Self Inducing Tricks

[Grayson's Mom]

Okay Experienced Mammas, whatcha got? Time to spill the beans. Besides the obvious (sex, long walks, ect.) what helped you go into labor? We are all sick of being pregers so lets help eachother out.

I have been drinking Rasperry Leaf Tea like 3 times a day. Having not so hot monkey sex with DH. Taking long walks. Eating spicy Mexican. Taking long relaxing baths, and much more...

Oh, And on Tuesday at my doctor's appointment, I had my membranes stripped. (Not so fun.) Doctor seems to think baby will be making an appearance sometime this week so she tried to help things along. So far it has all been a big psych-out. So share your secrets with me PUH-lease!! This baby needs to get out of my belly!

[bleumoose]

I had my membranes stripped twice with DS. The first time the doc swore I'd go into labor in the coming week. Was SO disappointing when I didn't. The second time, my water broke two days later, we'd had sex the night before and I'd been doing lots of walking. No way to know if all that worked or if it would have happened anyway.

Try climbing stairs and sitting on a birth ball, bouncing gently. I can't think of anything else, short of some of the other herbal things (cohoshes, etc) but you want to be REALLY careful about using herbs.

Basically, keep doing what you're doing These things will help your body along if it is on its way toward labor already. If baby and your body aren't ready, all the tricks in the book (including medical inductions!) won't help. Hmmm, probably not the response you were hoping for was it

[goosysmom]

Membrane stripping did nothing for me..my MW did it twice.

The first time I was 3cm and 85% and when I got home I had a few contractions and that was it..

The second time I was a few days past my due date, miserable with back pain (yay posterier BIG baby) and was 4.5cm and may as well have been completly effaced...It did nothing.....nada...zip...

I went almost 2 weeks past my due date, had a super long labor and dd still needed coaxed out with the smidge of pit..

GL mama

[meggles]

My mw told me I could take an evening primrose capsule in the morning, and insert one vaginally at night (to avoid messyness during the day).

You could try acupuncuture, but using it for induction is up there with using herbs as far as I'm concerned. It could push your body into something it isn't ready for.

Walking, spicy food, sex, completely relaxing...those are the few really non-invasive things I can think of.

[MacKinnon]

Well, I'm drinking RRL tea and taking EPO.
I ate an entire pineapple yesterday but just got a sore mouth

With DD, I tried everything and she still came 11 days late. This time, I am just doing RRL, EPO and sex. I figure they all help ripen the cervix. I don't see how walking, spicey food, bumpy roads, pineapple, eggplant parm., etc. could hurt though!

I won't try castor oil or blue/black cohosh until recomended by my midwife as a "avoid pit induction" stratgey. She said she only had to use pit to induce once in all of 2006, so I'm not too worried

[paisley]

Just cruising through (looking for fun threads to steal : ) when I saw this, and I just have to ask, why so anxious? The simple fact of the matter is that the beginning of labor is a process that requires readiness from both Mama and baby. No tricks in the world will do anything for you if your body and babe are not ready, except for cause you a lot of stress and possibly lead to unwanted interventions.

Originally Posted by bleumoose

I can't think of anything else, short of some of the other herbal things (cohoshes, etc) but you want to be REALLY careful about using herbs.

Yes, yes, yes. The Cohoshes can be downright dangerous if your body is not ready.

Hang in there Mama! The longest I've ever known anyone to be pregnant was 45 weeks.

[Grayson's Mom]

up :

That did not answer my question.

<--- This is not me. This may be you, but it is not me.
<--- Now this... this is more how I feel.
Does that explain it for you? Why so anxious, you ask? Well, my baby dropped about 2 months ago. I have been having pretty good contractions on and off for about a month. I am a hormonal, moody, crying mess. This is what I want to do to every person that says "Aren't you in Labor yet?" -->
Oh yeah, and then there is the chasing around my 18 month old daughter. Who by the way has decided, "Why wait for the terrible twos." If I am not having contractions (that apparently aren't doing their job) then my stomach muscles are killing me because they have all been pulled and strained to the extreme!!! If anyone thinks that I will be staying pregnant for 45 weeks then they have been hittin' the hooka pipe a little too much...


**NOTE: This message was written in a humorous manner and meant to be taken as such. It is too bad that the tone of a message is not always clear.

[paisley]

Originally Posted by Grayson's Mom

That did not answer my question.

Sometimes the answers come in forms that we didn't expect or didn't want to hear.

Originally Posted by Grayson's Mom

<--- This is not me. This may be you, but it is not me.

Actually, according to your sig, that is you.

Originally Posted by Grayson's Mom

<--- Now this... this is more how I feel.
Does that explain it for you? Why so anxious, you ask? Well, my baby dropped about 2 months ago. I have been having pretty good contractions on and off for about a month. I am a hormonal, moody, crying mess. This is what I want to do to every person that says "Aren't you in Labor yet?" -->

So what I'm hearing you say is that you want to put yourself and your baby at risk because you are uncomfortable and you can't deal with other people's comments. Everyone has to weigh the choices for themselves but I would certainly not be trying to induce myself 10 days before my EDD for those reasons.

Originally Posted by Grayson's Mom

Oh yeah, and then there is the chasing around my 18 month old daughter. Who by the way has decided, "Why wait for the terrible twos."

If she is getting into the terrible twos, it's not like that's going to improve once the new sibling shows up. You might consider taking advantage of these last few days to talk to her and spend time with her.

Originally Posted by Grayson's Mom

If I am not having contractions (that apparently aren't doing their job) then my stomach muscles are killing me because they have all been pulled and strained to the extreme!!!

Your Braxton-Hicks and prodromal labor are doing their job. They are preparing your body for labor, but they are not an indication that labor is imminent. I don't doubt that you stomach is sore. Diastasis is an unfortunately common part of pregnancy for many women, myself included.

Originally Posted by Grayson's Mom

If anyone thinks that I will be staying pregnant for 45 weeks then they have been hittin' the hooka pipe a little too much...

I think you have made it clear who's interests you are putting first, so I don't doubt that you wouldn't allow your body that much time. Best of luck to you.

[mama2annabelle]

I know how you feel Grayson's Mom. I totally feel for you!!! I've been having horrible contractions for 8 weeks now. I've had 2 natural births, so I know what "real" contractions feel like and these feel like the real thing. I actually thought I was in labor (ctx 4-5 min apart for hours and hours) and ended up on bedrest the week before Christmas because they had gotten so bad and we wanted to get me to 37 weeks. Well, 37 weeks has come and gone...I'm 38 weeks 2 days now (or 39 weeks depending which EDD is used). Still having LOTS and LOTS of contractions, and unbelievably drained and exhausted and just tired of being pregnant. I feel like my life has been on hold waiting to go into labor since it looked like it was going to happen early. Not to mention my other 2 children were born at 38 and 39 weeks, I've had myself convinced that this one would be around that time as well.

I know you wouldn't put your child or yourself at risk...nor would I. But I also know how maddening and frustrating it is to feel like your in labor for months on end, while at the same time having to keep up with small children and life in general. It's HARD. I'm right here with you. I am trying so hard to be patient...I have to keep reminding myself that the baby will come when HE is ready. Hang in there. I know it feels like it will never end. I am so disappointed every single day that I don't go into labor as I'm sure you are. I have vivid dreams of loosing my mucous plug, or my water breaking or something of that nature every night. Our babies will be with us very soon. We just have to get through these last days/weeks while trying to keep our sanity. (((HUGS)))) to you. I hope you are holding your sweet baby soon!

[kaspar]

i totally feel for you too, grayson's mom!!! i just wish some mamas could be more supportive of a woman's right to choose what is right for her and her babe - and could respect that a woman knows what is best for her situation.

[Shenandoah]

I got nuthin'. Sorry. Seems to me all that stuff doesn't really work. Or at least not for me. I hope something works for you. In the meantime I'll just offer

[MimiB]

Hang in there, Grayson's Mom!

Don't worry about some of the less supportive comments I read in response to your post...still a but surprised at one person's rather antagonistic/cold responses to you.

I totally feel your need to vent and just work it out in this DDC...your DDC.

Sending you positive vibes, mama!!!

Peace!

[Grayson's Mom]

Thanks Ladies, I love my DDC.

[miguelsmom]

AND YOUR DDC LOVES YOU!!!!!

I won't even get started on those who feel it neccessary to further frustrated a mama who deserves love and support. WHICH is why WE (those in the DDC) come here.

I've always thought how wonderful it is that I have this place to come and share my hard times when there's no one in RL that I feel understands. Even better how I can peek at other ladies who are at other stages in their pregnancies and support them in a POSITIVE way.

MUCH LOVE TO ALL

Kate :

[ryleigh'smama]

I've been doing the same things everyone else has, and had my membranes stripped last m/w visit. For two weeks now my m/w has said "I don't think we'll be seeing you next week"...and she has, I told her not to say it again the baby can hear her

I am convinced that no matter what you do the baby will come when they want, BUT I think all the weeks of walking, sex, etc. can help labor progress faster once it has started. On the day I had my dd I had 1) Spicy mexican food, 2)Sex, 3)Drove up a really long, bumpy, windy road, 4) Went for a long walk, 5)Drank 3 cups of RRL tea....so I don't know if any of it worked or she was just ready.

[katie9143]

i was waiting for a little brawl there for a minute...

ya - waiting sucks and its so hard to decide just what to do and what not to do....decisions decisions...

[wendyk]

It did kind of look like a brawl was coming, though I'm glad it didn't!

It did remind me of what a great DDC we have- I feel like everyone's been really supportive of everyone else!

And unfortunately, no great secrets here for getting labor started. I had membranes stripped last time and started losing my mucous plug the next day, though DD wasn't born until 4 days later, so I'm not sure if it was just coincidence or cause and effect.

[Grayson's Mom]

Originally Posted by miguelsmom

I've always thought how wonderful it is that I have this place to come and share my hard times when there's no one in RL that I feel understands. Even better how I can peek at other ladies who are at other stages in their pregnancies and support them in a POSITIVE way.

Kate :

Kate, I could kiss you!!! That is exactly why I love this discussion board. Thanks for your support y'all I am feeling much less anxious now that I know that there are others in the same boat. Sometimes it feels like this child is never coming out. Rationally, I know that she will come out. (WAY before 45 weeks! Yikes!) It's just a matter of time. I just want to help (NOT force) the process along, naturally of course.

I guess I should have named this thread "Natural Labor Inducers." So anyhow back to the main reason for starting this thread. Has anyone heard of anything else?

[janerose]

Honestly, the only thing I found that worked last time was castor oil. I did that on my midwife's advice to avoid being induced. Actually though, I did it twice. Once a week before DD was born as well & it didn't work the first time. So, like pretty much everything else I think it's really just a matter of your body being ready or not...

I really believe that nature gets us primed emotionally to get that baby OUTTA there! It's part of the psychological prep for labor, much like the BH, ligament stretching, etc is the physical prep for labor. It's so frustrating, but totally natural, and I'm totally there with you. I know darn well I could easily be pg for another 3-4 weeks and it's making me :



Holly

[miguelsmom]

ok so this is how my day went today (being w40d4) woke up, had a glass of prune juice at the suggestion of the woman who I get my cranial sacral massage from (who is also a doula)and she said it might be a gentler way to start things out. Then after breakfast I had a half a cup of licorice tea (didn't like it much and didn't want to over do the "clear out of my system). Then I went for a 45 minute walk that included some very trying hills- that's when I started to feel some lower pressure that I hadn't before. Came home ate a lite (big) lunch : Oh and then there was the foot massage my mom gave me after I looked up some reflexology points on the internet. (That was actually before the walk- oops)

Ok, so after lunch I decided to try the nipple stimulation but I only have a hand pump so I started with some heating pads on the ladies first and I have to say I did feel atleast two contractions (although they weren't anything special). Ended up doing some errands with my mom and had a big chocolate chip cookie . So this whole time I'm having increased pressure in my pelvis and a few noticably stronger contractions. But my issue is consistancy really, so that was doing me no good. What finally worked was coming home and sitting in front of the computer playing ZUMA for an hour. I had contractions, and then more contractions. My mistake was telling my parents, actually I pointed to my belly, gave a thumbs up but told them to "shhhhh!" because you know if I tell too many people it will just jinx it, right. Well, it jinx it alright, I had a few more and then nothing.

Oh well, tomorrows another day: Long story short, who knows if this stuff works but it has certaining kept me a little more sane in the last 4 days. So I will definitely be doing it again tomorrow. I think these things will help things a long and help get a little further but for me they aren't drastic enough to put me or my daughter at risk.

PLEASE, tell me I'm not the only one with days like this!!!!!!: : I am terrified of a petocin induction again and am hoping to avoid it at all cost.

Sorry for such a long post but I think it gives you some idea of what you could try if you want.

(I think I will try the hand pump first thing in the morning, I'll let you know how it goes)

Kate