Tips to bring on labour - what worked for you?

[trix1]

Did sex work for anyone? if so how long before labour started? Any other tips welcomed?

Walking and sex worked for me both times,obviously not at the same time though

Reflexology. I had a session the day before I went into labour, don't think it was a coincidence. Will certainly do this again.

I also reckon being very relaxed helps.

Btw raspberry leaf tea is meant to be good for strengthening uterine muscles, not specifically inducing labour.

how long a walk are we talking? i'm a week or so behind trix, and starting to get desperate too!

Tried nipple stimulation (with a breast pump), curry, pineapple, rasp leaf tablets, bouncing on birthing ball, walking 3 miles a day, pounds of grapes, orgasms (but not sex as waters had gone), membrane sweeps, scrubbed kitchen floor, reflexolgoy, cleaned to within an inch of my life.... and the only thing that worked was 41 hours of induction with a drip!

My waters had been gone for nearly a week by then, so I'd say rest up, and the baby will come when it's ready. I know that's harder said than done though

cumin tea and nipple twiddling!

that and having everything 'ready' IYKWIM. went mad cleaning and organising and when everything was done i was all relaxed and prepared for labour.

Olihan, do you or your partner not have hands/fingers or do I have to spell it out? (like I said tooooo much information)

Female orgasm (be it from sexual intercourse or masturbation)releases oxytocin (as does nipple stimulation) which in turn can encourage labour to start. A sentence I NEVER imagined I'd write lol!!!

sex worked for me!

Lol expat worked for me too... nice orgasm does wonders, a few hours later after a nice sleep I was in labour!!

did the nipple twiddle thing - didn't work for me

I had 4 tablespoons of castor oil mixed with ice-cream, concentrated robinsons orange and brandy. It worked in bringing on the contractions.

how long did it take to work Finefatmoma?

Do you have your bag packed? Unpack it, and spread the contents into cupboards all around your house! Shaved your legs yet? Dont bother! Sods law says itll happen when you are least prepared! And itll be good for you to move around and pack when labour starts..apparently!

Castor oil and tropicana, but oh god it was gross and iot does go straight through you but hey then i didnt have to worry about shitting whilst in labour. But no some people do not recommend it but researched and decided it was less risk than other induction techniques imo but u should prob read it all 4 urself before u decide

Littleducks how long did it take to bring on labour and then how long where you in labour.

how many weeks were you when you took it?

I took 30ml of castor oil and tropicana two hours ago.

Heard Sunny Delight helps but not tried it myself.

Went 2 weeks over with my DS and tried everything, rasberry tea for last 3 weeks, Curry, pinapple, walks, housework (couldnt face sex but MW told us that it is the semen that actually does the work so afraid it is all or nothing!). Nothing seemed to work and I think they just come when they are ready - sorry . My friend had her baby at 38 weeks and I had mine at 42 weeks so I was preg for a month longer than her when it was boiling hot last summer. Just not fair but I guess that life. Sorry not to be much help. Hope it happens soon for you.

Acupuncture.

Forgot to add it worked within 24hrs, like the 'acupuncturist' said it would. I was a complete sceptic, but was happy to say it was non-revolting, didn't mean using a pogo stick to jump around the house and painless. BUT involved someone saying nice things to me when I felt huge, heavy and very tired.

A large gin and tonic - worked all three times - recommended by my midwife....

i took it when i was overdue, id been having on off contractions for days and wanted to have baby in birth centre. I had dd the next day after castor oil took it and then when contractions came stayed standing etc so head pushed on cervix, i had a very long "latent stage" but went in hosp with pain that needed g and a i progressed very quick and had dd in 3 hours later, only pushed a few times. midwives werent expecting it as she was born in her waters. dd was in bad position though and i was slow if i hadnt taken it and forced labour to progress by walking standing i would have been induced on ward but instead had beautiful natural ( i did what i wanted with no instructions from midwives they just sat and watched while i got on with it) birth which i loved. Sorry i still get a bit carried away by it all

Well its three hours since I took the castor oil and nothing so Im going to be paitent - well, will try to be.

midwife suggested 1000 - 3000mg eevening primrose from 38 weeks ( helps body be more receptive to prostaglandins (sp?) ) and sex worked both times for me, second time i went into labour 1/2 hour after and dd arrived 3 hours later!

Hi Trix1

I was in hosptial for about 8 or 9, tedious and lonely days at the end of my pregnancy. The day the doctors told me that I could give birth naturally but would need to stay in hosptial until I went into labour (potentially another 4 weeks) was the day I am certain that I made myself go into labour! This is what I did:

Being in hospital for that long had been tedious beyond belief and because of the potential complications I felt like I was living in an uncomfortable limbo.

So, that afternoon, when DP visited me we walked the entire perimeter of the QMC (which is huge). When I got back to my room I didn't stop. I paced and paced and really tried to visulise being in labour and pushing the baby out. When I eventually went to bed I massaged my nipples too.

I went into labour that night and had given birth by 9pm the next day! 2 weeks before my due date! I am adament that it was mind over matter that put me into labour.

Good luck for your labour - it wont be long I'm sure. I know you aren't asking for labour tips but I'd just like to say, don't be scared, trust your body and just go with it. That's the key! x x x

What worked for me was being shown around the labour ward at my local maternity hospital with my NCT antenatal group - I went into labour a few hours later !!