Nipple Stimulation as a Natural Induction Method?

[adopted0105]

Hello!
Well, I'm 40 weeks pregnant with my first, and I am completely fine with the fact that my little one hasn't come because I know that she certainly wasn't aware of any due date!
However, I am wanting to meet her and to avoid an induction, and I was considering trying nipple stimulation to encourage labor. I've been nearly 2 cm and 70% effaced for a few weeks now, and my baby's head has been engaged for a while now. Anyhow, I was wondering if any of you tried nipple stimulation successfully, and if so, what sort of timeline did you use? Would you recommend it or not?
I'm really not in any rush (I know most babies come "late"), but I was just curious about this method. Thanks!

[ferra]

I used it a little after my water broke at 41weeks +2 days. I was already having light contractions and oh boy it definately increased the intensity. I used a breast pump for a few minutes on each side every 15-30 min. It HURT, meaning it definately worked and I stopped doing it going into active/hard labor maybe 6 hours later. I'd say it is worth a shot, maybe it will dilate you a little further before the big event. Good luck!

[47chromosomes]

My second labor began while DS1 was nursing. I think my body was ready, and the nursing just kicked things off for me. And hey, if it does not work, then you can just stop doing it.

[Wendy HS]

I did a lot of that with my first DS. My water broke at 3am and when I got to the hospital that morning my contractions were really not doing much. The doctor came in and very harshly and rudely told me that I better get to walking or I would end up with a C section. I did nipple stimulation while I walked very fast down the hallways of the hospital. Let me tell you, it worked, they became very painful, strong, and close together within an hour or so. So much so that I spent the rest of the time laboring on a ball in the room. I don't think they will work very well unless your body is already set up and ready to go into labor. I was also told sex would help and it's done nothing for us this time around. I am suppose to be almost 3 weeks late. Ultrasound guy thought I got my dates wrong and moved me up an entire month!!!! Needless to say I am still pregnant so I believe my original due date was correct.

[cristeen]

I was already in labor w very inconsistent contractions and broken membranes when i started nipple stim. I used a pump at the onset of each contraction to help make it stronger. It took less than an hour of that for my labor to kick into full gear. But I had already been in labor 4 days by then. If you're not ready, it's really not going to do anything for you.

[megan sacha]

I used nipple stim to help a stalled labor after my membranes had been ruptured for about 18 hours. My midwife suggested 30 minutes of manual (not pump) nipple stim on both sides simultaneously and right around the end of the 30 minutes I began having quite strong and regular contractions and was kicked into active labor.