How to kick start labor?

[KLM99]

I've been having contractions every 10 minutes for about 18 hours now. My water broke about 4 hours ago and not much has changed. What can I do to get this going?

[womenswisdom]

Congrats! If you were a client, I'd suggest eating every couple hours (something with protein) and trying to go to sleep as soon as possible so you have gotten a little rest before labor really kicks in. Are you having a home birth or hospital birth? Have you contacted your care provider and if so, what are they saying about a timeline for intervention? If you are having a hospital birth, I'd say you might want to wait a bit to call, depending on your CP, so you don't get the attitude if you aren't ready to go in, as long as baby is active and all else seems normal. Really, rest and eat and drink and pee. Keep up your strength and know you will do great!

[XanaduMama]

Nipple stimulation might help--get your pump out, if you have one, and get to work! Alternatively, you could have dp help you out...works really well.

I agree with PP, though: rest if you can; stay hydrated and nourished; take your vitamin C and keep everything out of your vagina. In between resting, climb stairs or do hip swaying or hands and knees (cat/cow).

Tonight, maybe watch a weepy or romantic movie, have a glass of wine, eat some icecream and try to relax and enjoy the last night as a 3some! Happy laboring.

[Beccadoula]

Here are a few really good links for this kind of thing...
http://spinningbabies.com/index.php
http://www.maternitycorner.com/mcmag.../preg0007.html

Birth Blessings!!!

[Blueone]

I swear what got me into labor was fresh pineapple and then a dinner with ghost pepper chili sauce. That chili sauce is incredibly spicy, you can only order it. My brother had some and I was desperate.

[fwlady]

I would second the fresh pineapple thing. I had my waters broken for days, and finally had some of this, and labor kicked in at 4am that morning. Most women deliver within a day of the water breaking, so I am not trying to discourage you. I just know that it doesn't necassarily warrant intervention if you just hang out for a while. Sometimes all the slow labor can get the really hard part done REALLY quick. I have found that to be the case. I had a day of prodromal labor with the last birth, the 2nd day of what I thought was prodromal labor ended up being "IT" and he was born in 1.25 hrs from the time that I told DH he may have to go get the kids from our friends as it was "false labor" again. Yeah, it got pretty intense after that. kymberli

[KLM99]

Originally Posted by fwlady

Sometimes all the slow labor can get the really hard part done REALLY quick.

Wish I'd read this before I had my son because it totally proved true. After 30+ hours of not much progression, I went from contractions every 5 minutes to needing to push him out in about 20 minutes. He was born in the car on the way to the hospital! Didn't even push. Watch out for the long, slow labor!

[sarahn4639]

WOW!! Congrats and what a story you have to tell him! What a wild ride! Congratulations on the birth of your son!

[Bluegoat]

With my second when things weren't going anywhere, I tried to get a good night's sleep and then we took dd1 to the zoo. Lots of walking and distraction. But the time we got home at lunch things were moving along.