Does anything actually bring in labour?

[alicelake]

I'm not necessarily trying to, but being so close to my due date, soooo many people have said different things like 'ohh eat lots of curry!' Or 'go for long walks' or 'have sex' or 'eat lots of pineapple!' Just curious if there's anything that people actually swear brought on labour for them??? X

I guess you will hear anecdotal evidence for everything but it's impossible to tell whether it's just coincidental and the woman would have gone into labour anyway.

In my antenatal classes we were told there is no evidence for any of that stuff apart from some evidence to suggest that sex can speed things up a bit (although it probably wouldn't induce labour if your body wasn't ready at all) due to the hormones released. If you're not up to PIV sex then other activities will help as long as you orgasm

I had sex just a few hours before my labour started, don't know if it was a coincidence or not, but my labour was pretty quick!

My midwife told me that sex was the only thing that would be likely to work. I think there is something in semen? Plus the movement maybe? Anyway it worked for me and I know 4-5 friends who it worked for too. Worth a shot

Yep sex is the only thing that may actually help. Semen causes the cervix to soften, the uterus contracts during orgasm, and the hormones released can get things going.

For some reason a small glass of white wine and warm bubble bath seemed to work for me, my mum, and my sister. Don't know if there is any science behind it or whether it's just being really relaxed!

Vigorous sex worked for me!

Sounds like I'm recommending drinking in pregnancy!
I'm not, I didn't have any alcohol throughout my pregnancy but at 11 days over due when someone offered me a very small glass I didn't say no for once. And labour started about an hour later.

Acupuncture once past my due date worked for me I think, two of my sisters in law tried it as well and went into labour within 24 hours. It used to be offered by our local hospital.

Based on my experience of being 40+ 15 and walking 16 miles, eating a scorching channa masala and pineapple, having rather eye-rolly sex and more I can't recall, no. It was a busy day, and I ended up with a CS.

Seems like sex is the recurring one here! But not going to hold out hope, as first was 16 days late

Acupuncture here and also burning clary sage oil in a burner, one or the other of them worked for me!

Did it all. Nothing worked. Although it passed the time a bit. :o

I find organising a lovely friends day out with lunch somewhere fabulous and a museum trip/park visit/spot of shopping will start you off the night before.

I had acupuncture as well but didn't go into labour for 36 hours, so if it had an effect it certainly wasn't immediate.

Labour started less than 3 hours after having sex, so that was pretty immediate!

Sex for me. And Clary Sage Oil in a bath. Had my show almost immediately after sex (about 8pm) and then started having contractions. They seemed to be easing off so I got bouncing on my birthing ball. Got told to come in at about 11:30pm as I was ready.

No. Unless your on the verge, it won't. I had curry, all the supplements, Clary sage, sex, tried the birthing ball and walking. Oh and 5 stretch and sweeps. In the end i went over by about 2 weeks after a good 4 weeks of trying. Ironically though I did get to 6cm with minimal pain. So I reckon even if you don't bring labour on you can prep and advance so to speak.

When I was overdue, with no changes at all to my cervix and looking like it wouldn't come anytime soon, my midwife actually told me to go home and have sex.
So I did. Thought I might aswel enjoy the last days of sex with no worry about getting pregnant.
About an hour after we finished I started getting strong contractions and had the baby the next morning.

I know of studies behind eating lots of dates and also taking very high doses of evening primrose oil/starflower oil. I don't have the references to hand though. I did both and was 4 days early with my first so worked very well for my sample size of 1!

Eating dates and having sex has some scientific studies behind it. Spicy food and pineapple doesn't.

Please don't take castor oil, it's very dangerous as it can cause the baby to go into distress.

I wouldn't recommend any 'inducing' methods before 40 weeks. I know you are technically full term anytime between 37 and 42 weeks but, unless the doctor says it's necessary to induce, I would say it's better to keep baby inside until they are ready.

Book expensive, non-refundable tickets for a once-in-a-lifetime experience and you will go into labour a few hours before you need to catch your train

When they threatened to induce me I has some acupuncture ( in my ankles??) And promptly went into labour. Might have been a coincide, no way of knowing.

Ohhh what's acupuncture like? I'd be willing to give that a try! I was 16 days over with dd and she was emergency CS so this time round if I labour naturally then I can have her naturally which I would love. Otherwise it's another CS at 41 weeks as I don't want to be induced again after bad experience first time round

Gentle nipple tweaking and lamb rogan josh

Echoing what everyone else says about sex and semen! Also I have heard a lot of women say acupuncture worked for them so if you're willing then that might be worth a go!
That being said, I honestly think a lot of this things are a coincidence and baby comes when baby is ready usually at the most inconvenient time