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Help me start labor...


bry's-gal
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Pitocin.

 

Sorry, that's about the only thing (unless there's another medication that a hospital can give) that will induce labor.

 

I know plenty of people who have enjoyed Mexican/Indian feasts followed by fun time with their partner in the pursuit of a non-medical way to jumpstart it, though. ;)

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Chasing my escaped dog down the street in the middle of the day followed by a dinner of spicy Thai food got me started with dd2. Hope your little one comes soon!

 

 

This did not work for me, though perhaps the fact that I was running across a golf course instead of a street was critical?

 

Terri

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Have a TeA party with your dh. I personally would not use castor oil or herbs unless there was a medical reason to hurry things along or I was facing some sort of deadline such as induction at 40 weeks. Even natural techniques are not necessarily risk free. One thing to note is that if it is not time yet nothing is likely to work.

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I've gone into labor 3 times while wrapping or unwrapping Christmas presents! However, since it isn't Christmas... Try Evening Primrose oil (take two 500mg orally per day and insert one vaginally before bed -every day), spend some "quality time" with your husband (daily), and try not to dwell on it. All of mine have come between 4 and 9 days early. I'm hopeful that my next baby (I'm 34 weeks) will be a few days early, too. (I'll be in this same boat - the wanting to jump start labor boat) this time next month!). Good luck!

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Acupuncture can help. As can chiropractic - getting everything all aligned so baby is in a good position to come out. Go to a chiro certified in the Webster technique, though.

 

I agree re: using castor oil as an absolute last resort. It's horrid.

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It's fun to hear how others have started labor! I'm due March 22 so I'm officially full term today!!!!! I've been on modified bedrest due to CONSTANT braxton-hicks contractions since November. As of today, I can do what I want to! I've already had a walk and scrubbed one bathroom. As of a few days ago I was at 1 cm and I woke up this morning to having mild contractions every few minutes- this could go on for the next several weeks though.

Hubby is going to be one happy man tonight (and for the next several nights!) After weeks of not doing anything, I miss the guy! ;)

 

I'm not ready to try any of the last resorts- we have a few weeks still for that! I am ready to get back into walking, cleaning and enjoying my hubby!

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After trying every thing under the sun with my 3rd, I did the castor oil. Like others have said, I would NOT recommend it!!! I took it at 10pm & was up alllll night using the bathroom. I mistook labor pains for all those times going to the bathroom so I didn't realize I was in labor. I thought it didn't work! Well, dd was born at 8am, so fast the midwife almost didn't make it to the house. She walked in the door literally 5 min before dd was born! I had severe complications from doing the castor oil. I was almost transferred to the ER. I credit my midwife with saving my life that day.

Needless to say, with number 4, I didn't care how long it took! I let him take his sweet time!!

Good Luck!!

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DO NOT administer anything to your cervix! Please, pretty, pretty please do not do this. I was so desperate after going overdue and facing induction with my first 3 babies. With number four I read and read on how to induce labor. There were many recommendations to administer Evening Primrose Oil to the cervix. I did. At one week overdue and for the first time ever I went into labor on my own. I was so proud. When I got to the hospital, I was running a high fever and ds had a plummeting heart rate with each contraction. Long story short, I went into labor because my entire uterus, umbilical cord, fluid, etc, etc were all infected. What I received instead of pitocin was a not-so-fun emergency c-section. Just be cautious.

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  • 2 weeks later...

So we've had tEA parties, nipple stimulation, lots of long walks, squats and the birthing ball. I've been having regular contractions that will last for hours and then stop. This has been going on every day for over a week. Every few days I lose my plug, again. His head is fully engaged. The animals will not leave my side.

 

Last Wednesday, I woke up to them 5 minutes apart. Finally went in when they were two minutes apart, couldn't walk/talk, was shaking and felt like I was going to throw up. I was at a 3 and then everything stopped. I walked for a few hours to see if it would start back up again and it wouldn't. I was exhausted so went home.

 

Sigh. Sitting on the ball again and having contractions. I'm very uncomfortable but I don't think this is anything different then what I've been doing.

 

I'm so done but I guess he isn't. Trying to be patient and get rest while I can. At this rate, I'm going to be worn out by the time labor truly does start.

 

Still two weeks before my due date so I'm not willing to try castor oil or other more drastic measures.

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You poor thing. That sounds so annoying. My midwife used to say that you want to either get into labor or get out of it, not spend tons of time pussy footing around. It sounds like you have plenty of time so try not to worry about getting into labor yet. If you find yourself with mild contractions that are annoying, try getting into the tub so that you can get a rest. Often, if it is prodromal labor or just a uterus warming up, a tub bath (with the water up high) can help you relax and rest. My sister used to have 2 days of early labor before things would kick in high gear. The only way she could rest was to get in the tub. Her hubby moved the dog bed into the bathroom so he could easily help keep the water warm for her and get some rest.

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Take a nice long nap. Sometimes labor stops or slows down just because the mother is too exhausted. Sometimes when it seems like the real deal labor and it is poky we will give melatonin and co q ten every two hours. This really seems to work. I hope you are holding your little one soon. :001_smile:

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For DD here's what I did: I had a good cry, prayed, and then took castor oil. It was at 40 wks 6 days when my BP had started to go up and I was due to be evaluated for it. This worked like a charm, but I was already 3 cms when I started, so I don't know if it would work if the cx was still closed. Weak contractions started within 20 minutes, then went away so i could go to sleep that night, then woke me up in the middle of the nite & I had maybe 5 hours of real labor. I didn't mind being in the bathroom at home feeling the effects of the castor oil, it didn't bother me personally. I don't remember the dose I took though.

Good luck! Hope you have a beautiful delivery, however it happens!

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I found that if labor had already started that walking helped the contractions to intensify. However, if labor had not started on its own then nothing I did could help. I tried lots of walking and TeA time when I was pregnant with my daughter and she was still eight days late. My youngest son I didn't do anything to help with labor and he was one day early. I do remember that with my youngest son I had contractions in the middle of the night and I couldn't tell if it was better to walk around and keep them up or try to lay down and get some rest. Eventually they did get strong enough to go to the hospital, but those were some tiring hours before that.

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Why am I not getting reply notifications! Grrrr!!!

 

 

Thank you for all of the encouragement. There was a group of us all due within a few days of each other. I'm the only one still pregnant. I'm trying to listen to my body and do things when I have the energy and take a nap or sit down and rest when I'm tired. I don't want labor to really start and be so exhausted from the on again/off again that I can't cope.

 

I was hoping for a Pi baby (3-14). Maybe he is waiting until Thursday to make his momma happy? I might bust out the breast pump tomorrow night!

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I am tired of being pregnant but more than that, I'm tired of the constant contractions. I could handle the normal end of pregnancy woes. It is the constant contractions. In the last 11 days, I've had more then 6 days were I should have gone into L&D because I had timeable contractions for over 2 hours. (My Dr says come in if they are 5 minutes apart for more then 2 hours- I've been doing that) And these are hard contractions- ones that I need to stop and focus on. I'm physically and mentally worn out from the contractions and still no baby. I'm keeping myself busy and trying not to dwell on them but it is wearing on me.

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I am tired of being pregnant but more than that, I'm tired of the constant contractions. I could handle the normal end of pregnancy woes. It is the constant contractions. In the last 11 days, I've had more then 6 days were I should have gone into L&D because I had timeable contractions for over 2 hours. (My Dr says come in if they are 5 minutes apart for more then 2 hours- I've been doing that) And these are hard contractions- ones that I need to stop and focus on. I'm physically and mentally worn out from the contractions and still no baby. I'm keeping myself busy and trying not to dwell on them but it is wearing on me.

 

 

I feel your pain!

 

I've had days of contractions like that this time around. It's miserable and exhausting. BUT, since I'm fairly certain I've got a while (3wks till my due date), when I start contracting, I sit down. They pick up sometimes, but mostly I try to ignore them because it's just prodromal labor here. It just means a lot of sitting and directing, but it's not worth trying to get the contractions to continue or labor to start since I'm 90% certain I'll hit my due date (or close to it).

 

I hope things either start up or fizzle out for you!

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I feel your pain!

 

I've had days of contractions like that this time around. It's miserable and exhausting. BUT, since I'm fairly certain I've got a while (3wks till my due date), when I start contracting, I sit down. They pick up sometimes, but mostly I try to ignore them because it's just prodromal labor here. It just means a lot of sitting and directing, but it's not worth trying to get the contractions to continue or labor to start since I'm 90% certain I'll hit my due date (or close to it).

 

I hope things either start up or fizzle out for you!

 

 

 

It's nice to know I'm not alone! I do try to change whatever I'm doing- if I'm up, I'll go sit down and have the girls finish up what I'm doing (or finish it later). If I'm sitting, I'll get up and do something. I'm making sure to drink lots but nothing seems to change what the contractions do! Oh well. It will come to an end!

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I thought caster oil could make the baby poop and then they can inhale it and get really sick/die?! I've read so many times not to do cater oil and how dangerous it can be for the baby, I'm surprised no one's mentioned that yet?!

 

 

I did castor oil twice, one week apart. Dd was born with severe meconium aspiration, had been in it for about a week... which was how long it had been since the second time I took the castor oil. She almost died, and had to be transfered to the children's hospital because the NICU ran out of interventions. I didn't get to hold her until she was two days old, and she was hooked to a bunch of wires and tubes. I don't say anything because I hope it wasn't really my fault... but yeah, won't be doing that again. :(

 

OP, it could be up to four more weeks. I'd try to stay distracted and let it go, sorry!

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I am tired of being pregnant but more than that, I'm tired of the constant contractions. I could handle the normal end of pregnancy woes. It is the constant contractions. In the last 11 days, I've had more then 6 days were I should have gone into L&D because I had timeable contractions for over 2 hours. (My Dr says come in if they are 5 minutes apart for more then 2 hours- I've been doing that) And these are hard contractions- ones that I need to stop and focus on. I'm physically and mentally worn out from the contractions and still no baby. I'm keeping myself busy and trying not to dwell on them but it is wearing on me.

 

 

Was the same thing w/Boo. I truly do understand. :grouphug:

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