Do you have to excercise to start labour?

[WorryWurta]

I'm 41 weeks now and getting really scared about the baby going too long overdue. The midwife keeps telling me to be active so since I've been on maternity leave (last 3 weeks) I've been walking and doing pregnancy dance/zumba workouts everyday. Had my first sweep Thurs and was only 1cm dilated but in the evening I started getting irregular contractions. I literally paced the living room for two hours at which point I was exhausted and had to sit down. As soon as I rested the contractions stopped. I walked loads yesterday but nothing happened. Today I feel tired and fed up and just wanna spend the day on the couch but I'm worried if I'm too sedentary labour won't start? Is that true, or can you go into labour just watching telly? I'm so tired but so worried that if I don't do all I can to start labour in increasing the risk to the baby that comes with being overdue.

Of course you can go into labour watching telly! Loads of women wake up due to contractions and they sure haven't been active while asleep!

Oh thank goodness lol, bloody knackered.

If you had to exercise to go into labour, I'd be about 8 years pregnant by now. Hence the name.

Hehe I like it!

My contractions started whilst I was sat on my arse eating an dozen easter egg watching Big Brother which definitely wasn't excercise :o

As frustrating as it is the baby will come when ready until then enjoy sitting in peace

I'm in the same boat, 3 days over and had sweep this morning - been advised to not be too active as that can stop things happening too! Just have to keep waiting!

Good luck xx

Mine started in Nandos, I definitely wasn't doing star jumps, I was stuffing my face with chicken!

Some of the things you're doing might get things like contractions moving when they have actually started, but adrenaline is the opposite to what you want really! I have a Doula and am very much feeling like I want to be active, planned to walk every day etc, but she's advised to just relax, take it easy, watch funny films, eat what I like, get some feel good hormones (Google oxytocin and labour) in my system and things will happen. I'm due Monday, so I can seemed climbing the walls by a week's time, but I'm just trying to chill about the whole thing.
I'm still walking a 3 mile school run when I can be bothered and swimming 3 times a week, but apart from that, the most exercise I'm getting is a bit of pottering about the house tydying and some sewing, watching tv and dozing...
don't exhaust yourself, you'll need your energy in labour!

My (totally unscientifically proven) tip - watch some really sad, weepy films. Crying seemed to get both my labours going.

Just a quick post to say- be careful doing too much. You need to conserve your energy for labour so doing so much your exhausted isn't the greatest of plans. Your body will need every ounce of energy it can- and you never know how long labour will be.

Make the most of the chance of rest and good luck! Hope it happens soon for you!

My waters broke first then I went into labour so I'd been asleep up to that point. I had to labour in hospital (blood in waters) and spent 24 sodding hours walking around the hospital trying to "move things on". Got to 4cm and contractions every 7 minutes and had to have the drip anyway. By which time i was absolutely knackered. Wish I'd just watched telly! Take it easy and don't push too hard.

I went overdue with my first. I walked bloody miles trying to get it going & once early labour started paced a lot. Labour took ages with me & I was bloody knackered!

My advice would be not to do that, get comfy, relax, be happy & feel secure. Adrenaline is not your friend!

Sit down if you want to. Gentle exercise is good for your health and wellbeing. Helps with positivity and outlook. It is not necessary to start labour at all.

My waters broke while I was slumped on the sofa eating some dinner first time round. Second time round I was asleep and my waters went with a pop and woke me up.

You don't have to but it can help.
I also read, but don't know anyone in real life who has done it, that stimulating your nipples can induce you (hormones) - so if you can't be arsed to walk, crawl or climb stairs - sit your arse on the sofa and get tweaking, it's worth a try without tiring yourself :)

Nah, I was asleep. Exercise can get things started apparently but labour, when it comes, is bloody hard work so try and get some rest and sleep while you still can too

I was watching come dine with me.. TMI here but trying the nipple thing after the sweep wasn't working... 15 mins later contractions. The only exercise I had done all day was the walk to the car to the Drs and back.. I literally hadn't moved otherwise.

Thanks everyone, sat on my bum all day yesterday and nothing - so I will just assume it'll happen when it happens...or when they stick the drip in me!

Labour is very very very tiring, please save some energy!

Both of my labours have started around 5am after being asleep all night.
Dd2 is 3 weeks old and I tried every trick in the book and every old wives tale but nothing worked.
Funnily enough she came after I'd stopped trying to encourage her.