Are you prepping your body for labor? « Back to Group Discussions

[forumyonly1]

Are you doing anything to prep your body for labor/birth?? ie. evening primrose oil, rrl tea, special excercises, accupressure, accupuncture, chiropractic care, foods, drinks?? anything?

i always did EPO and then totally didn't do it last time and had my longest labor... this time i'm taking EPO but not doing anything else.. yet anyway.. what are you ladies doing if anything?

[pregnova]

Meh. I probably won't do anything drastic. Until I got sick, I was on the "lets have LOTS of sex" train hoping that would help...and I was trying to get in some extra walking/standing time. I think once I feel totally well again, I'll go back to those two things...I do have RRL on hand, but idk...just haven't seemed to be using it very much.

[dannic]

I was walking up until baby got too low/my previously torn ab muscle began to burn...I really don't like to do extra to bring on labor...I don't really look at RRL as anything other than a tonic, really, but don't do it either.  I tried some things with my first and he came, but had breathing troubles so I've always felt like he wasn't really ready inspite of dates and size.  So now I'm okay with waiting, though often impatiently, for baby to send his/her own signals. 

[dannic]

If I was up against a hospital deadline or such, I may reconsider, but I've never been in that situation.

[pregnova]

Yes, i always feel like the only way I'd be comfortable trying anything 'real' would be if I had a looming deadline...which just won't be the case this time, so I guess it's just walking for me!

[sillymom44]

Unless I am overdue...I won't be doing anything out of the ordinary.  I will be making sure that I walk for exercise and have sex though--but that is only b/c it's a natural part of life that naturally helps labor arrive when it is supposed to start.  I tried bringing on labor for weeks with baby #1 and it resulted in 3 weeks of prodromal labor...  LOL

[UnderTheOldOakTree]

My midwife has had me on oral EPO for a few weeks.  I remember I took it on my own last time too.

I sometimes (when I remember) drink RRL tea which my midwife also encourages.  I look at that as making labor more efficient once it's time though rather than as something to help bring it on.  Similarly, I think seeing my chiropractor (who works in conjunction with my midwife) and  doing the pelvic tilts and other excercises they want me to do won't help me go into labor any sooner, but it should make my body better prepared for labor.  They also help to manage the sacrum pain that I've had this time around so I think they are pretty important on that level.

I do think seeing the chiropractor also has made a difference in terms of my body making room for baby to get into a good position.

Also when I have some of my prelabor stuff going on I do a little bit of my hip movements from belly dancing which is supposed to be a good way to work through contractions and help the baby move down.  I think it at least helps with progress some since at this point it makes things feel more intense (though I still haven't had any identifiable contractions per say) and the baby definitely dropped after I did that the other day.

  I actually stopped doing so much of this though because I didn't want the baby to come quite yet the past few days for a variety of reasons, but I'm getting to the point where tomorrow I may just start doing more walking and more of the hip movements and see if it does make things pick up a bit.  I'm not looking to even necessarily go into labor, but it would be nice if my body would get some nice pre-labor work done and I could start labor with a little progress already like I did last time, though I probably won't know this time since my midwife isn't big on checking dilation, which is good with me since last time there was so much pressure associated with the number of centimeters and my progress was so, so slow.

[bostonmummy]

I've been drinking RRL tea pretty religiously during the 3rd trimester. I also see a chiropractor, and I work out regularly. On the days I don't do kettlebells, I make sure to get in walking. Since I'm 39 weeks today, I think I'll do even more walking than I have been, just at a slightly slower pace since I cramp up when I walk super fast. But none of this is really to "bring on" labor, just to help me be strong through the laboring process and to help with the recovery period. 

I hadn't heard of EPO, though, for labor. What does it do?

[forumyonly1]

I think i need to clarify.. i did NOT mean what are you doing to self induce or bring on labor.. i just meant are you preparing for labor in any way!!

sounds like i really should see a chiropractor. Might make labor a little bit smoother this go round!  love hearing what you ladies are doing by the way!! :)

[UnderTheOldOakTree]

Bostonmommy-  Evening Primrose Oil helps to ripen and soften the cervix.  I take it orally and have done vaginal suppositories of it in the past (debating them this time around...I think they did make a difference last time in terms of helping my body prepare for labor though it still ended up being long and drawn out...but there were other reasons for that I think).

http://www.essortment.com/naturally-inducing-labor-benefits-drawbacks-evening-primrose-51100.html

[bostonmummy]

Thanks, Under. That's really helpful. I'll ask my midwife about it at our appointment this evening.

[Hockeygrrl]

I tried nettle leaf tea and a nettle leaf infusion....couldn't really stomach it. so I haven't continued. I've been going to the chiropractor and had an acupuncture appt last week. I'm thinking about starting epo...can't find the handout from my midwife. I'm wondering if taking it vaginally would also help prevent tearing due to the oil moisturizing the skin. I had an epesiotomy with my first and 3rd or 4th degree tears, so I'm looking to prevent that.

[gratefulmum]

I am doing most of the previously listed things as well. I am drinking a cup or two a day of RRL/Nettle infusion tea. I am taking EPO orally and vaginally at night.

I am also taking alfalfa daily as that's has a lot of Vitamin K in it to help with both mine and baby's blood clotting after birth. (We don't vax.)

That's about it. I *should* be trying to walk more I suppose but everytime I move past a waddle pace it triggers uncomfortable BH contractions so I've been pretty sedentary beyond the usual running after 2 kids, cleaning house, etc.

I did the same things with my son's VBAC 5 years ago and he was born 12 hours after water leaked with just under 30 minutes of pushing. He was also 10 lbs and I did not require stitching so I figure- why fix what's broken??

[icy02]

I am taking Dr Christopher's Birth Prep as well as EPO along with my normal supplements.  I was drinking a ton of RRL, Nettle, Alfalfa tea but I've been slacking the last few week :- /.. I should start drinking some more.  I've been seeing a chiropractor 2X/week for my entire pregnancy (and before pregnancy) and I see an Osteopath who does manipulation about once a month since about 15ish weeks.  I'm hoping for a shorter labor than last time! I can't think of anything else to do.

I went walking/jogging this morning to see if this LO is ready to come out.. Nada - not one contraction... I have no signs of impending labor, so I think she is happy for a while.

[Babinogi]

Hellooooo!

I am now, 3 days past my due date and I've only just got a charge of energy finally today to stand all day and clean - hoping that helps baby to get down.  My poor friend is a week over due and they are talking to her about inducing her on thursday. I don't want this to happen to me.  I have a midwife appointment tomorrow and she had said that if I didn't have the baby by then, she could do a membrane sweep.

What do you all think of that - 4 days past due date getting a membrane sweep?

Thank you for the EPO suggestion.  What is the dose like?

I'm taking all suggestions - the RRL tea, spicy curry, sex - and i hear arm wrestling helps too! 

The pressure the hospitals put on us to deliver on or near our due dates is enough to stop the relaxing flow. I wonder how accurate these dating scans are.

I live in Wales and am having my baby here in the UK - going for a water birth in the hospital - at this particular hospital they allow you 14 days over due date before they schedule induction,

and it is always the woman's choice.  They scare you saying it can be dangerous for baby if you go over the 14 days.  I think in France they give you another week.

I just want to avoid induction as it is a fast rode to all other types of medical intervention.

Poor babies - they just want to come when they come.

More suggestions for preparing for labor is certainly welcome - and sorry if this thread also includes the "induction" word....it's all part of the experience I suppose - getting ready, and for some of us who passed the due date, how to still prepare and get things flowing in a gentle non-intrusive way.

x

[forumyonly1]

Babinogi if I were you I.would take 2000mg orally and gel tab vaginally- the epo I have is 1000mg per pill!! Sorry about the threat of induction! I hate the deadline thing!!

[UnderTheOldOakTree]

Originally Posted by forumyonly1 

Babinogi if I were you I.would take 2000mg orally and gel tab vaginally- the epo I have is 1000mg per pill!! Sorry about the threat of induction! I hate the deadline thing!!

This is the protocol I'm using right now for the EPO.

Babinogi-Been thinking about you and glad to see you here.  Sorry to hear they have you thinking about induction already.  4 days past your EDD seems pretty soon for a membrane sweep to me.  I'm not sure that's something I'd do till well over 41 weeks this time around, but that's my comfort level after having had an induction at 40 weeks that did not go well last time.  Last time I think I tried everything short of castor oil to get things going before they induced me but DS just wasn't ready yet. I'm especially suspicious of due dates by scans....pretty sure mine was way off last time.

Walking and stairs might be another thing to try.  We've been trying to take walks each day and when I get really restless I've been going up and down the stairs, really just to keep moving.  I know I feel like I'm making more progress on days that I move around a good bit than I do on days where I don't. The key for me seems to be balancing rest and activity each day right now.

Is acupuncture an option for you there? My endocrinologist works with an acupuncturist and I've thought if things go too far over I might schedule with her to see if that would help if I get close to 42 weeks (I get risked out of my homebirth if I hit 42 weeks).  It's less invasive than a hospital induction and I hear that she has a pretty good success rate.

Hugs mama!  Hopefully you will be holding your sweet babe soon without having to go through all of this!  

[Babinogi]

Thanks Oak Tree,

Well, they haven't scheduled me for induction - just my friend - and she has the right to refuse.

For me they just offered membrane sweep and I declined my midwife. My doctor actually said

that i should decline and let nature take its course- now that's a first.

on 11 days past due date I have an appointment at the day clinic just to make sure all is well with the baby,

so luckily, no mention of "induction" for me.

My midwife prescribed: SEX. I guess it is similar to what the EPO contains - progestaglandins, although a friend of mine

said not to take EPO that it can interfere with breastfeeding so SEX seems like the best option.  The sperm helps to ripen the

cervix ;-)

This is my first baby and they told me that 82% of first time mothers give birth week 42 - so that's good to hear.

I have a feeling he's going to come this weekend....we shall see.

By Halloween, no matter what, I'll be holding my little pumpkin.

Good luck gals - I hope everyone is feeling better.

[onyxravnos]

nope unless you count eating ice cream. 

once i get to 41 weeks then i don't mind doing a stretch and sweep but I want to give baby plenty of time to do it on his own.

[forumyonly1]

ice cream sounds soo good right now! lol