How to start labour?!

[YoMommasMomma]

I am now 40 weeks pregnant and very anxious about becoming overdue and having to have sweeps/ an induction and so I wondered if anyone could tell me how they started their labour?

I have been going for walks and trying to stay very relaxed, but other ideas would be great.

My DH has also "helpfully" suggested sex, but I really don't feel great about my physically at the moment, so looking for other ideas.

Thank you in advance.

The only thing that worked for me for my very overdue one was scheduling an induction. Tried all the curry, pineapple, sex, long walks, going up and down the stairs sideways, nothing. Gave up and scheduled an induction and then went into labour right before it. (She’s still a dawdler now!)

Also I’m sure you know this but just a reminder, you don’t have to have sweeps or an induction, it’s totally up to you. You can ask to discuss it first, ask for alternatives (like extra monitoring), say “yes but only after X date”, it is ultimately your call. Not suggesting you should or shouldn’t take any particular path but I know that one of the things that helped me feel less under pressure was when people backed off and stopped telling me I’d ‘have to’ do XYZ.

Obviously take no notice of @youllhavehadyourtea

Seriously heard it all now

Most first babies come at 41 week. Frances says full term is 41 weeks, Germany say 42 week. You don’t have to have sweeps (there is no evidence that they work btw) or any other intervention.

If anything worked, no-one would be medically induced.

Increasing oxytocin is the best way - walk, laugh, watch films, sleep, go for coffee with friends, go for a swim. Enjoy yourself!!

How helpful of your DH haha. Maybe he could just give you a hand if he's feeling so helpful?
Good luck, hopefully your baby isn't too comfy in there!

We had sex one afternoon at 41+4, and I went into labour that evening. However, we'd tried sex several times in the few weeks prior, too, and it didn't work then.

Sex and walking are the likeliest two, I think, to slightly increase your chances of going into labour. They don't make it start, they may just help things along if your body is about ready to go into labour anyway.

I went waaaay overdue with both my DDs, so understand the frustration believe me! Try them if you want to feel proactive, but they won't make anything happen unless it's ready to anyway. In fact, my second DD, labour started after a full day of cleaning (plus sex!), but I was in labour for 30+ hours ending in c-section for failure to progress, so maybe she wasn't that ready after all..!

The language around due dates is kind of dumb. Nothing nature happens with that kind of accuracy. You don't plant daffodils and know they'll bloom on 3 March or whatever, it depends.

Jackshouse is right, I read over 80% of first babies come after their 'due date'. So it's crazy to treat them all as late!

Sweeps only work when the cervix is preparing for labour anyway. I.e. would start soon. Induction makes interventions more likely. Sex works by 1. prostagladins in sperm helping prepare the cervix (you could mock this up with a turkey baster if you wanted!) 2. orgasms give you oxytocin that helps move things along.

If I were you I'd be having a lovely time and forgetting about the feeling of things being late, do whatever gives you oxytocin and feels snuggly, the baby will come when it's ready. It's only after about 42 weeks that you need to really think about intervening.

You don't have to agree to induction or sweeps unless you want to, doctors often use really disempowering language like 'we'll need to induce you' rather than 'we recommend induction' etc. The choice is yours, not theirs.

Induction and sweeps aren't even as bad as they are made out to be. If it gets to that point, you do anything to get them out safely and make sure you both are happy and healthy.

The Doctor telling me when I was going to be induced made sure labour kicked in that morning naturally before they could get their hands on me! Worked both times!

Still no action here. Booked in for a sweep on Thursday at the birth centre (same place I had my first child and lovely) and apparently I can have 2 more sweeps after that before they will book an induction. One step at a time.

So far long walks, hot curry and sex haven't worked, but I will carry on!

I had DS at 42 weeks..
I tried it all - raspberry leaf tea, daily (sometimes twice daily) walks, pineapple, sex, curries.
The only things that seemed to do anything were sex and walking, both of those activities would trigger some cramping and Braxton Hicks, and the week before I had DS I was having several hours of prodromal labor each night (real contractions that were regular, but never closer than 10 minutes apart, went away after a few hours).
I had to be induced at 41+6 days, but thankfully it only took 1 dose of prostaglandins and I had DS the next morning.

I just wanted to update on this and say that I my son was born a couple of days ago at 40 weeks plus 4 days. Labour started spontaneously at 6:30am and he was born on the floor of the hospital (we didn't even make it to a birth room!) in a couple of pushes by 10:30am!
Thank you to everyone who posted here, it's been an exciting week!

Wow! Congratulations! Looks like something worked!

Thank you yes, not sure what though!

Congratulations on your sons safe arrival.

Thank you 🙂 now I just need to survive cluster feeding!!