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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

Original poster

Sex to ripen cervix

19 replies

fiziwizzle · 16/02/2010 19:51

It seems from a fairly thorough review of the 'starting labour' threads that sex comes as the most highly recommended method (and nipple twiddling). But what if I've been having regular (pretty much daily) sex all the way through - surely my cervix is somewhat immune to the prostaglandins in DP's semen by now? Should we be trying to have more (poor man has to fit in going to work somehow ), or wait a few days and try again?

I'm 40+8 and unless I go into labour in the next 5 days my PCT won't let me have my longed-for homebirth . Cervix yesterday was thick and unfavourable. Gah!

OP posts:
Fibilou · 16/02/2010 19:53

DH and I had sex 3 nights in a row in order to get DD out - she was 11 days overdue. Might as well try it

However, I think it was a spot of, erm, DIY that finally shifted her.

DrivenToDistraction · 16/02/2010 19:56

Are you using evening primrose oil? It worked for me. You can take it orally and / or insert it. I can't remember the dosage though...

Elasticwoman · 16/02/2010 19:57

Stop worrying and lie about your LMP. Even if you've had a dating scan. Ooh did I say it was the 10th - oh no I meant the 17th so I have another week in hand ....

Many first babies don't come till 42 weeks gestation. Is this your first?

Vindaloo followed by pineapple are also recommended - the principle being that anything that gets your bowels going may have the same effect on your uterus.

thisisyesterday · 16/02/2010 20:11

your baby will come when s/he is ready.

i don't believe a jot in any of the old wives tales. I think anyone who has found that they "worked" it was probably no more than coincidence.
the number of people that these things DON'T work for is far, far higher.

you CAN have a homebirth if you are over 42 weeks, even if they say you can't

Elasticwoman · 16/02/2010 20:16

Thisisyesterday is absolutely right of course.

morethemerrier · 16/02/2010 21:29

Read on here the other day that Oral sex is the best way to get the prostglandins in you!

Obviously you can imagine the requirements for the desired effect!

May just be a myth, created my a man maybe!

Worth a shot, if you can face it!

Good luck hope you get your homebirth x

lola0109 · 16/02/2010 21:42

morethemerrier I'm sure that DP suggested that to me too, but I'd never read it in any of my books!

Sex definitely worked for me, saturday night, 6 hours later waters broke!

I'd recommend it.

Tried everything else though, castor oil and orange juice, long walks, pineapple, curries. Nothing else worked.

This time I won't be trying anything, she'll get here when she's good and ready!

fiziwizzle you're probably immune now, you should have been like me and not let him near you until the last minute

GuntherMcKilocodie · 16/02/2010 22:21

Agree with thisisyesterday; all the old wives tales are a load of shite. Baby will come when ready. I went 42+5 with DD1 after pineapple, walking, curry, acupuncture (!!), sex and 3 sweeps. The sex was the worst; I was humungous, felt highly unattractive and not at all in the mood. I went on top and it was blardy painful, so I made painful noises. My DH said 'are you coming?' !!Stoopid dick. Told the midwife when she asked if I'd done the deed, then she asked if I had come too-apparently it's necessary for it to work, although I've also heard that you need to swallow the spunk (surely a male midwife made that one up?!)
Anyway DD1 came eventually at 43+1. Good luck!

GuntherMcKilocodie · 16/02/2010 22:24

Oh, and by the way, they also let me try for a homebirth even at 42+5 (although baby had different ideas).
Ask to spaek to a consultant if they get shitty with you. The midwives were horrid to me about it and my refusal to have an induction. The head consultant was lovely and backed me all the way.

GuntherMcKilocodie · 16/02/2010 22:25

*speak

Original poster
fiziwizzle · 17/02/2010 13:07

Thanks for your replies. I know that first babies are often late (and all my mum's were at least 10 days late) and I also know that I could insist on a home birth even after their arbitrary deadline of 40+13. But I'd rather not labour in an atmosphere of animosity, however slight, hence would like this one to arrive in the next 4 days... and counting.

Also know deep down that nothing really works and they come when they are ready. Ah well, off for a long walk then!

OP posts:
GwennieF · 17/02/2010 13:15

My midwife told me the only thing that worked was sex, but you need huge amounts of semen. More than most can produce!

Tried it, along with the nipple tweaking, pineapple, hot bath, hot curry, etc, etc....

Ended up being induced at 42+1, which resulted in an emergency c-section.

I think they just come when they're ready. My mother was over with all of us, as was my MIL, so I think I'll probably be over with this one too....

victoriascrumptious · 17/02/2010 13:17

The dosage of evening primrose oil is 3 500mg capsules in the last week or so

mummydarlingsausage · 17/02/2010 20:02

you could try lots of sex in one day rather than once daily. when i was pregnant with dc1 dh came home from work (we hadn't seen each other for 6 weeks) and spent most of the day in bed having sex - that evening my plug came out and i started having contractions - however i wasn't due for a while and by the following morning the contractions had subsided. during that 1st pregnancy we usually had sex daily when dh was home but that was the only time something happened.

GuntherMcKilocodie · 18/02/2010 13:43

fizi, are your community midwives against you trying for homebirth if you go that late? My comm MW was very encoraging still, it was the hospital MWs who were dismissive.

bowbluebell · 18/02/2010 17:10

My baby was due the day after DH's birthday so we had some champagne (well, I'd been told the bubbles can be remarkably effective!?), went out for a curry and had sex a couple of times. Brought on labour the next day and DH says it's the best birthday he's had for years!

Good luck, it's worth a try and it's not like your gonna be at it like rabbits anytime after the little chilerbeest arrives!

ShowOfHands · 18/02/2010 17:19

Oh it's good to see other people speaking the truth. None of it works.

It's all rubbish. At best you go into labour and you wrongly link the two, at worst and more likely you end up exhausted and/or with an upset stomach.

A baby will come when it's ready, you can't force it and nor would you want to really.

If I can find 10 other people who were sitting on a sofa when they went into labour, I could say that works couldn't I?

And prostaglandins in semen do have more of an effect on you if taken orally btw. No research- and there has been some- has every found that sex encourages labour or ripens your cervix though. Not enough prostaglandins at all.

Original poster
fiziwizzle · 18/02/2010 21:46

Have just told DP he's not allowed to play hockey on Saturday as we're going to spend the day in bed . OK it may not start labour but you're right bowbluebell it could be our last chance for a while!

OP posts:
mummydarlingsausage · 18/02/2010 22:26

you can but try! fyi - we had sex about 6 times in the day

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