Possible ways to help labor along if it comes to that...

[michanders4]

I am currently 28 weeks pregnant and am going for a VBAC.  My first birth was a failed induction/c-section. My son was 8lbs 10oz and never engaged at all and I ended up being induced at 41 weeks.   Anyway, I plan on using EPO orally at 34 weeks and vaginally at 36 weeks.  I have been regularly exercising this whole pregnancy.  I definitely tried a lot to bring on labor with my son but nothing seemed to work.  I have been doing a lot of anterior positioning exercises and am hoping that this baby ends up anterior as my son was posterior.  Sorry I am all over the place with this post.  My doctor will not induce me because of the increased chance of rupture and to be honest they used the max dosage of pitocin last time and it didnt work so I dont feel the need to try pitocin again anyway but I would like to be as prepared as possible.  I know as I near and/or pass my due date a c-section will come up and I would just like to try anything I can to try to help labor along as I near the end of my pregnancy.  Does anyone have any advice on what I can try and when I should try it?  Thanks in advance!

[CookAMH]

Sorry to sorta hijack, but what anterior positioning exercises are you doing? I ought to start some...

[A_Random_Phrase]

This is absolutely NOT medical advice. I am only saying what I did.

When I was pregnant with my second child (first vbac), I was staying in the basement of a friend's and she dragged me to stores quite often (the baby was born in January, so we were mostly looking at Christmas stuff). Then, when the doctor was thinking the baby should be coming because I was dilated to 1, but nothing else was happening, I started taking black cohosh tincture. I was taking several droppersful a day. But I had never heard of uterine rupture, so I wasn't afraid to do it.

So, basically, lots of walking and bc tincture. I went into labor the night before a prenatal appointment and she was born after only about 4 hours of labor (my next one was similar with no cohosh, so I probably just have fast babies).

Also, she was born exactly 2 years and a week after her sister (the c/s).

ETA: The doctor noticed the dilation about a month before she was due and began to expect me to go into labor. IMO, I wasn't really dilated; it was just the weight of the baby's head on my cervix.

Edited by A_Random_Phrase - 1/21/11 at 4:00pm

[TiffanyToo]

Originally Posted by michanders4 

I am currently 28 weeks pregnant and am going for a VBAC.  My first birth was a failed induction/c-section. My son was 8lbs 10oz and never engaged at all and I ended up being induced at 41 weeks.   Why were you induced was there some medical reason? 

Yes there are things you can do to start a labor and to keep it moving on. http://gentlebirth.org/archives/natinduc.html 

I would suggest that you consider that your babies need to cook longer. That is ok and normal. Babies are healthiest when they pick their birthdates.

[mum4vr]

I'll second the PP-- this is NOT medical advice, just my own experience.

My MW suggested vag EPO starting at week 36 or 37, and I did use it faithfully every night. When I was 12 days past due (yes, I knew the conception date), she told me I could continue the EPO and also try drinking castor oil in orange juice (2 T castor oil in 12 oz oj, wait two hours, repeat; then STOP and take a nap-- you'll need it). I was holding my baby within10 hours, and he was the easiest labor and delivery of my 3. (disclaimer-- castor oil causes very loose frequent bm-- in case you didn't know it is used as a laxative). Not pretty, but effective.

I have also heard great things about drinking a quart of red raspberry leaf tea daily during the final month, and also about black cohosh tincture, but I have not tried them myself.

I do agree w the PP about letting the baby pick his bday for the most part, but in some rare cases, babies are post-due and they do have health complications bc of it, so tt your mw or care provider, get 2nd opinions if you want more info, and then trust yourself-- you're going to do great!

blessings

[carrierwright]

Yes, many mothers and babies simply need more time. As long as baby is doing well, an attempt at induction is unecessary. Many mothers also find that reflexology by a massage therapist helps their bodies begin labor. Sex can provide prostaglandins to soften the cervix and orgasm can stimulate uterine contractions. These are are very non invasive techniques to investigate. Note: partners tend to latch onto the 2nd one.

[roadfamily6now]

All forms of induction, natural or medical will increase your risks for interventions, uterine ruptures and c-sections.

You probably are a long gestator, most women are. The true average for human gestation is 41 weeks 1 day.

[JFTB1177]

Originally Posted by A_Random_Phrase 

I started talking black cohosh tincture. I was taking several droppersful a day. But I had never heard of uterine rupture, so I wasn't afraid to do it. 

I was told I could take blue/black cohosh when I was trying to get labor started with my HBAC... I bought it but never used it, after reading some pretty scary stories online (it made some babies poop and ingest meconium in utero and some died). Just wanted to add this so you can make an informed decision before you try anything. Btw I also heard the same thing can happen with castor oil. I know how you feel, my HBAC baby was born at 42+5 days, only after my MW stripped my membranes! I expect this pregnancy to be long too but I am with an OB this time and they won't let me go past 42 weeks so believe me, I will be in panic mode soon too!

[neveraim]

Ahhhh!  Do NOT do castor oil!!  If the castor oils doesn't work/or even if it does it gives you horrible loose stools and can leave you to have a baby dehydrated and feeling terrible.  It has worked for some people but will only work if your body is really ready anyway...so you'd probably be holding your baby in the next 24 hours anyway, even if you don't do the castor oil.  and please don't mess around with herbs unless your practitioner is advising you to do so and you understand exactly what you are taking. 

The AVERAGE gestation for first time moms is 41 weeks and 1 day!!! You could easily go past that!  You need a practitioner who doesn't care if you go to 42 weeks. The 40 week due date was started in the early 1800's and has been disproven..It's inaccurate!!  http://www.ivillage.com/when-baby-due/6-a-129259 

Your induction probably failed because your body wasn't ready for it.

There are some gentle things you can do to help your body work better when you are ready but I wouldn't try to force it.  Get enough excercise, yoga helps the pelvis to open, chiropractic care, acupunture/accupressure, sex, stay hydrated, you can even eat spicy food but there's no reason to take drastic measures because you've gone a few days past your due date.

Good luck!

[A_Random_Phrase]

"Talking?" Well, I went back and fixed that!

Anyway, I never advise women to take as much as I did - or even advise them to take it at all. I simply share what I did. The doctor kept expecting me to go into labor. He wanted to induce me but the hospital wouldn't let him (before a certain date, I think). He was going to see what he could do at my Wed appt, but I went into labor Tuesday evening. About four hours later, my daughter was born. I don't think what I did was more dangerous than if they'd given me pit, though.

I hadn't heard any scary stories about it at all nor about uterine rupture (like I mentioned). I think this was a good thing. IMO, having more things to fear may have caused the scary things to happen because of the tension caused by the fear. If you have heard scary stories about problems caused by cohosh, I fully understand and support not taking it.
 

Originally Posted by JFTB1177 

Originally Posted by A_Random_Phrase 

I started talking black cohosh tincture. I was taking several droppersful a day. But I had never heard of uterine rupture, so I wasn't afraid to do it. 

I was told I could take blue/black cohosh when I was trying to get labor started with my HBAC... I bought it but never used it, after reading some pretty scary stories online (it made some babies poop and ingest meconium in utero and some died). Just wanted to add this so you can make an informed decision before you try anything. Btw I also heard the same thing can happen with castor oil. I know how you feel, my HBAC baby was born at 42+5 days, only after my MW stripped my membranes! I expect this pregnancy to be long too but I am with an OB this time and they won't let me go past 42 weeks so believe me, I will be in panic mode soon too!

[neveraim]

You are probably right....and I am no fan of using pit for no reason...however, If they had used pit you would have been in the hospital, not at home.  I'm also not saying that what you did was 'dangerous'...obviously it worked well for you, but in different people have different reactions to herbs, etc.  While it effects one person mildly, could have a greater impact on another.

I appreciate your honesty and I am not anti-herb...I used gentle birth late in my pregnancy which contains a bunch of different herbs including blue cohosh, but I was careful about how much I took and didn't start taking it until about 39 weeks...my body labored on it's own and my active phase only lasted about 4 hours but I also did a lot of other things that I think had a greater impact on the length of my labor.  I don't carry my babies much past 40 weeks before things start up....but I know women who do...until the 42-43 week mark....and it's just normal for them.

Quote:

Originally Posted by A_Random_Phrase 

  I don't think what I did was more dangerous than if they'd given me pit, though.

[Olismom]

I would check out Ina may's guide to childbirth for suggestions. When my water broke and I was trying to start labor before going in to the hospital- I couldn't try sex but I did try nipple stimulation with my breast pump a couple of times. It still took 14 hours for contractions to start even with ruptured membranes and nipple stim. My doula suggested acupuncture too so you may want to look into that. Definitely get a lot of walking in- we were walking our dog an hour a day rain or shine (though by week 37 I probably joined in half the time as my energy was waning) hth!

[A_Random_Phrase]

Originally Posted by neveraim 

You are probably right....and I am no fan of using pit for no reason...however, If they had used pit you would have been in the hospital, not at home. 

True. I much prefer using the cohosh at home like I did.

I'm also not saying that what you did was 'dangerous'...obviously it worked well for you, but in different people have different reactions to herbs, etc.  While it effects one person mildly, could have a greater impact on another.

I have learned this. Shepherd's purse and golden seal are not good for me. I learned that the hard way. Yet there are plenty of people who swear by them, and - for them - the herbs are fine.

I appreciate your honesty and I am not anti-herb...I used gentle birth late in my pregnancy which contains a bunch of different herbs including blue cohosh, but I was careful about how much I took and didn't start taking it until about 39 weeks...my body labored on it's own and my active phase only lasted about 4 hours but I also did a lot of other things that I think had a greater impact on the length of my labor.  I don't carry my babies much past 40 weeks before things start up....but I know women who do...until the 42-43 week mark....and it's just normal for them.

I hope you didn't view any of my words as any sort of attack. They were certainly not intended that way. I apologize if that is the case.

[neveraim]

I hope you didn't view any of my words as any sort of attack. They were certainly not intended that way. I apologize if that is the case.

Of course not!  I hope you didn't view mine that way! 

[A_Random_Phrase]

Originally Posted by neveraim 
Quote:

I hope you didn't view any of my words as any sort of attack. They were certainly not intended that way. I apologize if that is the case.

Of course not!  I hope you didn't view mine that way! 

 Nope. We're all good.