Right ladies, need your tips on bringing on labour....

[8abyDust]

....I am 39+1 today but growing a very very big baby which means I have only until sunday to go into labour naturally otherwise they want a c section which I would prefer not to do. Babys head is 4/5 engaged so sort of ready! Any tips on ways to get labour going that actually have worked for you?!?!

Thanks!!

xx

I ate lots of pineapple after my midwife advised it could work, also hot curry's. Saying that both my DC's were 10 days late so not sure if eating them worked or if they were just fed up in there.

I went for a really long walk in the afternoon and my waters broke at 11pm, this was 2 days before my due date, no idea if it made a difference but i did read that gentle exercise can be good

I'm going to be honest.

None of it works. Babies come when they are ready. There is nothing you can to do make yourself go into labour - if anything worked, then no-one would choose the medical induction route.

How big is 'very, very big'? You do not have to accept a CS - you can wait a bit longer if it isn't what you want (I say that as someone who had an 11lb 7oz baby, with the assistance of salad tongs)

For pineapple to work, you'd need to eat about 7 in one sitting to get the right amount of bromelain.

Sex - the amount of prostaglandin simply isn't enough. It's often uncomfortable and requires some interesting positioning. Why make yourself miserable?

If curry, walks, or anything else worked, you'd be advised not to do it in pregnancy due to the risk of starting labour. The only thing that NICE guidelines suggests could work (and they say it needs more research) is nipple stimulation, but even that is long sessions - not a quick twiddle!

I agree with the previous poster. I tried everything with DS (pineapple, raspberry leaf tea, reflexology, homeopathy, walking, curries, bouncing on a ball etc etc). He was still induced at 14 days over.

With DD I had an elective section booked and it was agreed that if I went into labour naturally the Drs would let me 'try it' (big baby + excess amniotic fluid). Again I tried everything and in the end I was so miserable I agreed to the section. Looking back I wish I hadn't had an induction or a section as I do believe that babies come when they're ready.

My friend was being pushed for induction at 16 days past her EDD, but because she wanted a home birth and had a really supportive and knowledgeable doula she refused but had slightly increased monitoring to check all was ok with the baby. Baby came the next day at home. I suppose my point is, if you don't want a section and its not absolutely necessary to save someone's life then think carefully before agreeing. I 'regret' aspects of both my births, whereas my friend felt empowered and happy that she had been in control of her birth choices.

Sorry for the long post, just wanted to give a considered response given that its a bit disheartening when you are fed up because you want to have your baby and someone tells you there is nothing you can do about it!

MW advised sex today to me (at my 38 week appointment).

I've heard a lot of people say you'd need more semen than it is possible to get from a couple of bonks but I've not actually seen the stats of volume of prostaglandins required, so I reckon it's worth a try.

MW's words were "heavily pregnant sex is still preferable to induction for most women"!

Completely up to you whether you do any of these - not sure if it worked for me or if it was just "time"

sex (you have to orgasm too) - least romantic experience ever!
Oil of evening primrose capsules - taken orally and "topically" - gut feeling was that this worked.
Curry - didn't work, just ended up feeling sick.
Pineapple - didn't work.. Had a whole one every day for 2 weeks!
RLT - think this more tones the uterus than induces labour.

Good luck!

Oh yeah - also went on a trampoline at 41.5 weeks preggers.... Quite funny!

I had acupuncture, little needles either side of my little toes. Friday morning. Labour started Friday morning. Baby born Sunday morning.

Oh, he was 9 pounds and a home birth. Good luck.

I know it's hard when you're heavily pregnant, but I think the best thing to do is keep active. Walk, bounce on a birthing ball, go swimming, dance around the house like a maniac, whatever turns you on. If your body's nearly there anyway, it may help tip it over the edge.

I don't think anything else really works. Although raspberry leaf tea tastes nice and some say it is good for the type of muscles used during labour and can therefore lead to a quicker birth. Not sure what the evidence is for that, mind you...

In terms of nipple stimulation don't just twiddle. Actually express some milk off you may be able to get it to flow or a let down reflex. One of the breastfeeding advisors at my support group suggests this method. Try it in the shower too. :)

Just reading the word "sex" is making me almost cry!!! I'm 35 + 4 today ...had a somewhat interesting reaction 2 days ago after sex!!! The contractions i got were out of this world! This is DC3 after a 5 year break..,.lets just say it reminded me what labour is like

Saying that, I think baby will come when ready to be honest.

Thanks for everyones comments, really helpful. Just got to sit tight then!!

Hi Baby I'm 38 +2 today and soooooooooo fed up. DH asked me if I was OK as I seem a bit down and I burst into tears (also got in the car and kept trying to reverse it instead of driving forward and ran back to the house telling him something was wrong!)

Have a pineapple waiting and a very willing desperate husband wanting to have sex but have SPD, carpel tunnel in my wrists and separated stomach muscles, so not a clue what position I could do it in!

I've been told dtd works more than anything else though, especially with combo of sperm and orgasm. In my head seems like a good idea but when it comes to it, I just can't!

Mars bar and a can of coke. (coincidence you say...) Started next day.

For second baby, being ready. I had it in my head that I had to have some nail clippers, it was the last thing on the list. I'd read everything, practised squatting, planned who was having older DC, but until everything was ready, nothing started.

No, don't sit tight, sit loose.

Nothing works.

And in terms of the semen, apparently it needs to be ingested, not applied.

i tried everything with my first as i really did not want to be induced, trampoline, pineapple really hot curries, codliver oil walking all over. nothing works they come out when they want. i ended up being induced at 41+5 and having a c sec at 41+6 not what i wanted but beautiful result and well worth it.

I'm convinced my long walk (1 hour 45 minutes) kick started my labour as DS went overdue by 6 days and I was fed up and didn't want an induction!

I tried spicy food e.g. homemade Pakistani curry with 6 green finger chillies in - was lovely but did give me heartburn! And one cup of raspberry leaf tea.

DM swears by a long walk to get things going as she did it with my brother and me.

I'm sure I read somewhere that it actually does work as gravity brings the babies head down and presses on your cervix which releases certain hormones which start labour.

Good luck

P.S. from what I've read on MN they quite often get the size of the baby wrong and say its bigger than it is so don't let that worry you!

I think semen on the cervix and orgasm are two separate potential methods. Semen contains prostaglandins which can ripen the cervix (same substance as one of the induction methods), orgasm sets off Braxton Hicks in the third trimester in most people anyway so presumably if you are on the brink of labour, could push you over the edge.

Sex, sex and more sex.

I am 39+4 and not desperate yet but I do not want to be induced so am all over this thread.

Unfortunately sex not an option as I am single, and although I have thought about it, I am not about to call on an ex (that's what got me into this!).

I am trying evening primrose oil and am going to try and find an acupuncturist if I get to 41 weeks. I walk every day and still going to the gym so not sure that will help induce, but does help keep me sane!

DeathMetalMum, if you start expressing now, isn't it the colostrum that is coming out and does that mean that then there won't be enough for the baby? Sorry if that's a stupid question

Pineapple wouldn't do feck all unless you ate about 7 fresh ones. And then you'd probably just end up with a very sore tongue and a case of diarrhoea.

I'm 39+1 and I found nipple stimulation does induce some contractions (I was under the impression it'll only work if your body is actually ready for labour, though) and you do need to do it for a while.

Also we had sex on Saturday and I spent Saturday evening having exceptionally painful contractions that were 4-5 minutes apart... And then stopped. I still have no baby. So if you do try any of these things, prepare to end up very frustrated :o

Bounce on a birthing ball while tweaking nipples. Long long long walks with a curry and pineapple picnic. At least your guaranteed to have a laugh and it all kills time.

I remember orgasms while heavily pregnant, one of the weirdest experiences I've ever had