Will this pregnancy EVER end? Tips to bring on labour anyone?

[PineapplePol]

Fed up. The size of a hippopotamus. Not sleeping. Mega braxton hicks teasing me. Constant heartburn, nausea and exhaustion. 38+5 and I just want this baby out. Growth scan already predicting a whopping 9lb. Lost a small amount of mucous plug last week but seeing no action other than BH. I can't face this for much longer. Pass the rennies ....

Any tips on encouraging labour?

My first time I was very overdue and none of the usual tricks worked (was induced). Second time I was determined to labour naturally, and had acupuncture from someone specialising in pregnancy and labour. I had two sessions and it worked - though of course I can't be certain labour wouldn't have started anyway.

Good luck!

Sweep - did it for me but it will vary from place to place at how many weeks they do it

No

Quite simply because nothing works. If it did REALLY work, no-one would ever go for induction of labour in hospital. Sorry.

People will come along and say sex (NICE guidelines say this isn't recommended for starting labour), castor oil (bloody dangerous as it can irritate baby's bowel and cause them to pass meconium in the womb), long walks (just knackering), pineapples (you'd need approx 7+ in one sitting to have even a slight effect, and I don't think that's feasible despite your name). Driving along bumpy roads just made me need a wee.

I feel your pain. I really do. I was induced at 40+15 with DD. DS was born at 40+1 (40+11 hospital dates) at 11lb 7oz. I had heartburn constantly.

But nothing, NOTHING works. So sit down, crack open the rennies (ASDA heartburn sweets did it for me) and put your feet up.

I ate a packet of Jaffa Cakes the day I went into labour with DS. Maybe they're worth a bash

Oh, and I had sweeps with both - they only do anything if you're going to go into labour soon anyway. I had two with DD and she still didn't budge until they cracked open the Syntocinon. I had one with DS and it was another 4 days before he was born.

Sweeps are not guaranteed to work. Again, agreeing with Fliss, nothing actually works. Sometimes they do. But if u haven't had one, imagine having an internal exam with a fine knitting needle. It's not only painful but really rather stupid as a concept. Another brill idea by a bloke and blindly followed by sheep...

Sit down, crack open quality street and enjoy the last few peaceful minutes u have. Good luck for a ny baby!!! How delightful!

I had a madras, half a really ripe pineapple and a hilarious attempt at some nookie at 38+4 and DD arrived the next day. Waters went at 2am, contractions started at 7am and she arrived just after 3pm.
I felt like you too, thoroughly fed up. Im only 36+3 with DC2 and ive already got a pineapple ripening on the windowsill

Good luck X

Aw it will end and then you'll miss it. I'm 10days postpartum and contrary madam that I am already missing it! Raspberry leaf really worked on me but that could have been coincidence.

Am 41 weeks. Second sweep tomorrow. Had curry this evening. Fed up with it...

I ate a whole pineapple when heavily pregnant - no effect aside from excessive wind. Made me miss my pregnancy yoga!

Right with you. 39+4 here and totally pissed off. I dont feel even remotely likely to go into labour anytime soon. I just ferl heavy and lumbering and miserable.

I really didn't want to get to January still pregnant.

I went into labour after Acupuncture from a pregnancy specialist, together with two sweeps 48 hours apart, sex, evening primrose oil and Christmas shopping on Oxford Street.

Then again I was 41 weeks so maybe it would have happened anyway.

They're much easier to look after before you give birth you know

My pg yoga teacher swore by massaging your toes. she was also a reflexologist, so she probably knew what she was talking about, although both my babies came early.

Raspberry Leaf Tea doesn't bring on labour. It supposedly makes your ctx more efficient once labour actually starts by toning the uterus. Given DS was 28.5 hrs of ctx and both of mine required forceps, I am sceptical of even that much.

Babies are born when they are ready. At some point, someone will do something and labour will start coincidentally - after all, if anything worked then you would be told to avoid it all pregnancy and I see no health warnings on pineapples or curries.