I am 38wks pg, 4cm dialated, 70% effaced, and baby is in -1position. My midwife says I could go any day, and we are very excited and anxious. My DH and I have been trying sex, and my midwife also tells me that walking will help after labor begins, but it won't actually put you IN labor. Is there ANYTHING I can do to speed this along? I am in much MUCH pain b/c the baby is so low, and I can barely walk. I mean BARELY. I cannot do much of anything besides sit or lay (and that's pushin it) on the couch. No matter what, I hurt. I have heard of things such as castor oil and teas, but have also heard that castor oil is dangerous, so I don't want to try that. Any opinions? Thanks so much!!!
Castor oil really isn't dangerous if you use it in the amount you are supposed to but I wouldn't recommend it. I have tried many of the natural induction methods and they dont work. It was possible that I wasn't ready but I have heard eating pineapple helps. I guess because of the acidity in the juice and the fruit itself. Umm...nipple stimulation but a lot of these things I did research on and you either have to do them for long periods of time or they really aren't proven to work. Personally if it were me..and I"m kinda in the same spot..I'd just wait for it to come naturally...I gave up trying to bring on labor. Stripping of my membranes hasn't even helped so I"m being induced again on Tuesday to have ds. hth.
Hot
Im in the same situation(37weeks5days), im dialated to 4 and 80% effaced I dont know the station but he said any further down and he would be out so I guess thats good.
I heard not to do the castor oil thing because it is like a laxitive and can cause the baby to have a bowel movement in utero which is meconium and thats not good. And I dont know why your midwife said walking doesnt cause labor, maybe it doesnt but it does help because you are moving and keeping the head pressed down and helping you dialate more which can cause labor. My doc told me to go for walks and thats about the only method he said. I do have an induction date for next week so I do have an end in site but I would love for it to be over now.
Meg
Well, I keep hearing mixed things about red rasberry leaf tea. Like, some people swear it started their labor, and others say it is just a toner for your uterus so you have an easier labor (both sound just great to me). I just wonder if I am already 4cm and 70% effaced, there has to be SOMETHING that could help speed things along, you know? DH and I have been having sex, and I have been walking reguardless of whether or not that works. I also have tried nipple stimulation (which gave me contractions that weren't doing anything), and spicy food. Those are the only things I have tried. But I was thinking of getting some of that tea anyway, and some pineapple.
I heard the tea just helps prepare you for labor and you have to start using a month or so before your due date.
Thats all I know Ive never tried them either but am always willing.
I would say keep up with the sex and walking and thats what I will be doing too.
meg
Nipple stimulation with a breast pump is supposed to work but I've never tried it. I am looking for any methods possible after my horrible medical induction with ds (2 rounds of cervigel which brought on contractions less than 3 minutes apart that lasted 20 hours without dilating me at all and then another 17 hours of labour with oxytocin, an epidural and a baby born in stress with an apgar of 4)....so keep the natural methods coming...this momma wants to know.
Oh and hats off to all of you using sex as a method...the whole thought of it for the last 3-4 weeks has made me hurt...and I've got another 8 weeks to go...poor dh!!!
I know what you mean about sex hurting. I've been pretty much suckin it up and dealin with the discomfort for the sake of DH and helpin my baby come sooner (I sure hope it's been worth it).
Keep the ideas comin...I could use any advice from anyone who has used something that worked.
So this is what I have found out about castor oil, it not really a good thing to do for lots of reasons. BUT I did find some alternatives, Castor oil works by stimulating the bowels so if you try a enema or metamucil they do the same thing. Ironically I did a enema with my daughter the night before I had her, I never thought that was the reason I may have gone into labor with her. They told me to do one because I was being induced the next day and I guess that did the trick.
They also talk about nipple stimulation doing it for three minutes then taking a five minute break and doing this for twenty minutes every three to five hours.
And then their is alway SEX, because of the prostaglandin in sex they say to not go to the bathroom right away and let the semen coat the cervix to get it soft.
I have a feeling that we all will be trying these tonight I know I will be, lets see if it works.
Meg
This is something that helped me and my best friend in the hospital right now for labor.
Drink lots and lots and lots of grapefruit juice!!!
The doctors said that it was the acid and it triggers the labor.
my friend in the hospital now is being induced tomorrow. she didnt know about the acid thing and she went right into labor. like 5 cm within 3 hours. they stopped it cuz she was 6 weeks early but i'd try it. theres two proven cases.
but when I say drink alot it means basically that's all you drink.
and walking DOES help. not only does it help with the labor and to dialate but it can help your water break which DEFF. helps the labor go :-P haha
Hotmamma, I asked about you on the april thread. Haven't seen you in awhile and thought maybe you had the baby! Guess not!
I read about a castor oil "milkshake" where you combine ice cream, milk, eggs and about 2 oz of castor oil that supposedly works without the side effects of say just drinking it straight out of the bottle. I read that mixing the eggs with the oil is the trick.
Other than that, I don't know. I tried most everything with my first who was 9 days late. I played a game of basketball the night before I went into labor with him, but that was a blissful, pain-free pregnancy...
I was just reading the thread that jordyn bumped up about natural induction, and I would definitely try the golden seal. Also, I didn't realize that about meconium with the castor oil, so I wouldn't do that.
Natural Induction Methods? 
