Well, our due date is 4 days away. I desperately don’t want to be induced and the more we go past the due date, the closer this poor kid gets to a Christmas birthday.
I’ve been researching ways that Steve and I can help speed this process along on our own…
**(Please talk to your doctor/midwife before attempting any of these)**
*Sex:
Semen has natural prostaglandins, which help ripen the cervix. Try lying down after sex to allow the prostaglandins to remain against the cervix. Plus, the hormone oxytocin is released during orgasm and it’s the same hormone that causes contractions. This method is most effective when you’re past your due date and when your cervix is ripe (effaced, soft and dilated). Do NOT have sex if your water has already broken.
*Nipple Stimulation:
Again, this helps release oxytocin (the “love” hormone), which causes contractions. You can also heat up a towel in the dryer and lay it on your breasts.
*Walking:
Gravity! The baby’s head will put pressure on your pelvis and cervix, helping it to open. Motion (waddle that walk!) can stimulate the uterus to contract (as can emptying your bladder!)
*Pressure Points:
1) On the top of your hand in the webbing between the thumb and index finger. Press on an angle underneath the bone that connects with your index finger. Rub that point to stimulate contractions.
2) Go up 4 finger widths from the inside of your ankle and rub
3) Go one finger width above the top of the butt crease – you’ll feel a small depression (halfway between the dimple in the butt and the spine) — rub.
**Try seeing an acupuncturist!**
*Herbs:
1) Black cohosh — for stronger, less irregular contractions
2) Chamomile — for relaxation/sleep
3) Cramp bark — relieves cramping, increases relaxation
4) False unicorn root — uterine toner/hormone production
5) Partridge berry — uterine toner/helps with aches and tension
6) Motherwort — relaxation/stimulates uterus
7) Evening primrose oil — stimulates prostaglandins to increase contractions & ripen cervix
Red Raspberry leaf — uterine toner
*Castor Oil:
When your bowels are stimulated, you produce prostaglandins, which can cause uterine contractions. Castor oil may also cause dehydration (which also results in contractions). Dosage varies from 2 tablespoons to several ounces (ASK your doctor) and is best mixed with something (milkshake or orange juice) because of its unpleasant smell and texture. Negative effects? Cramping, diarrhea, dehydration, and after all that… it may not work. Or it does work and you have loose bowel movements through labor (um, ew!) FYI — my doctor said NOT to use this one.
*Chiropractors:
The hormone relaxin loosens your ligaments to help your pelvis expand for delivery, which can cause your spine to get out of alignment. An adjustment may allow the baby to drop lower (and ease your back pain)!
*Relax:
Stress or anxiety (adrenaline) actually inhibit labor. So practice relaxation techniques: visualizations, a warm bath, a funny movie…
*Certain Foods:
–Spicy food — maybe because irritation in the digestive tract can cause contractions?
–Tropical fruits — pineapple, kiwi or mango may cause mild contractions
–Eggplant
–Basil or oregano
–Black licorice
*Sweeping or Stripping Membranes:
Your OB or midwife can do this for you. A finger is swept between the amniotic sac (bag of water) and the wall of the uterus, causing contractions. This can be uncomfortable and cause cramping, bleeding and loss of the mucous plug. There is also a chance of your water breaking.
The first 3 seem to be the most popular (sex, nipple stimulation and walking). The others I’ve heard a lot about are castor oil, evening primrose oil, spicy food and stripping membranes.
We’ll probably stick with the first 3 popular ones + relaxation. I had NO idea that stress was a labor inhibitor. I’ve been so stressed lately with my grandpa being sick/passing away, speaking at the funeral, and trying to finish up our new apartment. Things have finally quieted down and I plan on taking some time out everyday to actually relax — close my eyes and meditate.
Now, once our due date passes and we get near Christmas, we may get more desperate and attempt other things on this list. ANYTHING to keep away the pitocin 
Well… not anything… I don’t really have any desire to have my membranes swept.
Have you tried any of these?? What worked or what didn’t?? Anything we’re missing?!
Well, I was induced (low fluid) so I didn’t get a chance to try any of these. I have heard that spicy foods and lots of walking help. I had the icky Pitocen, but it actually was just fine. I didn’t have any weird side effects, or anything like that.
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Your list is pretty good!
Here’s a couple more:
Evening Primrose Oil (in pills or in oil form) can be used. It softens the cervix and helps labor commence.
Cimicifuga 30C taken once an hour for eight hours. — softens the cervix
Caulophylum 30C taken once an hour for eight hours. — if your cervix is already soft just go to this one.
Most times, if your cervix is already soft, one dose of Caulophyllum 200C before bed will result in labor during the night.
(All those can be found at your health food store)
I personally think that sex is the best thing. I don’t ever think induction is necessary just because you are at 42 weeks, but since you have to before then or it goes to pitocin, I would just plan to have lots and lots of sex and nipple stimulation (and make sure you enjoy the sex
).
I’m sure he’s just cookin a few more days to get you some extra sleep
.
Good luck mama, and enjoy the time now, and know you’re already doing a great job.
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Oh, and one more thing, sweeping the membranes can also result in infection, and bad presentation for the baby if the water breaks. I don’t think it’s safe, but if you have a trained caregiver, they normally are pretty safe with it.
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I think we tried most of these, although the wife couldn’t walk by the time we were inducing (SPD = ouch). She was taking red raspberry leaf tea with either black or blue cohosh, we did pressure points, sex, spicy foods, we did plenty of castor oil and she drank an OCEAN of water… and nothing worked.
We ended up being induced on her due date. The best tip I can give you if you go that way is that epidurals are *great*, but make sure they empty your bladder with a catheter! We were stuck at 2cm for hours until they cathed, then we shot straight up to 8cm and delivered just an hour and a half later!
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There is actually very little science behind stripping membranes. All i could find in my search (i don’t trust things simply because all doctors do them) was one study that was not up to date, in which the women had it done 3 times and it just lessened their likelyhood of going over 42w, which you have to fight like hell to have your caregivers let you get near 42w anyway. And from everything i’ve seen, usually it’s more likely of a co-incidence in most cases than actually doing anything itself.
I would never ever consent to membrane stripping personally, but one of my midwives did it without asking/warning me during my 39w5d cervical check. It hurt so bad (and made me bleed quite a bit for over 24 hours) i started crying every time another midwife came at me for another cervical check during labor (which wasn’t for many days, anyway) since i had my baby super fast and i couldn’t think properly through the pain to know they couldn’t strip it again when the baby is already coming out! Mostly it just makes doctors & women feel like they can do something productive towards getting labor started rather than actually helping. If you look at what exactly it is that is supposed to start the contractions– it’s supposed to release the prostglandins which is what having sex does. So.. my suggestion is definitely just go the sexytime route! Less chances of pain/bleeding/water breaking & putting you on the clock/intervention route.
Also, my husband & I tried the first 4 + foods (and unintentionally the stupid stripping.. i’m filing a complaint about that since it’s illegal to do without permission.. hense my bitterness) and finally we gave up, and it happened the day after we stopped doing anything, haha.
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I strongly believe in the relaxation part! I didn’t try any of the things listed above to get labor started. I was really stressed because I had an induction scheduled for Wed (doc would only let me go 1 week past due date). At my 40 week doc apt my cervix was closed and I had no symptoms of labor whatsoever. Since I wanted to go natural I really didn’t want to be induced.
I planned to use HypnoBabies for labor and had been doing the course for about 8 weeks. I decided to download their “Come Out Baby” track figuring it couldn’t hurt. The track really relaxed me and helped me work through any fears that I had about labor that might have been keeping the baby from coming out. I know it sounds kind of kooky! However, I did that track on Tuesday night and on Wednesday at 40 weeks exactly I started having cramping. The cramping turned into mild contractions by Wed evening. After two nights of painful but manageable contractions that stopped every morning, I headed to the hospital Sat morning when my water broke. I was 5cm dilated when I got there. I went from 0 with no symptoms of labor to delivery in the matter of a few days. Was it the HypnoBabies track? Who knows? I like to think so though!
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Great tips, thanks everyone!!
I also got a huge response on twitter to this post and wanted to share with you some of their stories…
Castor oil: some said STAY AWAY!, some said it didn’t work for them and it was awful, while one said it worked so fast they could barely get to the hospital in time!
Best option: sex
Sweeping membranes: painful and has risks of infection, water breaking, umbilical cord wrapping around baby if he hasn’t moved low enough yet
One person had tried nearly everything on the list! And none of it worked. BUT she still has like a week until her due date.
Basically: the things above will really only work if your body is already prepared. They give you the extra push to get things going… so if one thing doesn’t work, maybe try again the next day.
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My due date is Today (by ultrasound) Thursday (by my dates) and I soooo wish this baby would come out. I’m sure your feeling about the same right about now!
Good Luck to you during your delivery!
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