'Natural' ways to induce labour (aka old wives' tales)

[MrsArchieTheInventor]

I'm 40 weeks today and extremely uncomfortable and even though I have an appointment to see my consultant in 10 days if baby hasn't made an appearance by then (!!!) I'd really like to avoid having a medical induction of labour again.

Over the past week I've tried raspberry tea, hot curries, sex, nipple stimulation, all to no avail. Has anyone tried castor oil with success? If so, how much is a dose and how often do you take it? Does anyone have any other ideas for inducing labour naturally other than making plans to go to the pictures on Friday night??

Be very, very careful taking castor oil. Side effects are EXTREME toilet issues (!!) and I don't think that midwives recommend you use it. I know how uncomfortable you must be - I got to 40 +5 weeks and gave birth to a 9lb 10oz baby so was very heavy but your baby is still in there for a reason and will come out when he is good and ready.

Not at all what you want to hear, but I'd make those cinema plans for Friday and I reckon you'll have your baby soon enough! Fingers crossed for you.

PS, sex worked for us so maybe you could have another go!

Hello - so am I! See the suggestions on the thread here. Good luck!

Plus some swear by acupuncture and reflexology - I am lining up appointments for the end of next week if poss!

Love your name! I went for a walk everyday, tried to be relaxed! In France they count full term as 41weeks as way more people go into labour between 40 and 42 than before 40. Hang on it there, won't be long

How late was your first child?

I wasn't trying to bring on labour but I ate a spicy Thai meal and the baby was born the following morning.

Acupucture seemed to work for me, but then I was 10 days overdue already - so who knows.

Some swear by pineapple.

You have 10 days, to take it easy! (That is sooo easy for me to say )

DS wasn't late, he was induced due to early pre-eclampsia, though he was actually delivered 2hrs 12 minutes short of his due date.

Could I ask my midwife for a membrane sweep when I see her on Wednesday? Is it something you're able to request and would she be able to do it at the surgery as opposed to going into hospital?

I was booked in for sweep which i hear is not the most comfortable experience, but then went into labour naturally after a long old walk.

my midwife came ot my house and gave me a sweep when I was 7 days over due; it didn't do any good. I was supposed to be induced at 10 days over due, but stuck it out for another day - and DD obliged by making her arrival that night.

Think they normally do sweep in clinic, if it's going to work, it can take upto 24/48 hours.
I've heard about the pineapple too, but was told you have to eat about 7 of them in one day.
There was a thread on here a few weeks ago saying that sperm is more effective taken orally, I'm not going to try........
A friend of mine took nearly a whole bottle of castor oil and it did nothing, she just spent all day on the toilet.
You could try..
Sitting on the washing machine
walking up and down the stairs sieways
belly dancing is supposed to help
or just wait.
I went 6 days over with ds and am really hoping that doesn't happen this time.

I had a sweep and can recommend it. It was done by my midwife in the surgery at 3 in the afternoon and the labour started less than 12 hours later at around 2 in the morning.

It is not the most comfortable experience, it did hurt a bit, so try to relax as much as you can during the procedure so it can be done properly.

Clary(sp) Sage essential oil in a burner is mmeant to do the trick. I've heard lots of good stuff.
Equally with my ds2 I had a sweep and he appeared 16 hours later. They are meant to be more effective w/ subsequent bubs. (for me this was true: ds1 had one at 5 days over and he was still 10 days late. DS2 oth was only 2 days over)

i think thomcat swears by castor oil...are you any good at searching for messages (im not)

Try hanging out with other people's babies. I went to a pottery-painting cafe last week with four NCT friends and our babies; also in attendance was a girl who was 39 weeks. Her waters broke while we were there and by the time her DH arrived she was having regular contractions

Whether coincidence or not, something similar happened to me - visited NCT friends at 41+something, waters broke the next day (although DS still took his sweet time getting here after that ).

I seriously tried all the above. I even did the castor oil twice, but could never ever do it again. As lovelymumma said it brings on the worst tummy trouble you can imagaine . It DID work for me, but for the first coupld of hours of my labour I ended up on the loo with the runs, contractions and waters leaking. Not pleasant! I had also been having regular sweeps and my midwife said things were already happening before I took the castor oil, so at best it probably just speeded things up.

My beautiful DD finally arrived at 43+3 after a drug-free 8 and a half hour labour. She weighed 7lb 11oz and was covered in vernix. Worth the wait!