time to leave!