Ways to Induce labour that actually work?

[libbyflorence]

Hi ladies,

I've heard so many different things about what induced labour for people and what people try to induce there labour. But I am curious to know if there is anything you have tried that you feel has actually worked?

Anything that engages baby's head with your cervix. Have a look online for birthing ball positions. When i was being induced they also had me walking up and down the stairs in the hospital sideways (carefully)

Labour starts due to that magic ‘hit’ hormone that sets it off. You get there by increasing oxytocin.

Find ways to do that. Basically being really relaxed and feeling ‘safe’ (why it often starts when you’re asleep).

Laughter, sex, Indian or Chinese meal

In reality, nothing. If it worked, we wouldn't need chemical induction. In scientific tests, some of the old wives tales actually seem to decrease the chances of labour.

There's usually no harm in them but if you don't want to eat spicy food or have sex of whatever myth people tell you worked for them, don't as they won't work anyway.

There's a tiny bit of evidence for nipple stimulation causing contractions but they won't necessarily lead to proper labour.

Sex, make sure he gives your cervix a good dose of sperm, it contains the same hormone they use at induction so get him balls deep! also make sure you get there, that can also help kick start contractions .
If the above doesn’t appeal, I have had great success with raspberry leaf tea, lots of it. ( drink it, don’t try and get it in your cervix

For me nothing worked with all 4 pregnancies even when going 17 days overdue 🤷🏽‍♀️

@statetrooperstacey

Sex, make sure he gives your cervix a good dose of sperm, it contains the same hormone they use at induction so get him balls deep! also make sure you get there, that can also help kick start contractions . If the above doesn’t appeal, I have had great success with raspberry leaf tea, lots of it. ( drink it, don’t try and get it in your cervix

The type of prostaglandin in sperm is related to artificial induction of labour in theory, but that particular prostaglandin is better off taken orally so he'd be better off balls deep in your cup of tea.

And raspberry leaf tea is nothing to do with labour induction. It's an erroneous link because it's recommended as a uterine tonic ie it makes your second/pushing stage more effective. Nothing to do with starting labour.

No harm in sex and tea if you fancy it though.

The baby comes when it's ready not because you ate a curry!

Acupuncture. Worked a treat for me, I was almost 42 weeks and really didn’t like the sound of the “ plan” I was being offered.

Colostrum harvesting, walking and feeling chilled out!

Neither reflexology or Acupuncture worked on mine

Nothing! I had 3 sweeps, aromatherapy treatment from midwife, forced my husband to have sex with me, bounced on the bloody yoga ball more that I care to remember and non of it worked! Finally went into labour at 40+14 the night before I was going in to be induced 🙃

Nothing works. No one who swears by insert random thing can know that they wouldn’t have gone into labour if they hadn’t done it.

Speaking as someone who was 12 days overdue with my first child and got really stressed about it, just try to enjoy your last days of being pregnant, especially if it’s your first baby, as you will never get these days back and your life will never be the same again.

Op, try everything, apart from castor oil, that’s dangerous. But seriously try it all, it gives you something to think about to pass the time , makes you feel like you’re doing ‘something’ , and can make for some funny story’s afterwards .

I mean who doesn’t fancy a decent shag, a nice fruity brew, a good curry, half a pineapple, and a nice stompy walk. Sounds like a good day

Spend a lot of money on something you really want to do that you can do whilst pregnant, but not after you’ve given birth. Then go out for the day without any money or phone, wearing all white and without a change of clothes. Guaranteed!

Time. I drank so much disgusting raspberry leaf tea with dd; and then discovered you could buy capsules.

Sex and nipple stimulation/pumping.

But in reality nothing if your body isn't ready nothing will work!

@TheSnowyOwl

Spend a lot of money on something you really want to do that you can do whilst pregnant, but not after you’ve given birth. Then go out for the day without any money or phone, wearing all white and without a change of clothes. Guaranteed!

Yep, this. Attempted invoking of sod's law, about the only thing to be done. And if it fails, you get a nice day out of it (non refundable day booked at a luxury spa???!) 😂

Midwife said if you’re booked for an induction then try castor oil the night before but only if no alternative I.e section/induction next day is the alternative .

Clary safe oil! Very generous amount massaged firmly onto the bump before sleep so body has chance to fully react. Contractions woke me up!

Sex

We don't really fully understand what causes labour and there really isn't a guaranteed method of getting it going. Optimal position of baby is great and will certainly help when you do go into labour so use your birthing ball etc but honestly just relax and rest.

Anecdotally I tried most things with dc1 and they were 15 days over due date. I sat on my arse and ate cake with dc2 and they were only 3 days over. I was always on the go, walking 8 miles a day with dc3 and we went back to 13 days over. So my very unscientific conclusion is that eating cake brings on labour. Maybe. But it is certainly more tasty than caster oil. Please don't take that.

No one knows if anything really works, I'd enjoy your last few weeks/days being pregnant. Saying that, with my first he was born on his due date ( I heard first babies tend to be late ) so not sure nor will I ever be that any of this had anything to do with it, I ate curry the night before, because I wanted it not trying to start labour off. Also went for a couple of walks, ( shops for snacks 😂😂 ) also had sex, again because I wanted it not to start labour off. Waters broke four hours later and he was born 27 hours later.

I just went about my days as normal the last few weeks, no signs of going into labour before waters broke.