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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Be honest: none of these 'labour induction' methods actually work, do they?

55 replies

TrinaLuciusMalfoy · 27/07/2011 12:11

I have tried everything bar castor oil: pineapple, nipple stimulation, both delivery methods of prostaglandins (>ahem< ), walking, bouncing, curry, other spicy foods, juniper oil, rosemary oil, foot massage, stretch and sweep. Didn't bother with raspberry leaf tea as that did bugger all last pregnancy. I am SO fed up with pregnancy and desperate to go into labour before section next Tuesday. I honestly don't believe any of these things ACTUALLY work and if one more person (health care 'professionals' included) says 'oh go and have a curry' I'm going to have to hurt somebody.

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Original poster

TrinaLuciusMalfoy · 27/07/2011 22:58

"Using acupressure to induce labor will not be successful unless the body is already close to labor"

So, basically, it won't work unless you were going to go into labour anyway pleasedon'tsueus...

OP posts:

Orbinator · 27/07/2011 23:04

Trina I had a calf/ankle massage which is meant to stimulate the hormones and get it going - perhaps your partner could google it and try that?

PelvicFloorOfSteel · 27/07/2011 23:08

I know it's already been said that most things which people swear by are just coincidences and nothing has been proved to help, however I'm sure defrosting the freezer worked for me. It's a chest freezer and I think violent hacking at the ice (it really needed doing) combined with leaning to get into the bottom did the job. Even if it doesn't work at least you'll know what frozen meals you've got for when you're too busy with your newborn to cook anything.

Original poster

TrinaLuciusMalfoy · 27/07/2011 23:23

Haha Pelvic! Only one problem with that - DH defrosted the freezer last weekend!

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PelvicFloorOfSteel · 28/07/2011 10:20

Maybe you could tip a bucket of water in and give it another go? However I'd be more tempted to keep trying the sofa, cuppa, chocolate method, at least you'll have plenty of energy left for when you do go into labour.

Original poster

TrinaLuciusMalfoy · 28/07/2011 10:40

Haha! Would only end up with water all over the floor, it's not a chest freezer

Today I am trying to do ironing through the nausea and trying not to get excited about the nausea. Sweep#2 this afternoon...

OP posts:

PelvicFloorOfSteel · 28/07/2011 16:17

Cleaning the floor is meant to be useful too , not sure about ironing...

Good luck with the sweep.

Orbinator · 28/07/2011 16:38

Just come back from my 2nd sweep and they still can't reach it :( Got last attempt on Sunday then they will book me into the hospital for induction. Really not wanting that :(

harassedandherbug · 28/07/2011 17:20

Dd (dc3) was 10 days late, something I hadn't even thought about as the other two were spot on. It's the most horrible feeling isn't it?! I had spd too, and was in agony.

I was also a miserable cow so dh took a couple of days holiday to look after me. The day I went into labour I'd been to an aquanatal class. It was bliss in the pool, cool and supportive. Followed by lunch at the pub and walk round town with early labout pains .

The sweeps were rubbish, I swear by booking your induction and aquanatal!

Hope it comes soon for you, Trina and Orbinator.

Original poster

TrinaLuciusMalfoy · 28/07/2011 17:23

Well, just come back from sweep and midwife has said from where everything is now it's not likely anything will kick off: so in spite of the fact I'm in crippling pain most of the time her advice is 'just relax and enjoy the last few days before baby comes'

Yeah, great.

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Orbinator · 28/07/2011 17:27

Trina did they manage a sweep then? Hopefully that will get things going in the next few days if so :)

I've been bouncing on my ball since I got back and actually now think I may as well get in the damn pool. I've only got it for another 5 days so I may as well bloody well use it! I'll do some aquanatal in it perhaps Any advice on how to do aquanatal?

megapixels · 28/07/2011 17:31

True. I tried very hot curry, pineapple and sex (not at the same time) and still went to fourteen days overdue, which was the very maximum the hospital allowed before forcible induction. Went into labour naturally on the morning of the induction.

megapixels · 28/07/2011 17:32

Oh and I had two sweeps.

Original poster

TrinaLuciusMalfoy · 28/07/2011 17:33

Orb she did one, but said cervix is posterior and high and baby's still too high - she said she thinks it'll take a week for everything to drop to where it needs to be. I'm 1cm dilated but only because I got to 10cm last time, nothing to get excited about.

Absolutely gutted now, can't stop crying :(

OP posts:

PelvicFloorOfSteel · 28/07/2011 20:39

Poor you, have a good cry if it helps .

I love the 'just relax' comments, because it's so easy to relax when you need to go to the loo every 30 seconds, you're worried about what's going to happen next, [insert pregnancy malady of choice here] and everyone keeps telling you to relax!

Original poster

TrinaLuciusMalfoy · 28/07/2011 20:53

Been doing nothing else :(

Yeah, real easy to relax when you can't go from sitting to standing without your right leg collapsing out from under you, can't stand for more than five minutes without shooting pains down both legs. Also not helpful for a midwife to say things like 'it's probably all the stress you're putting yourself under that's stopping stuff happening.'

Oh great, so because I'M stressed because I'm in permanent pain, it's MY fault nothing's happening? Way to inspire positive thoughts.

Desperately trying to get positive spin on the whole thing and just can't get my head round it.

OP posts:

jimmijam · 28/07/2011 20:55

with dd tried everything (except castor oil)-3 membrane sweeps, raspberry leaf tea, pineapple, sex, our local curry house lady was lovely and made them hotter and hotter everytime we went in!....
she was 8days overdue and eventually born by c-section.

with ds i didnt do any of it, he was 1 day early!

therefore this time around i will not be trying any of the above methods and shall wait for baby to come along whenever he/she is ready

AliGrylls · 28/07/2011 21:01

I tried acupuncture. It did make me feel more relaxed however, I don't think it was what actually worked in the end.

I am convinced sex worked - did it twice in the last week. It is one of those things you need to do more than once but it will work.

Orbinator · 28/07/2011 21:03

Trina - I know exactly how you feel. I really do feel as if I've done something wrong. It's completely irrational, I know, but it's a niggle all the same.

I had an infection in a vein in my leg around 32 weeks - basically the doc was meant to have prescribed me antibiotics but "hadn't got around" to signing the form for 2 days. I woke up unable to stand and rang Dr only to be told by receptionist that there were no appointments. I was in agony and my mum had had DVT so was very worried and asked what I could do but she was really not fussed and basically said there wasn't anything they could do. I ended up going to the hospital drop in where they said I had 3 signs of DVT and scanned the leg. They said if I'd had the antibiotics (which were for a UTI) I probably wouldn't have got it, but if I didn't get them soon I would probably end up with a blood clot due to the infection.

I really hate living in this part of East Kent for the shocking healthcare alone. I don't even have a real midwife - haven't had an appointment with her as my old one left for a promotion because they closed the birthing centre here. It's all fun and games hey!

Have you tried eating a lot? I'm not really hungry but going with the general idea if I eat lots I have to poo it out (sorry TMI) and hopefully that will start things moving. That and watching a film to take my mind off it for a couple of hours.

Original poster

TrinaLuciusMalfoy · 28/07/2011 21:13

What's the point now though? She's said nothing's where it should be to kick off anytime soon, so why bother? All I want to do now is contact the hospital and beg them to bring my section forward - which I bet they won't do :(

OP posts:

banana87 · 28/07/2011 21:26

Would you consider trying an acupuncture induction?

Original poster

TrinaLuciusMalfoy · 28/07/2011 21:44

As I said further up, can't afford it

OP posts:

PrincessJenga · 28/07/2011 22:00

Oh you poor thing. You sound so miserable. Is it worth seeing GP tomorrow to see if they can either give you anything for the pain or hold any sway with the labour ward to bring your section forward?

Orbinator · 28/07/2011 22:00

At least you have a date for a section. If baby comes before then, then great!

You can also do leg/ankle massages which are meant to kick start labour - my beautician swears by it - number 13 on here:

www.lifepassages.net/NaturalInduction.html

needsanswers · 28/07/2011 22:39

oh trina i feel your pain :( i went 11days overdue with DS and tried everything you just mentioned! even the castor oil which made me shit myself the night before i went for a 3hour walk and was in labour at 5am the next morning? dont know if that was a coincidence or not tho :( i actually asked my midwife and doctor about this and apparently the only thing that is scientifically proven is sex and nipple stimulation, the rest wifetales? sorry i couldnt be much help.. i wish you all the very best and hope u r in pain with contractions by monday
big hugs!

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