Methods to encourage pre-labor into active labor?

[crayfishgirl]

Are there any? 

I have been having contractions on and off for the past week, which are not overly painful, but noticable.  I had acupuncture yesterday afternoon followed by ~3 hours of semi-regular (4-7 minutes apart) contractions in the evening (again, not overly painful but noticable), which subsided when I went to bed. 

I'm 9 days post-date (and sure of my dates because I was charting temps, and an early US confirmed my date), and would like to encourage baby to come before 42 weeks.  Sex and nipple stimulation has had limited effect (and now husband is sick, snotty, and crabby so that's not an option right now).

Is there a way to encourage these pre-labor contractions into becoming active labor?

note: I'm close to 5cm dilated and 80+% effaced.  With my daughter's labor had PROM at 8 days post-date, no contractions, and a 42 hour pitocin-induced labor and delivery so I don't have experience to draw on in terms of typical laboring.

[L&K'smommie]

I don't have any suggestions but am guessing when it does happen it will go quickly.  I was the same amount dilated and effaced with my 2nd and active labor was less than 2 hours(and from start to finish was less than 4...the first 2 hours were oddly spaced contractions so it wasn't too hard).  Good luck mama!

[kawa kamuri]

Originally Posted by L&K'smommie 

I don't have any suggestions but am guessing when it does happen it will go quickly.  I was the same amount dilated and effaced with my 2nd and active labor was less than 2 hours(and from start to finish was less than 4...the first 2 hours were oddly spaced contractions so it wasn't too hard).  Good luck mama!

this x a 100. i have prodromal labour for weeks and when it finally happens it happens with gusto. 

[EnchantedMamma]

Well... it seems to be controversial for some reason, but castor oil worked for my last pregnancy and I though it worked very well. Planning to do it again

Tablespoon (in ice cream). Waited 2 hrs and nothing, so did one more Tablespoon in ice cream. A while later intestinal cramps etc started. A while after that we noticed I was having regular, timeable contractions. (Did this starting after dinner, so was into labor by the wee hours, resting in between). Went to birth center in the early morning and had baby before 11 am. 

[Bird Girl]

I also was induced for my first baby, and had quite a bit of prodromal labor with my second. He was a fast, easy delivery. My recommendation would be to be to try to take it easy--you could go active any hour now--and ask your care provider about stripping your membranes. I found it painful, but over in about 10 seconds. It's not as drastic as breaking your membranes, but it can give you that kick-start.

[kawa kamuri]

Originally Posted by Bird Girl 

It's not as drastic as breaking your membranes, but it can give you that kick-start.

It could easily rupture membranes and, depending on the provider, put a mama on the clock. 

[crayfishgirl]

Originally Posted by L&K'smommie 

I don't have any suggestions but am guessing when it does happen it will go quickly.  I was the same amount dilated and effaced with my 2nd and active labor was less than 2 hours(and from start to finish was less than 4...the first 2 hours were oddly spaced contractions so it wasn't too hard).  Good luck mama!

Originally Posted by kawa kamuri 

this x a 100. i have prodromal labour for weeks and when it finally happens it happens with gusto. 

Originally Posted by Bird Girl 

I also was induced for my first baby, and had quite a bit of prodromal labor with my second. He was a fast, easy delivery. My recommendation would be to be to try to take it easy--you could go active any hour now--and ask your care provider about stripping your membranes. I found it painful, but over in about 10 seconds. It's not as drastic as breaking your membranes, but it can give you that kick-start.

Thank you Ladies....I hope you're right!  I should have mentioned that my dr did a membrane sweep on Tuesday, and I only had mild cramping as a result (the process was painless).  I honestly feel like baby must be bracing him/herself in there!  I have another acupuncture appnt tonight, and apparently there's regular and electro-acupuncture, which is more intense.  He's going to ramp it up a bit and do the electro-acucpuncture.  Fingers crossed it works!

As for castor oil....I've heard some realy positive stories of it working, but admittedly it scares me.  This is based only on the testemonial of a good friend who used it to get her labor going after PROM.  She had 24 hours of labor accompanied by intestinal cramping, and minutes after she finally gave birth she had explosive diarrhea that continued for 4 hours.

[L&K'smommie]

 Yes, it does feel like the baby just braces themself...I walked around at 5cm for over a week and had my MW at the time tell me that they've had ladies walking around at 7cm.

Sweeping membranes never did anything for me with any of my pregnancies.  Are you trying nipple stimulation with a breast pump...a  double pump would probably work best.  I had a friend that used that to induce labor(was all ready about 7 cm dilated) and within minutes of that her water broke and baby was born within 20 minutes(seriously).  So a breast pump may work...and I do know people that have used castor oil successfully as well(my MW being one...she used it to have a baby by the 42 week cut off they have here in AK).  

[crayfishgirl]

I haven't tried the breast pump, but that's a good idea.  I just had a drs appnt and I'm 5+cm dilated and she can stretch it to 7.  She thinks when labor does start, it will be crazy fast like you predicted.  I'm hoping!  I'll dig out the breast pump after my acupuncture appnt.  I'm having the baby this weekend!!

[kawa kamuri]

Originally Posted by crayfishgirl 

I haven't tried the breast pump, but that's a good idea.  I just had a drs appnt and I'm 5+cm dilated and she can stretch it to 7.  She thinks when labor does start, it will be crazy fast like you predicted.  I'm hoping!  I'll dig out the breast pump after my acupuncture appnt.  I'm having the baby this weekend!!

Much love to you during this beautiful time in your life - on the cusp of birthing your precious baby. 

[Bird Girl]

If your doctor can stretch to 7, I wouldn't worry that breaking your bag will put you on any sort of clock. You'll probably be closer to 24 minutes than 24 hours!

Good luck!

[L&K'smommie]

Originally Posted by crayfishgirl 

I haven't tried the breast pump, but that's a good idea.  I just had a drs appnt and I'm 5+cm dilated and she can stretch it to 7.  She thinks when labor does start, it will be crazy fast like you predicted.  I'm hoping!  I'll dig out the breast pump after my acupuncture appnt.  I'm having the baby this weekend!!

Are you homebirthing or hospital/birth center?  Either way I would definitely notify your MW so that she can be prepared to come to you or meet you as I'm guessing you'll go very quickly...unless you are wanting to UC   When my friend had her birth the MW was there when she went on the breast pump...and it was a good thing since less than a half hour after the breast pump she had a baby.