I'm sure this has been done to death, but...

[MissBax]

Is there any way people can gently bring on / encourage labour? Or is it just one of those things we cannot affect?
39+2 now and been having pulls / pains / cramps / twinges for about 2 weeks now. Does this mean she is more likely on her way than if I wasn't having these feelings? Is there anything I could be doing? Or shall I just resign myself to the fact it could still be almost another 3 weeks and make peace with that?
Just as a side note - I'm not one of those stressy people who just need her here right now, and obviously am happy to wait (before people start telling me I'm impatient etc)!

If I was you (and I have been) I'd be crossing my legs and waiting for September!

Snap - when I was originally given my due date I thought "well I hope she's late and I can hang on till September"! 😂 but the bad back, constant cramps and sleepless is nights is definitely taking its toll!

Alot of people told me to do various things to help to induce labour. I tried spicy foods, swallowing caster oil, exercise, lots of sex and ingesting Chinese herbal teas. But in the end my son who was due on the 11th of Feb was eventually delivered on the 26th of February!!! I am no expert, but I am positive there was nothing I could have done to encourage the onset of labour.
Prehaps someone has had a different experience?

They come when they are ready!

If exercise, sex, curries, pineapple etc induced labour, we'd be told to avoid them, especially in 3rd trimester.

I had 3-4 weeks of pre-labour twinging with my first two, who arrived at 39+4 and 41w, and 1-2w of pre-labour twinging with dc3, who arrived at 40+6.

Dh is convinced that the babies arrived when I was ready, because of things that happened around my due dates.

Ooh, I remember the feeling!

I tried everything (except curry because I was being sick a lot at the end and didn't want to deal with that), and nothing worked. Nothing!

I went into prodromal labour for about a month before the baby came. I had to have an induction because we had got to 40w +14 and I couldn't hold my nerve any longer/midwives got antsy. As soon as I started on the prostaglandins my bod went "oh! BIRTH! I knew I forgot something" and I had a reasonably straightforward labour with no need for a drip. First stage only took a few hours, I guess because I'd been in fecking labour for weeks.

What you "should" be doing (all optional): figure of eight pelvic movements on an exercise ball, pelvic tilts (cat/cow yoga move) etc. This will help get your baby into position and keep you comfortable. You can also try the baby dance (basically put on can't touch this/ice ice baby/sexy and I know it etc and dance to it), which will make you feel proactive and happy.