Desperate to induce labour -- help!!

[user1500124076]

I need to know methods that worked for you to get labour going. I'm bloody desperate. Quick facts:

39 weeks, low risk preg

Severe SPD

Previous section 12 years ago

I can't cope with the SPD anymore. I haven't slept in weeks, the pain is constant, the support belts and "exercises" make everything worse. Hospital have a no induction policy unless you go 2 weeks over. No sweeps. Not even had a cervical check (I'm in Ireland btw - bit different here). I decided against elective section after the nightmare I had with the last one.

I need this baby out!! He's ready. I'm 39 weeks. He's fully developed. He's a good weight. It's time. But he's sat there all snug and tight with no apparent desire to get his butt in gear!

I've tried sex (ughhh), orgasms, bouncing my life away on the birth ball, walking/exercising/moving a lot as SPD permits... I don't really believe in the whole tea/pineapple/etc old wives' tales but hey, if they worked for you...

Help!!

I think raspberry leaf tea worked for me, but I was induced and we only needed to go through the rigmarole once as it worked first time. Has to be worth a try but maybe a bit late on to have any impact.

Try the nesting / cleaning thing and see if your body relaxes once that's all done as a psychological thing? (sorry not sure what else to try - not going to suggest using a trampoline with SPD)

I feel for you, today is my due date and no signs of anything happening. I did try nipple stimulation last night and it caused contractions almost immediately but they didn't turn into labour! No real advice but I hope things get moving soon for you!

Yeah everything I try leads to contractions and I get all hopeful, but they die off after a couple hours argh.

I might give the raspberry leaf tea thing a go if I can find any. Flavored teas make me nauseas af but at this point I'll shove anything down my throat if it helps to shove the baby out the other end.

Orgasm.

Mate, if I have any more orgasms I'm gonna vibrate into the next dimension.

I'm really sorry but sometimes I don't think anything works. I've got an 8 week old son now and I completely relate to your desperation. After 38-39 weeks I was desperate for pregnancy to end as I was so uncomfortable and in pain and still being sick. I tried everything to get labour going- sex (when I could stomach it), 3 stretch and sweeps, raspberry leaf tea, exercise, really spicy curries, thinking labour-y thoughts, hours and hours bouncing and rotating on a yoga ball every day. Like you said some things did give me cramps and mild contractions afterwards but they always faded away after a while.

So sadly nothing worked and I ended up being induced after going 2 weeks overdue. I really hope you don't end up waiting as long OP and are soon on the other side! The only one I didn't try was pineapple, but that's because research has shown you'd have to consume 8 whole pineapples in order to get enough of whatever it is that starts labour to have an effect! Best of luck and I really hope you go soon!

Well I went to Greg's and had a bacon butty and coffee and lost my plug whilst eating it. Not saying it was the breakfast that started things off.... But if you're desperate

Worked for me! Went into labour later that day. Plus it’s one of the few methods that actually has a biological reason to work

Ah I see you’re on that one already!

I ate a whole pineapple and then went into labour with my second (due date -1) but I wasn’t trying to induce labour I just really like pineapple!

Clary sage oil. Mix a few drops in with some almond or olive oil, add to a bath and have a soak for a while. When you get out of the bath add a drop or two to more carrier oil and rub it all over your bump and lower back. Repeat the next day if it doesn't work. If it doesn't tip you into labour it should still give you a really restful sleep. Took two goes for me and my neighbours daughter.

Acupuncture?

I'm just wondering why you are so against an elective section? If you have had a previous section then you have an increased chance of having a section anyway. They are usually booked for 39/40 to avoid an emergency one should labour start. Also with SPD, have you been assessed for whether you will be able to abduct your hips to allow a vaginal delivery?

In answer to your question though, raspberry leaf tea from a herbal shop is probably your best shot

SPD is a misery. All my best suggestions involve walking - stairs in particular. And oxytocin, just when I’d resigned myself (and, therefore, calmed down) to induction, both times - different circumstances, labour started.

Hot wings and a good comedy.

Nipple stimulation raises oxytocin. It is the most scientifically backed method - see www.cochrane.org/CD003392/PREG_breast-stimulation-for-cervical-ripening-and-induction-of-labour. But the studies involve at least an hour a day. I plugged myself into the breast pump on its lowest barely-there setting and watched a couple of old sitcoms each day. It worked after about 4 days.

Nipple twiddling, sex, lots of walking (difficult with SPD, I know - I had it too in first pregnancy, but I just grimaced my way through)

I tried everything with DC1 (threat of induction at 40 + 14). I did the above with gusto and I went into labour the afternoon of 40 + 13.

Tbh I think baby just comes when they’re ready and induction can only bring things forward slightly if baby was just about ready anyway. The only “natural” method with any evidence to work is sex and it sounds as if you’ve been diligent on that score
You could try acupuncture (it didn’t work for me but it doesn’t do any harm so couldn’t be worth a go) but if that doesn’t work and you’re still desperate I’d just go for an ELCS.
I had PGP and my favourite place to be was in the swimming pool. My friend who had PGP took lots of long baths. Just in case you’re not doing either of those already!

I'm with you OP.
Not much SPD (although has been threatening all the way through) and no previous c section but next week seems like forever away.
I've been getting slight contractions and then doing everything I can to keep them going but... big fat nope.

Watching this thread with interest

Have you met your Consultant? Most are sympathetic if you explain. Have they checked your cervix to see if it is 'favorable'?

I am not in anyway recommending this, but thought it might amuse you.

My friend (honest!) works in a college linked with midwifery training, but is not medical herself.
She was desperate to give birth at 39 weeks and so managed to convince a trainee midwife to ‘practise’ her sweep technique on her, this did not work, so managed to convince a different trainee the next day and so on. She did this for 3 days and on the 4th the trainee she managed to convince got a shock as when she went to do the sweep her waters burst in her face! She was 3cm and finally in labour.

She ended up delivering on her due date.

You don’t know any budding midwives?

Oh I forgot to mention seeing an osteopath, can’t induce labour obviously but made the PGP so much more bearable.

Raspberry leaf tea a curry and a long walk for me

I swear that my husband not slowing down over some speed bumps followed by a Donner kebab did it for me, however I had been having irregular contractions for the previous 28 hours so it was probably always going to happen then!