Tips for bringing on labour???

[missnatalie]

Im 38w and consultant wants to induce me next weekend, maybe week after due to my BP problems. Anyway i really dont want to be induced as it can be a long, drawn out procedure that is normaly more painful that going naturally. So anyone got any tips on how to bring natural labour on. The tips my MW has given are:

*eating pineapple
*lots of sex
*rasberry leaf tea
*and swallowing seman

Anymore tips would be appreciated.

Nat xx

TBH h I tried all of the above with nothing.. as people said to me then..things will start when the baby is ready.. Saying that I did have a sweep on due date witht he last two and with both i went into labour with in 24 hrs.

Goodluck hunxx

i went into labour on my own with first 2 dc, but 3rd i was induced,i had 2 lots of gel and the best labour it was no more painfull than first 2,i could manage the pain he was 2 weeks early due to big size, but sex helped me with first baby , nothing else ever worked,good luck

I had a Curry on the Saturday night and went into Labour on my Due date (the Monday) Had her the next day. Quite probably a coincidence but worth a try

Natalie,

Advice your midwife gave is right, though im never certain about this swallowing sperm. Totally unconvinced about that! Also, try a spicy curry(unless you are used to them !), lots of walking, 'normal sex' and basically just trying to keep active.

Make sure you are given a sweep prior, as this may help.

I was meant to be induced back in Sep for ds2, really didnt want to be, but 2 sweeps did the trick!. I was about the same gestation as you. I drank gallons of raspberry leaf with both pregnancies, especially last one. I do quite like it though!

I was told when overdue that the best thing would be to get someone with a motorbike and sidecar to take me in the sidecar and drive up and down a cobbled street a few times. As I don't know anyone with a motorbike and sidecar I was not able to check this out for myself. But I was induced because of high blood pressure too: it's not necessarily that bad, but can make BF harder to establish so if you want to BF make sure you have extra support.

Natalie tried them all with dd (2 weeks old)
None worked and was induced but was just same as non induced labour with dd.
Also try using breast pump about 20 min each side and bouncing on birth ball.

I walked lots. I don;t know whether it helped, but it FELT like it helped.

Lol at madamez. Blimey, motorbike and sidecar. Dont think we are living in the 1960's anymore, whoever told you that

I bounced like crazy on my birthing ball from 34wks also(in an attempt to ensure baby in good position).

At the end of the day though, all these ideas may just not work, but i always think they are harmless, so give em a go!

has he given you any info on the induction process

if your body is not ready and your cervix is not ripe, then your induction could be very , very lneghty. also if you are not in active labour, it is highly unlikely your DH can stay on the antenatal ward with you

if your BP is very high and there are other indicators that this baby needs to come sooner rather than later, then go for it

if your Bishops score is 5 or less, then induction is very likely to be unsuccesful or very long process.

that is assessing the length, position, thickness of the cervix, the position of the baby's head and any dilation of the cervix.

inducing with a high head, posterior, thick , closed cervix can be very difficult and lengthy, and there is a chance you would end up with a c.section.

i hope all this has been explained to you alreeady, but i know that it is easy to presume that induction is just going to work.

lots of sex is the best thing as the semen ripens the cervix, but if your body is not ready, then it is not ready.

you can refuse induction or ask for extra monitoring instead if you feel that on balance it would be better, and you make an informed decision to wait a little.

it does not sound like there is any urgency if he is saying next weekend or the week after?

I was really worried about being induced, not for the pain or anything like that, but just because i was thinking that if my cervix wasnt favourable and i was induced then it may lead to CS(even though id had a normal delivery before).

I tried to examine myself to get an idea and then asked for asweep. Had one the day before planned induction and another the folowing afternoon when i was admitted. Think first one definitely got things going and the second one finished the job off!