Will bouncing on my Birthing Ball help send me into labour?

[ThinkIveBeenHacked]

Or is it just a sort of comfort thing?

Im due Saturday and have done the odd hour sat on my ball, but I wondered if regular use had sent anyone else into labour?

Baby is right down, have BH every evening,sometimes accompanied by regular breathtaking pains, and then everything eases off - so my body is definetly close to birth!

But my labour childcare for dd is away this weekend so could do with being a few days early!

bump

I doubt it - otherwise they'd tell you not to do it earlier wouldn't they? I don't think anything works really, sorry! Know thats not what you want to hear!

It is good for getting baby in right position though, so a great thing to do.

As pootles says its good for getting baby into the right position, its also good for your hips and back. I don't think it helps start labour though.

Ahh bugger. Nevermind. Will go for some rigorous housework instead.

Baby is definetly head down can feel him pushing down.

Sorry I have 6dc and have tried literally every trick for going into labour and none of them work. The theory behind bouncing on the ball is that it puts pressure on the cervix and helps it dilate, but will only help if your cervix is ready.

Didn't help me, I'm afraid (mind you, neither did any of the other things you're supposed to try, including long walks and vigorous housework). It was lovely to bounce on in early labour though, really helped with the contractions!

I hated mine, I felt like a weeble balancing on top of another weeble. The aubergine parmesan thing is a much nicer way to get things started although it doesn't work either. Good luck!

I found it helped as I was approaching labour and in the very early stages. I came downstairs and had a bounce in the middle of the night when I couldn't get comfortable in bed. I found it relieved the pressure a bit and helped keep me a bit mobile.

Labour was happening anyway, though, I don't think it can 'bring it on'. As with anything when you're near the birth, if you like it and find it comfortable, then go for it.

I would advise not to do anything that causes you discomfort or that you don't enjoy, just for the sake of trying to start labour. A particular set of hormones start labour, and they will do so eventually whether you eat pineapple, curry or cake, so if pineapple makes you sick stick to cake

Evil things - When I was about 38 weeks I was sitting on my birth ball, I stood up and didn't notice it had rolled to the side of me, so I fell over it – I had something in each hand so couldn't save myself - luckily I landed on my hip and not my bump, but I had the hugest most impressive bruise you could imagine. I got myself to hospital quickly to have the baby checked – midwives were very amused that I had a birthball related injury!

I'm a week overdue now so am going to try a long walk and a curry later. Whether it works or, not at least it will keep my mind off things (and occasional horrible pains). Due a sweep on Thursday so I really want things to happen before that...

Not sure if I'd advise the curry lozza. I tried that when I was overdue with dd1. Didn't start labour but it did give me the runs
Not fun when you can hardly reach to wipe your bum!

I did use the birthing ball frequently in the weeks after 37. Labour started at week 39. Can't say if it expedited the starting labour but definitely expedited dilation!! Fwiw it does stretch the perineum, so it won't hurt to try.

It doesn't really help to kick start it, however what is DOES do is encourage the baby into the right position and can help avoid back to back labours as your posture is naturally better when sitting upright on a ball than slumped on the sofa. So its worth only sitting down on your ball rather than the sofa as back to back labours are rather more painful than normal labour (in my experience anyway!)

They are also good for early labour, you can kneel on the floor with your legs wide and rest your arms/elbows/head on the ball and rock through the early contractions. Or sit on the ball doing a circling motion with your hips as this can encourage you to dilate.

I found that going for a walk is what really helped move labour on from the early stages to actual 'hmmm, maybe I should get to hospital labour'

Didn't help me at all, or get dd in the right position. She remained stubbornly back to back and contractions went on for five (painful!) days. However, I did find a ball comfortable to sit on at least!

I remember being advised that bouncing on the ball isn't a good idea,people think it will induce labour but apparently the most likely thing is actually a bruised cervix. Hip circles on it though and rolling it forward and back on elbows and knees are meant to be good.
A long walk is what preceded labour with both of mine but I have no idea if it helped 'induce' labour or if it was just a coincidence.

You might not be close to birth at all, I'm afraid. Each time I get sore BHs every evening for 5 or 6 weeks before going into labour. This time, I went into labour at 40+13, giving birth an hour before I was supposed to go in to be induced!

Does anyone know how well toddlers get on with them? If I got one then I'm sure my 2 year old would spend more time on it than me!

My dd is always trying to get on it (2.10) but thankfully she needs.my help.to so I just say "not now". She does like to roll it from one side of the room.to the other.

I don't have a birthing ball but earlier today I kind of did something similar.... DTD with me on top I figured it was tackling the issue from 2 angles bouncing AND prostaglandins!

(Bloody hard work though!)

Do let me know if it works!

It is useful for sitting on and jiggling baby to sleep in a month or so, IME. Other than that not much cop (the one pregnancy where I used it a lot was the one that ended with OP baby who never engaged (the two where I sat on the sofa were quick and easy deliveries) and I found it very uncomfortable in labour).

Nope!! Nothing!!!

Well have done an hours ball sitting, had a glass of wine and dtd. Baby now has hiccups!