Suggestions for getting labor started?

[Mali]

So this coming Wednesday is 42 weeks for me and my doctor has said previously that he won't let me go past 42 weeks. I'll be clarifying at my appointment on Monday if that means I have to be in labor at 42w or if she has to be out by 42w.

Any suggestions for things to do to get labor started?

So far I've:
had sex twice
seen my chiropractor (adjustment & pressure work)
had acupuncture twice & left with the ear seeds
had a couple massages
eaten spicy food (not unusual for us since we both like it)
gone for about a mile walk round trip to have lunch with friends
stood in the kitchen for several hours cooking food to stash in the freezer

Even so nothing is going on and my doctor made it sound at my 40w appointment that I was REALLY effaced (he didn't give a percentage) and that he thought I could go any day and to call him immediately at the first twinge of anything unusual.

Yet, here I am, almost two weeks later, staring down the possibility of an induction and cascading interventions that I am NONE TOO PLEASED about.

Is there anything else you've tried? I'm going to talk to him about stripping my membranes at my appointment on Monday and castor oil is my last resort for Tuesday.

[indigo99]

I'd go with more physical activity although... now that you've started this thread you'll probably go into labor tonight.

[AnnieW625]

go get a pedicure with a good leg massage. You might want to think about having your membranes stripped. Good luck!

I almost started to have labor with DD2 at 35 weeks after getting a pedicure and the leg massage was almost nothing.

[MamaMolly]

I would go for a medical induction before castor oil. With Dolly all it took was breaking my water and an enema. Shebang! We had baby 4 hours later.

[maybeebaby08]

I took castor oil with both DDs, I was 8 days overdue with DD1, and didn't want medical interventions. It was horrible, contractions really close together, bad diarrhea and vomiting. I swore I'd never touch the stuff again. Fast forward 4 years same situation this time ten days overdue, took a smaller dose, and had a great labor and delivery. Start with a small dose and wait, it took 6 hours for labor to start for me.

ETA: My list was the same as yours as things I tried, nothing happened. I did have my membranes stripped and my house was never so clean with all the floor scrubbing I did!

[rin]

More sex? With both my pregnancies our sex life was pretty much on hold during the third trimester. With DD1 we tried 3 days before her due date. I started having contractions about an hour and a half later, she was born 10 hours later. W/DD2 we tried one week before her due date, I started having contractions about half an hour later, she was born three and a half hours after that. I have a lot of faith in the whole what-got-them-in-gets-them-out idea!

(I've read that there's some solid research that suggests it's a combination of contractions being triggered by orgasm and the semen containing prostaglandins.)

[Tondi G]

I had acupuncture with DS2. 2 treatments and by the time I got home after treatment #2 I was spotting... DS was born the next morning. Did they put the needles in your pinky toes?

I agree with the other posted who suggested more sex too (nipple stimulation as well)! I have heard of people trying Evening Primrose Oil ... break the gelcap and insert into the vagina. You can also take the capsules orally as well. Here check this article out

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

acupressure you can do yourself?

http://www.ehow.com/how_2070244_induce-labor-acupressure.html

There is a restaurant in LA that has a Labor salad. http://maternitysalad.com/
It's made with Romaine, Watercress, Walnuts & Gorgonzola cheese; Balsamic basil Vinaigrette

[queenmama]

More sex? ...

(I've read that there's some solid research that suggests it's a combination of contractions being triggered by orgasm and the semen containing prostaglandins.)

Yep, what she said!

Keep up the acupressure/acupuncture, too. And I would ask to have the membranes stripped if they want to medically induce you anyway. I was 3cm and 100% with DS for 2 weeks, and after my membranes were stripped it took about 48 hours to go into labor, and it happened fairly quickly from there.

Good luck!

Lara

[georgiegirl]

Nipple stimulation! If you have a breast pump, break it out now and start pumping. If not, just use your hands (or ask DH).

[mmommy]

Walk, prenatal yoga, walk, Acupuncture, walk, sex, walk, spicy food, walk, scrub bathroom floor to ceiling. At least, that's what finally worked for me. It was a long day before labor even started!

[Mali]

I'd go with more physical activity although... now that you've started this thread you'll probably go into labor tonight.

One can only hope! I don't mind still being pregnant, but staring down the possibility of an induction turning into a c-section because she doesn't feel like coming out is super unpleasant, especially since I really prefer to have a vaginal drug-free birth with minimal/no interventions. I'd be less stressed about her not being here if my doctor was okay with her staying past 42 weeks (assuming that we both were still okay, of course).

This just amuses me. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMKcThzud-A)

I did have a pedicure at 40 weeks complete with leg massage. Didn't do much then. The second massage therapist I saw on Friday did a number on my shoulders (felt amazing and conveniently is where two more points are) and so far nothing from that.

As for the acupuncture, she hasn't done needles in my pinky toes yet (although I don't pay much attention to needle placement so she might have). She's done the tops of both shoulders, between big toe & 2nd toe on top of foot, outside at ankle bone, plus like 3 or 4 more on my feet/legs that I don't remember the exact placement, a couple hand & forearm spots, did a bunch on the top of my head on Wednesday, and did a bunch in my ears today.

Sex is definitely on the list (probably tonight or tomorrow) but I totally got the short end of the stick with the hormone situation. I was expecting changes afterwards with breastfeeding, I wasn't expecting to totally dry up before then. :irked: At least there's lube.

I'm definitely going to try to have my membranes stripped on Monday to see if that does anything. And if that doesn't work and I'm stuck being induced, I'm going to see if I can get him to AROM and wait a while to see if labor starts before starting pitocin. My mom experienced zero labor with either of us until her doctor broke her waters and then each of us were born two hours later. Maybe I got that bit of genetics. :) Although, I was 2w late, DH was almost 3w late, and my dad was 3w late. Can we say predisposed to baking babies longer? ;) I even know when I ovulated so it's not like the EDD is crazy wrong due to not matching the "perfect" 28 day cycle they like to use for LMP dating; as it is, my doctor's EDD is two days later than mine which I've been totally okay with.

[MamaMolly]

This just amuses me. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMKcThzud-A)



SO Stinkin' cute!!!!!!

[KLD313]

If you really don't want to be induced the Dr. can't make you. Maybe you can work something out with him by doing NST so he feels more comfortable. I get where you're coming. I fought off Drs for two weeks and had tons of NST and a few BPP. I did end up with a c-section but I went into labor on my own.

[gcc2k]

Clean the whole house top to bottom. Well, at least vacuum, especially the stairs. That's what did it for me!

[flashy09]

Nipple stimulation? I think that actually can work and even cause super strong contractions (pretty sure I read that, not sure how reputable the source!). Also a foot massage in the right areas is supposed to work. In England they swear by unripe watermelon. Good luck!

Oh and get on your hands and knees and clean the floor! I was too lazy to do that, but a friend says that put her in labor twice!

[Mali]

Well, I now have an induction scheduled to start Wednesday night (42w2d by my calcs, 42w by my dr's).

I feel like a complete failure and I haven't even started yet.

I have one last chiropractic appointment and acupuncture appointment tomorrow and then I'll try the castor oil cocktail route.

[MamaMolly]

Well, I now have an induction scheduled to start Wednesday night (42w2d by my calcs, 42w by my dr's).

I feel like a complete failure and I haven't even started yet.

I have one last chiropractic appointment and acupuncture appointment tomorrow and then I'll try the castor oil cocktail route.

i'm thinking of you tonight and hoping that you are in labor as I type!

[essnce629]

Try my castor oil regimen. It has a 100% success rate so far (I think we're at 12 out of 12). If you follow it correctly, you will not have any diarrhea, etc. I used it with DS1 and it worked immediately. I finished my shake at 10pm and he was born just 9 hours later!


Castor Oil Regimen
Put 1oz (2 tablespoons) of castor oil (CO) in the blender with ice cream and a little bit of milk to make a shake. Drink. Take a long hot shower (this relaxes you). Proceed with 1 hour of nipple/breast stimulation-- apply oil to one breast, massage the area around the nipple/areola in a circular motion for 15 minutes (you don't have to actually touch your nipple), then switch sides. Only massage one breast at a time (15 minutes each side for a total of 1 hour). Wait for contractions.

If after 2 hours, you are having NO contractions at all, take another 1oz of CO in a shake and do another hour of nipple/breast stimulation. Wait for contractions.

If after 2 more hours, you are still having NO contractions, take a final 1oz of CO in a shake and do another hour of nipple/breast stimulation. Wait for contractions. If this doesn't work-- your body truly isn't ready.

Most women will be in labor after the first or second dose (it took me only one dose and I never had any diarrhea, stomach cramping, or nausea). DON'T take more than 3 doses (3oz total).

[SnuggleBuggles]

Did you have your membranes swept? That's what worked for me two times.

[Mali]

Thanks Essnce! I tried my SILs version already and am waiting to see if that does anything, but yours sounds like it would taste WAY better! Hers was 1c champagne, 1c apricot juice, 2Tbsp almond cream, 2 Tbsp castor oil, and a few drops of blue vervain. Drink it all within 15m then take a nap and if no contractions after 2 hours go for a brisk walk. If it doesn't work, I'll totally start with yours tomorrow morning!

Still no progression on the labor front otherwise. I had my chiro & acu appointments today and will do another acu appointment tomorrow if there's still nothing going on.

I wanted to have my doctor sweep my membranes, but apparently my cervix is still very posterior (as of my appointment yesterday) and my doctor couldn't even reach it to see how dilated I was if at all to even try to do a sweep. But yet, he keeps saying that she's really low and engaged. I don't understand how she can be really low and engaged and yet still have my cervix be on a coffee break. It's not like my dates are off, I know when I ovulated since I was using the OPK sticks at the time (to prevent just this kind of situation from happening due to having to have an EDD based on LMP) and my doctors due date is two days after mine (from the dating US measurement). You'd think that she'd be more than ready to come out at this point!

[essnce629]

Thanks Essnce! I tried my SILs version already and am waiting to see if that does anything, but yours sounds like it would taste WAY better!

Good luck!!! And yes, you can't taste the castor oil at all in an ice cream shake!

You may want to try taking Evening Primrose oil orally and vaginally to help soften your cervix. At full term I was taking 3 capsules orally and 2 vaginally (before bed) every day. They were the big 1300mg capsules. But the breast stimulation will soften the cervix as well.