Girls, I really want to go into labor on my own this time, with both of my girls my doctor induced me 1 day after my due date, the first time was serious because I had high blood pressure with that pregnancy, but with my 2nd, she just decided to induce me because I was so uncomfortable and I had dialated..more or less just to get the ball rolling I was induced. Both labor and deliveries were great, I didn't have any problems progressing, I had katelyn in 6 hours and I had Hailey in 9 hours.

I was wondering if you girls can give me any advice to try to go into labor on my own. I have 4 months, I told DH we were going to start spending alot of "alone time" together, because I heard that helps to soften the cervix. But other than that, I have been walking and doing odd jobs, I do rest but not alot right now.

Any advice, or things that you have found to work for you? TIA.

By Tunnia on Wednesday, January 5, 2005 - 10:20 am:

I have no advice for you because I was induced with both of mine too - dd 3 weeks early due to preeclampsia, and ds 2 weeks late because, well he was 2 weeks late.

I still wonder what it would be like to be able to go into labor on my own and be able to stay at home where I am comfortable until it is time to go to the hospital. Now I'll never know. I hated being induced because the pitocin made me go from nothing to non-stop contractions very quickly with almost no time to prepare myself mentally. Good luck to you!

By Juli4 on Wednesday, January 5, 2005 - 10:46 am:

If your doctor wants to induce and there is no reason other than they want to or you are uncomfortable then just say no that you would rather wait. You can say no. I also heard that sex help soften the cervix and at the end tried it many many times. I can't tell if it helped but it was kinda fun. IT was actually a little uncomfortable but I was determined to have that baby. Evening primrose oil is supposed to soften the cerix. You can start taking it now. Just do a little research on it to find out how much and when. It has many other benefits also. Castor oil can work, but I tried it and did start having contractions but it was because i was dehydrated adn when I drank water they went away. I did nipple stimulation forever and it did produce strong contractions but when I stopped they stopped. Just try to be patient. In the end I was glad I was not induced and that I did not go into labor before I did becasue the baby still came when it was ready and it was a wonderful labor and birth. It probably would have been a lot harder and longer if I was induced and such.

By Amecmom on Wednesday, January 5, 2005 - 05:11 pm:

I was almost a week overdue, and my midwife swiped my cervix. 24 hours later I was in labor, but didn't know it. I got to the hospital just in time to deliver my baby. If you are late, rather than scheduling an induction, maybe your doc can do the same thing.
Good luck.
Ame

By Emily7 on Wednesday, January 5, 2005 - 05:17 pm:

Watching my dh play Twister put me into labor with dd.
I would just walk a lot. The baby will come when it wants to, I would tell your doctor no on the induction unless there is a reason it needs to be done. I really would not want to try to take any kind of herbs or stuff with out your doctor saying it is okay.

By Dana on Wednesday, January 5, 2005 - 05:33 pm:

I'm in my last 5 wks. I was told to get red raspberry tea. Read the instructions before taking it. It pretty much says one glass a day until your last 4 wks. Then you drink 1 quart a day. I just purchased it today at a health food store. It is suppose to help strengthen the uteral muscles as well as provide elasticity.

By Wandilu on Wednesday, January 5, 2005 - 11:23 pm:

"Back in the old days" we simply just "waited" and sooner or later(usually in the middle of the night!!!)the pains would start.In most cases,they would start out like menstral cramps,or back pain.It actually was exciting that way.We would time the contractions,and call the DR.If we lived close by,we wouldn't head for the hospital untill the contractions were 5 mins apart.Family members would gather in the waiting room,and ther was always a loud shout of excitement when the DR.came and told what sex the baby was !! I know there are times when inducing is necessary for the well being of mommy and baby,but so many times it's for the conveinance(sp)of the Dr.There is a Dr. here in town,that NEVER delivers on the weekend unless it's an emergency.

By Mrse on Wednesday, January 5, 2005 - 11:51 pm:

ok, now I am not, I repeat not recommending this, but just wanting to tell you what happened to me. I was overdue, my doctor told me to take caster oil, to induce labour, well........... I took it, and I could not make it to the car, I had to go to the bathroom every min, so I would run back to the house, in the end I had to sit on my 2 year olds potty all the way to the hospital. I freaked out when I reached the hospital and they did not have a wheel chair with a comode available, but I did make it up to the deliver room, and my daughter was born minutes later. The caster oil threw me into active labour. IT was a fast delivery. I look back on it, and I think I took to much caster oil. I was induced the proper way with my other two daughters, and with the one daughter it also threw me right into hard labour, ( no time to adjust to the pain) the other one, I was induced but I was not dialating and like an idiot I refused an epedural for hours and hours as in my mind that was for pain control, and I did it with no pain killers for the first two so I refused, but I missed the point totally , they wanted to give me the epidural so that they could increase the drug that would let me dialate. sorry for the spelling. Hope you can find a way to get the ball rolling when the time comes, the caster oil idea the doctor may have turned out different if I did not take so much, I think that is why I had such a time .

By Coopaveryben on Thursday, January 6, 2005 - 07:08 pm:

I just wanted to warn you, if you do go into labor with the 3rd go to the hospital as soon as you can. I was in labor with #1 for 13 hours after my water broke, with #2 for 9 hours after my water broke....#3 about 20 minutes!!!! I was having light contractions all day and kept putting it off. Fortunetely we live across the street from the hospital, we almost didn't make it in time.

By Kaye on Thursday, January 6, 2005 - 11:21 pm:

Okay well I have heard sex and more sex, then some walking. I have had friends take castor oil, I would never do that. There is a restraunt in NY that swears their eggplant paremesan will put you in labor (it was on the today show a year and some ago). The other odd thing I have heard is peppermint extract. When you hit your due date, put the extract in a bed pan and sit above it. Just like a peppermint candy opens you all up, that is supposed to help that. Never tried it though. Also remember this is your body, your baby, tell the doc you really prefer to go into labor on your own. Then remember that later. If there is a medical reason he will let you know.

I went into labor with my first, was induced with my last two. There was only a difference in the middle one, it was a bad hard labor. I think induction can be very natural if you wait until your cervix is ready.

By Babysitbarb on Wednesday, January 12, 2005 - 05:27 pm:

sex started labor both times for me!