How did you bring on your labour - desperate!!!

[Flossie333]

Just that really.

I am walking loads, bouncing on my ball, climbing stairs like a crab, eating chilli (will NOT be doing that again), had sex (possibly the most unattractive thing I've ever done), eaten dates (hate dates 😬😂), drunk the bloody tea. Oh and had two sweeps. I'm 40 + 3.

I know they'll come when they are ready but I am desperate 😂. Would love to avoid induction if possible, although to be honest it sounds quite tempting right now.....

Aww bless you. No useful advice here sorry as my previous births were at 38 weeks. I would suggest resting up though and gather some energy for the big day. Good luck x

I tried everything as I didn't want to be induced , pineapple, sex ( not at the same time ) my sister massaged some points on my feet that we had googled should set me off , I walked , I skipped , I ran and guess what ... bugger all happened! I was induced 3 times then had a 4 hour labour😀

Mango. Ate an entire packet of chopped mango with my feet up, watching telly. Went to bed. 20 mins later: BOOM. First contraction. Then every 3 mins until he was born. No build up, straight in there with the big business He arrived 4 hours later.

I was 11 days overdue though so who knows?!

I was like you did EVERYTHING!! finally stopped and rested and she finally appeared 40+10 🤣

I went on a swing. I wasn’t meaning to start labour but was a day overdue and took DS to the park. No signs previously. DD born 4 hours later 😂

Sorry, all four of my labours happened hours after having sex. It seems to do the trick for us.

I stopped trying and spent a day on the couch napping and eating chocolate, went into labour early hours of the following morning at 40+5. Obviously probably a coincidence, but am glad I'd had a lazy day as missed that nights sleep because of labour :) fingers crossed things start soon for you

Drank a pint of lager.

Induced with the first one, having tried everything I could think of and got nowhere.
Second one, I still maintain it was DTD that started it off but you've tried that!
Third, only went 4 days past the EDD so wasn't remotely bothered about getting things going at that point and was absolutely stunned to go into labour at what was 'early' for me, so much that I spent most of my labour insisting I wasn't in labour at all.

Haha thanks all- chuckling at these!

Went to get some mango this morning and now eating it in the bath with some chocolate 🤷🏼‍♀️.

Nothing works. My 2nd baby went 16 days over. I tried everything. When women tell you what worked for them they are just remembering the last thing they tried before the baby came of its own accord. The only thing that will work is an induction, and even they don't always work. You just have to wait. I know how horrible it is. I am 38 weeks with my 4th and trying to be all zen and "my baby will come when my baby is ready" but the fear of going that overdue again is creeping in.

Probably not want you want to hear, but - with an induction. Tried everything else but to no avail (13 days over). Induction was actually fine though, the pessary was enough to get things going. Hopefully that's maybe a bit reassuring that even if you're induced it won't necessarily be awful?!

Put Dolly Parton on loud, and dance y9ur way around the house.

I sat on the sofa and did about 30 mins of self expressing I.e tried to get as much milk out as humanly possible 😂 I then stood up and my waters broke did this on dd2’s due date! She was born 7 hours later! It’s worth a go

I was 18 days overdue with one of mine. Home remedies just don't work otherwise the NHS wouldn't need drugs for induction! Sorry, overdue days are the pits.

I tried eating fresh pineapple and walking round our block with one foot on the high footpath and one on the low gutter, had her the next day. I have now idea if it was that or not but made me feel better trying it.

No advice as I ended up with an induction both times.

I just wanted to come on and say that an induction isn't that bad. My first induction took several days but was fine. It wasn't a bad experience at all.

If you do end up going down that route, it can still be a beautiful birth. I remember both of mine with fondness.

@BlackKittyKat thank you - that's so reassuring to hear. If you don't mind me asking, did you start with the pessary or go straight for the drip? Xxx

I don't have any advice on how to encourage labour I'm afraid, but just to say that you don't have to accept induction. The alternative would be to wait for spontaneous labour. Most hospitals try to book you in for induction at 40+12 but you're not even technically "overdue" until 42 weeks. My baby actually came just before my due date but I had already decided to wait until 42 weeks before accepting induction as I wanted to give my body those extra 2 days just in case.

First time I started with a pessary but it didn't work so I then went on to have the drip. That's why it took so long.

Second time I had the pessary, which got me dilated a couple of centimetres. That was enough for the midwife to break my waters and that triggered labour.

This is not approved of or recommended...but castor oil worked for me. I was 12 days over with dd2 and desperate to avoid an induction and still have a homebirth. I was going crazy with the waiting and not knowing! Had a castor oil smoothie (to make it taste better!) at 8pm, starting feeling contractions at 10pm, she was born at home at 8.15 the following morning. Very possibly I was going to go into labour anyway, but I credit the castor oil!

DD3 (8 weeks old) I fully expected to go very over again. Waters went at 37+3 and I hadn't even packed a hospital bag! Cue running around in the dark grabbing washing off the washing line and buying a pack of nappies en route to the hospital!

Good luck, it WILL happen, and you will have your baby very soon, and it will all be so worth it.

Colostrum harvesting?

I was a week early and not trying to induce labour, but DH and I were, ahem, enjoying a final romantic weekend before baby was due - I had a spontaneous rupture of membranes during a passionate session... DD1 arrived 16 hours later!