Nipple twiddling

[SicknSpan]

I'm 38+5 with dc. Been having lots and lots of period pains the last few days and other imminent labour-y type symptoms.

Have been nipple twiddling to while away the time too! Hence the thread- how much? I get period pains within 30 seconds of starting the twiddling so I'm convinced it's working- but the longest I've done is about 10 mins as then I start getting a bit nervous about whether I should be doing it at all . The pains carry on for another 20 mins or so then taper off to nothing.

How much do you reckon I'd need to do to actually get things started properly? Not sure whether I'd want to or not but would be interested to know any experience/ thoughts.

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If you've found this page in your search of the benefits of nipple stimulation to induce labour, you might find our guide to the best nipple toys useful. Hope this helps! MNHQ

Sorry that should be dc3 not dc.

I twiddled my nipples just for a couple of minutes in the shower - the first time I went into labour that afternoon but it stopped when I got to 3cm (was 37+4) and the second time I did it I had very strong Braxton hicks all that night, my waters went the next morning and dd was born at half six in the evening (39+3).
So, going by my experience you don't need to do it very much Good luck!

Ooh that's encouraging Shroomboom! Am feeling a bit teary and out of sorts this afternoon so wondering whether this is the start of things- (not that I am desperately symptom spotting, nooo ) will give them another twiddle later to see if it pushes me over the edge!

Only 5 minutes sat in my birthing pool, felt something go ping (gently, not painful) and then waters gushed as I stepped put of birthing pool. 12 hours later, DS1 arrived. I was 39 weeks on the nose.

I'm hoping it is an effective technique rather than pure chance as I'm currently 36 weeks and am planning on trying the same thing in a couple of weeks.

Interesting that most have had such quick results...I'd read you needed to do it much longer.

Certainly not in my case elastigrrrl. I started with pretty strong and regular contractions within an hour of waters breaking.

Huh! I was so overdue with DC2 I used my electric breast pump to no avail.

Still get jealous of people who had their babies early even now!

That said good luck OP and I hope it works for you.

Weird question alert - is there a certain way to twiddle to bring on contractions, or is any old fiddling likely to work?

The key is to not just twiddle your nipple, but the areola as well, as it's supposed to be based on imitating baby suckling, which is what causes your oxytocin levels to increase. You can use a breast pump, or hand express, or just use the palm of your hand.

There actually is science to back this one up, I can only post the link to the abstract, but a review of 6 studies on this found that the groups doing significant amounts (1 to 3 hours a day) of breast stimulation had 37% go into spontaneous labour within a couple days while the group who didn't do anything had only 6% go into labour during at time.

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16034897

The caveat being that if your cervix isn't effaced at all yet, it won't do a thing, except maybe cause some BH contractions. If your cervix is favourable, it's a great way to start up or keep your labour going if it starts to stall out a bit.

If you use a breast pump instead of nipple twiddling, what happens to the colostrum you lose? Does your body replace it or does your milk just come in a few days after?

I rubbed some lansinol into my nipples the night before I was due to have a stretch and sweep at 39 weeks. Had no other symptoms of labour starting but my waters broke at 2.30am and I had the baby at 3.24pm! obviously you can never be sure whether that was a trigger but apart from eating two pieces of pineapple that was all I did differently!

Roseberry you won't lose it. It's self replenishing.

My friend is a midwife and she told me to do it for 20mins 3 times a day

Well, after starting this thread my efforts at the twiddling haven't done anything after all! I have done a good 20 minutes, 3 times a day for the last three days and if anything all the positive symptoms I'd been having that made me think nips might help have gone again. Gah!

39+4 here, I was utterly convinced this baby would be a little early (if not earlier) than my 2 ds's but they were both born by now.

Ah well. That's me done with trying to bring it on myself, I am going to cosy up with chocolate and blankie until it arrives in its own good time!

Happy twiddling ladies.

spickandspan ah, when I saw the first few words of your reply in my phone there, I thought you were coming to tell us good news! Oh well. You're still not overdue though, think positive! Hope you enjoy your last few days of rest (not quite of peace, as you've got 2 kids already!) and Baby arrives soon

Chocolate and a blanket sounds good :) hope you don't have to wait too much longer.

Thanks theborrower (sorry to have misled you!)

The well meaning texts and phone calls have started though ("any news?" "Have you not had that baby yet?") Driving me a bit potty! Nice to have caring and interested friends though.

Roseberry it was livingzuid on our "fed up" thread that made me think of the chocolate! Must. Have. Fruit. And. Nut.