induce labour naturally

Hi,
I am 37 well nearly 38 wks pregnant, I have my bubs head engaged and have been told i am in the early labour stage (which can apparently take days to weeks). I have also started to see my show.
Is there any way to bring on labour naturally? I have read that having sex, nipple stimulation, eating pineapple, walking etc can all help, Acupuncture but is there any proof of this?
I have heard the old story of 'castor oil'. but have been told that these alot more bad stuff in it.
Any suggestions?
Thanks

I looked into everything as well and was seriously considering doing acupuncture, i was told it has been known to work in some women, but its hard to know if you would have gone into labour if you didnt do it which is the case with all the wives tales i guess...

I tried walking which felt like it put a lot of pressure down there. I have 2 friends who went into labour the day after going for a long walk. I tried eating indian for dinner quite a bit which didnt seem to do much. Tried sex. Cant think what else but felt like i tried everything!

I think if you are ready to go into labour then many of the things might help, but really the baby will come when they are good and ready.

One thing i would suggest though is to drink a lot of water, they suggested that my labour may have stalled because i was dehydrated. Something so simple but made all the difference.

Good luck! Sounds like you wont be waiting too long from what you have said smile

Hi Miss_Koukla,

With DS1 I tried everything expect the castor oil. DH and I even went for long bumpy drives which did nothing. I had prem term labouyr at 36 weeks which the drs stopped. I had been having an uspet stomach for a few days before I went into labour. The midwife told me that it was my body telling me that it was cleaning out for DS1. I had the show the morning that I went into labour and after 27hrs DS1 was born. The midwife said that the rest of my show came out just before my waters broke.

With DS2 I had been sick a week before I had him. I had the gastro and vomiting bug that was going around. I had been up since midnight on the Sunday night and ended up going up to the hospital on the Monday afternoon as I couldn't even keep water down. They put me on a drip and I said getting contractions due to having gastro and the head midwife that seen me was worried that I was going into labour. I ended up having 2 bags of fluid and had the choice to stay but ended up coming home. The next day I had a midwife appt and she said that I shouldn't have been given the choice to leave. Anyway I had an irritable uterus after being sick which lasted all week. On the Thursday morning DH and I did the BD and my contractions started not long after. I thought it was just my irritable uterus so I went shopping with my Mum and then had my show so I knew that I was in labour. I called the hospital and they said that I needed to go in (it is a 30 minute drive) as my labour was well and truely on the way and that the sex would have helped. She said that the walking that I had done would have also helped. 17 hrs later DS2 was born. I had to have my waters broken as I wasn't dilating.

I wouldn't try the caster oil. I have heard of people getting really really sick from it and others that do go into labour. They also told me with DS1 to bounce up and down on a exercise ball which is meant to help.

Good Luck. Sorry about the story also grin

Sounds like you will be holding your new bundle of joy soon grin

Thanks guys for your views as of yet nothing is really happening sad. So now the wait is on! Xxx

I tried everything as well. Don't really know, but I was bouncing on a fit ball when my waters broke with DD. So maybe it helped?? Probably more of a coincidence though!

Good luck!! If anything works let me know, as I am almost 36 weeks. smile

to be honest...why rush it?

your body is already doing what it needs to prepare for labour. the more i can prepare dilate etc without you in the full throw of cx the better!
Enjoy this time, do somethingfor yourself.
Your body is already in action. wink
all the best with everything!

Hi,
I am 37 well nearly 38 wks pregnant, I have my bubs head engaged and have been told i am in the early labour stage (which can apparently take days to weeks). I have also started to see my show.
Is there any way to bring on labour naturally? I have read that having sex, nipple stimulation, eating pineapple, walking etc can all help, Acupuncture but is there any proof of this?
I have heard the old story of 'castor oil'. but have been told that these alot more bad stuff in it.
Any suggestions?
Thanks

At 37-38 weeks I would be stressing over it yet. Babies have to cook to perfection so no matter what you do, bub will not come out if he/she is not ready. In saying that, how long did you try the nipple stimulation for? It may take a few goes at 1/2 hour-1hr, but once the oxytocin gets going it gets going and then theré's usually no going back. Thats how my little one got going and my labour was really quick (every labour is different). I tried castor oil and all that's good for is clearing the bowels before you go into labour (and it's gross) Dont worry too much, you little angel will come when he/she is ready smile good luck! smile

i just wash or car adn my parnters ute an di was in labour the dayafter for my first child and my second i went for a long walk and the following day i was in labour. if i were you i would actually wait until close to your due date if nothing happens before hand cause bring bub out now may mean a longer stay in hospital. goodluck and hope you and bub are well.