Eating Curry to start labour: urban myth or actually true?

[linspins]

Hello! I've often read that eating a curry will trigger labour...does anyone actually know if this is true? I'm very big and fat now and fed up with being pregnant - would love the baby to come out now! I know it's head is all engaged - could a good curry do the trick?
Or any other tips - and please don't say "have sex" - I just couldn't face that!!!

Sorry, Didnt work for me.
Nothing did! Ended up being induced at 42 weeks.

Have sex... lol.

In all seriousness curry probably doesn't work and I think it was just coincidence that I ate hot chilli onion rings 10 day's before my due date and I went into labour 6 hours later!

It's a load of rubbish.

You'll know when you're really fed up when you start considering the sex.

didn't work for me

i had a curry, followed by most of a pineapple, followed by a walk, followed by a very hot bath in which i drank some raspberry leaf tea and gin (!), followed by sex.

ds1 arrived over a week later

I think the myth stems from a belief that having an upset tummy can begin labour (!) and that curry usually gives you a bad tummy. People used to recommend a spoon of castor oil for the same reason.

I think the body gets ready for labour often by d & v, this is maybe mistaken for an upset stomach.

sorry didn't work for me either - nor did sex, walking, bouncing on a stupid birthing ball all day everyday for about two weeks, pineapple or stress - "babies come when they are good and ready" this was the advice of midwife when i was almost 2 weeks over due as you can imagine i wanted to attack the poor woman.

Hope something starts you off soon and if you find the majic wand please come back and let the rest of us know.

Good luck x

Curries as other poster said are suggested because of the upset stomach idea, not particulary likely to work though.

Sex is definately one of the top methods because of the prostaglandins in sperm. exactly what they use to induce women-but obviously in synthetic form.
With ds2 we did the deed in the morning, contractions started at 8pm. It depends wether your body is ready to labour as to if it will work.

I wonder if I could by-pass the actual..er..sex bit and just use some sperm!!!

We were told at our antenatal classes that the best way to get the prostoglandins in sperm working is to 'ingest' it. I'm nearly 41 weeks and completely fed up but that is not the route down which I will follow any time soon.

I went to a funfair the day before I was due with my first. Went on the Waltzer anda couple of other things and went into labour the next day. Maybe I would have gone into labour anyway, but my theory is the baby wanted to get out before I did it again....

Ohwhatacrapmasfear, that sounds like advice that could only come from a man!
Linspins, sorry to say that I agree with most, that most theories are just that and your baby will come of its own accord!
I say this after trying every trick in the book last time, pineapple, lots of sex (got to the point that my DH said he felt like a piece of meat!)
Ate the hottest curry, walked for miles, drank raspberry tea in buckets and DS was still 10 days over due!
I know its frustrating, I am now expecting DC3 and can honestly say that this time I will be more relaxed and enjoy the whole of my pregnancy, I think there is too much pressure on us to deliver on due dates, we all have been through the millions of texts/calls, "are you still here" comments!That only reinforces the feeling that it should be all over and done with!
I know I will probably be fed up and impatient towards the end(I also suffer quite a lot of pain with SPD), but am going to try to embrace the fact that my body will know when its the right time but if all else fails, my sister swears that watching Peter Kays DVD set her off both times!