Sex to bring on labour?

[chuppysmum]

Hi
I'm 40+1 with #2- with my first we managed to DTD and I had a show straight after and my waters broke at 8am the next morning. I was 41+4 so desperate to try anything! However last time when my waters broke they had meconium in so I ended up on the drip to speed everything up and it was really unpleasant and ended in an epidural. Really want to try and avoid that this time and want to try having sex again to get things going, but worried that that was why my DD1 maybe got distressed and did a poo?! Also given how overdue I was, going into labour so soon after might have been a coincidence!! Any others have any experience to share?? Thanks in advance!

I asked my MW and she said they recommend 3 times in 24 hours. She did say it could help as the hormones in the semen are what they use to induce labour but then again she said if they really knew what brought labour on they would be better at it!

I think out of a lot of the old wives tales it's one that makes the most sense, if you are feeling up to it then go for it!

Yep. It's reputed to be a bit of prostaglandin (in semen and the chemical induction) and the oxytocin you produce when you feel good and relaxed. Both are critical hormones for labour. So, gentle sex? Oft recommended nipple tweaking? General bath, candles, snogging, massage? Good luck - this bits not much fun (but labour can be great if you're feeling confident and relaxed and well supported) x

Sex or nipple/clitoral stimulation can help, an orgasm can cause the uterus to mildly contract when you're term & ready to labour.

Meconium stained waters is really common when you're overdue as the baby is cooked & ready to come out. Sex is highly unlikely to cause this. Second babies are usually much quicker so hopefully you won't need an epidural. Good luck!

I tried it (alongside curry, sweeps, pineapple core milkshake, reflexology)... And labour started 10 days late but hard to know if any of the above made a difference. No meconium probs though.