How Can I Induce Labor?

Raspberry leaf tea may or may not work - some people say it definitely does, some say it does nothing at all. I think celestial seasonings raspberry zinger has raspberry leaf, and some of the herbal teas sold in the organic or health food section of the grocery store. I think you're supposed to drink it several times a day. Good luck!

massage your ankles. it is the trigger point for the uterus.

Boy, what a passionate subject for me......

Yes, as you mentioned walking and sex are the best natural ways of helping labor along.
But my BEST advice for you is to remember that this is YOUR pregnancy and YOUR baby.....NOT your doctor's or midwife. Although medical technology should be respected, most women (me, included with my first child)forget that birthing your glorious child is NOT a medical condition....it is nature!! Most parents feel more comfortable having medical attention close by in case of an emergency, but not at the convenience of the doctor or facilty. In other words, don't let them dictate your labor and delivery. YOU AND YOUR BABY ARE IN CONTROL !! If you don't want to have a C-section....simply say NO! If you doctor insists...say WHY? And if there is truly no medical emergency....WAIT !! I know at this point you feel anxious, bloated, emotional, but put all your faith in your little one and know he is loving life all snuggled in your womb and he will come when he's ready. Our C-section rate is so high now because us mom's are ready before the babies are and we choose their birthdate and as for the doctor's....it's easier for them to schedule a birth and make it a "medical condition" than for nature to take it's coarse. We fall vunerable to this by the end of our pregnancies.
I wish you the very best with your labor and delivery. Please remember that you have the right to ask questions and choose your own way !! So many people forget that.
Please have faith that you and your baby can do this on your own...if not, thank goodness for back up.

I have three girls. My first birth was with an epideral(sp?)and doctors/nurses telling me what to do. I was moments away from a C-section because of all of the medical interventions.
I learned my lesson with this delivery.
My other two daughters were delivered in a hospital with midwives and I had ZERO interventions....not even an IV. I was 2 weeks late with my second daugher and a week early with my third daughter. Sounds crazy, but 100% natural birth hurt less and is way more rewarding.

I hope I gave you some comfort.

GOOD LUCK !! ;-)

Many of the previous responses are a coincidence or urban legend. Sex can help & stripping the membrane may help, but it can be very painful...
I would not let the doctor tell me that I'm going to have a c-section unless I am comfortable with that. If you want to try a vaginal birth then he needs to wait at least until after your due date.

S. it's better to wait, the lungs are the last to fully develop. You don't want your little one stuck in the NICU his first days of life. If it comes down to Jan.31st and your still not ready TELL the doctor you are going to wait!!! Period! It's your baby and your body! They cannot make you go early!
Warm water enema's help if you are over due but they just stress the baby and you if you are not ready. Most babies require an average of the full 40 wks to fully develop.

I'm sorry you're having a hard time and wish you the best. I have five children under the age of 10, so I can relate to some of your pregancy issues. However, I learned the hard way to be grateful for every day your baby stays in the womb. My 2nd, 3rd, and 4th children were born with underdeveloped lungs, even though they were a good size and not technically premature. We had a couple of scary weeks with each of them in the intensive care unit. They came home healthy and fine, but it is not something I would wish on anyone. With my fifth baby, I went into labor at 27 weeks and spent 13 weeks as "high risk" and on complete bedrest with an irritable uterus. I was in pain daily, especially at night. I ended up being induced two days after my due date and the baby only spent one day longer than I did in the hospital. Hang in there and trust your body's timing. Good luck. It's worth it.

My first question is why won't they let you go for longer? Don't most doctors let you go at least a week past your due date? I did the sex, nipple stimulation and I also ate pineapple and drank raspberry leaf tea. I went into labor two days later, which was on my actual due date. Good luck and I hope you do get to have your baby vaginally!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

More than 300 women gave birth 48 hrs after eating the eggplant parmaseana - they have a baby wall in the resturant...try it...it will be fun and a GREAT romantic meal check out the link - good luck and blessing to you http://www.scalinis.com/Bambino.htm

I can't believe they scheduled you a c section when they know you want a VBAC. REFUSE! Babies usually come late-and it is very normal to be pregnant for up to 42 weeks. Your body, your baby, your experience. Please don't give in, you'll just regret not knowing what you could have accomplished if you stuck to your guns. My son was very late and I castor oiled it-it worked but he pooped and had Mechoneum (sp?) because of it so be careful. Try Blue or Black Cohosh, accupuncture, and evening primrose. You can give them a push, but really, it is up to the baby. Good Luck and congrats on wanting a vaginal birth.

S.:

I had a VBAC a year and a half ago and I am so glad I did. However, I had the same trouble you are in that my doctor was very vocal and discouraged me so much that he scheduled me for a c-section. I was dissappointed and finally decided to seek another opinion even though I was 38 weeks pregnant. I went to see a Dr. Tate who is a single practitioner who specializes in VBAC's. He hates to cut unless he absolutely has to and will work with you to have the best birth plan for you and the baby. Don't let anybody push you into a c-section. VBAC's are much better for the mother and baby if all works out. If your doctor won't unschedule the c-section, give him a call if you really want a VBAC, he takes lots of late term pregnancies for the same reason. He's in Norcross and his number is ###-###-####. I highly encourage him. After all I'm expecting baby #3 and I drive an hour each way just for him to be my doctor. Good luck!

M.

P.S. Not much really works in inducing labor but try everything. Sex, eggplant parmesean, and lots of walking!

They say Eggplant Parmesan from Fellini's is a sure fire labor inducer. Also, back in the day (and today for those of us who are weird) Castor Oil. Yep. Eww. Look up inducing with Castor oil. (some say mixing it with OJ is the best way to take it.)

Luck to you. I went 2 weeks over. My kid will always be stubborn!

Try the SEX. It is uncomfortable, but it works. My sister and myself both went into labor that way (me by accident, early labor from sex, had to be stopped) The process causes the uterus to contract, which is the goal. Also, why won't your doctor strip your membranes for you? When it was time, my doctor stripped mine upon my request to get it started, the next morning I was in some serious labor. Good Luck, and don't try anything without asking your doctor, putting foreign things (like oils/cremes) in your "who who" can be dangerous. And remember, they cannot force you into a cesearen unless the baby is in danger, you have every right to tell them NO. It always bothers me the way doctors seem to push the cesearen issue. Vaginal birth, when able, is the best way. It is natures way. Don't let them push you into something you dont want to do, VBAC is successful all the time.

I completely understand. I had a C with my daughter, who is 22 months old. I asked my OB if VBAC would be possible and she said yes, but a C might be necessary if my incision "broke". I was overjoyed because, like you, I felt like I missed out on a lot of the joy of "giving birth". Not to mention the morphine made me extremely sick for about 9 hours after she arrived.

Here is an idea that was sent to me when my daughter was 8 days late...prepare a box of Kraft macaroni and cheese, put A1 steaksauce on top, and eat. I didn't actually try it because the thought made me kinda sick, but maybe it will work for you. Good luck. D.

Hi I am a doula, a mother of 5, a home birther, and general birth guru. Because you are a vbac you have to be very careful with trying to induce at home. I would love to chat with you over the phone to give you more info on what you can do and what you should avoid.
Also I like to remind my clients and women in general that the DRS WORK FOR YOU!!! If you do not want to go in for an un-necasary c-section especially one schedualed before your due date- then don't go. Tell your dr that he/she can schedual but that you won't be there. They CAN NOT force you to have a c-section.
VBAC are safe and better for mom and baby=-)
Again I would love to chat with you if you want and I hope all goes in your favor for your birth=-)...M.

Honestly the thing that every OB will tell you when you ask this question is, Have lots of sex. As uncomfortable as it may be it's really the only thing that doctors will reccomend. Your baby already has a plan and you'd be suprised at how they accomidate you sometimes. My son came just when he was ready and just in the nick of time. Try not to stress about since that can just prolong things. I wish you the best of luck!! Please let us know how everything goes!

Good luck with inducing. We tried everything including home remedies and doctor recommened--i was 2 1/2 weeks late so they were suggesting ideas too. Still nothing. I was induced for 36 hours before I even dialated to a 1. But then three hours later I got to hold my baby girl.

Hi S.,

Check out this link http://www.drspock.com/article/0,1510,5329,00.html. I found a lot of the things the ladies here have been saying are there. He explains why they work and could help you determine which one or ones, lol, are best!

God bless!

M.

Well S. I'll say it like this. Good luck with the VBAC. Last April I attempted one and it was unsuccessful but I did the sweeping of the membranes and still no dialation. Regardless I wanted to let you know that the repeat c-section (not that I don't hope that you get to do the vbac) is 10000x better then the first. I wish I didn't even labor the second time because the repeat was soooo much better from the process to the recovery. I got my tubes tied but if I was to ever get magically pregnant again I wouldn't even think twice about repeat c-section thats how much better it was. So chin up if that happens. It will be a much better experience.

Hi S.-

It's so funny what pregnant women will do to go in to labor! I was almost 2 weeks overdue with my son. I had a midwife and she was forced to tell me that once the 2 weeks hits, they have to induce. I tried everything! Sex, walking 2 miles a day, castor oil, etc. My midwife even stripped my membranes. Nothing worked. Two days before the deadline, I went and had acupuncture done- specific acupuncture to start labor. Less than 24 hours later, I called the acupuncturist to tell him that I had a beautiful baby boy laying on my chest. Acupuncture doesn't hurt at all, and all it does is get the energy flowing where it needs to. The needles went in odd places- in a toe here, a forearm there, etc. But it doesn't hurt, and it worked. I think the normal fee is somewhere around $50 for a session. It was great for me.
A word of caution though: the other ladies are right- DO NOT let the Dr. pressure you in to a C-Section. That should only be used if you're very overdue or if there are problems. If the Dr. does it for any other reason, he's doing it for himself, and not for you or your baby. There are some things going on in the womb right now that are preparing your baby for the outside world. Don't rush nature, and don't let your doctors either! Even though I was "overdue" and the acupuncture worked, my son landed in the hospital when he was just shy of 2 weeks old because he had an iningual hernia- where the bowels fall in to the testicles. They do this when the "seal" over the testicles has not completely closed. Guess what? That's one of the last things that happen in the womb before nature decides it's time to get the baby out. It can happen to girls too, just not as common. Surgery corrected it, but I'll tell you what- it was a nightmare. I was not allowed to nurse him for 12 hours to prepare him for surgery. He was in severe pain (they had to manually push his bowels out of his testicles twice during that time to keep his bowels from strangulating), and I had to try to comfort him but not nurse him. It was one of the most emotionally draining things I have ever been through. The thought of your 2 week old going under anesthesia and under the knife is not a welcome one when they're so small and fragile. I still think that nature knew my little guy wasn't quite ready to come out in the first place. Still, sometimes you're not left with any other choice. If you can't seem to win with your doctor, and even with your special situation with trying to have a VBAC, I would consider hiring a doula- a labor assistant. These are wonderful women who take care of you before, during, and a little bit after the birth. They are very supportive of natural births, and the best thing is that they consider themselves the mother's advocate. They stay in the labor room with you and help you birth, but they also act as a filter for pushy relatives, doctors, and nurses. If they know your desires beforehand, they will act as the liason between you and the medical team. My mom is a doula, and she has stepped out of the room with many a doctor who was just trying to rush things and tell him, give her 2 more hours- the baby's doing fine, the mom's doing fine, she just needs some more time. Voila! Nature takes it's course and no intervention is needed- just time and the mother not feeling pressured and under the gun. This is something you or your husband are probably not going to be "with it" enough to do during labor, because of the natural course of things. You're in a very vulnerable position now and will be while you're in labor too. You need an advocate, so I'd highly recommend hiring one. They normally only charge around $300, and they'll come visit you afterwards to deal with issues like breastfeeding, postpardum depression, etc. I can't say enough good things about this. My best friend tried to have a VBAC and when her water didn't break a couple hours in to labor, they did a C. No other reason! But she said it all just went so fast and she didn't have the awareness during that intense time to say NO! She wished she had had someone who knew the medical side of it, could think logically, and tell the doctor he was wrong. Instead, she had a C-Section that was totally unnecessary., And now that she's had 2 C's, they've told her she can't have a VBAC with the next one. So don't get too caught up in what your doctor's telling you during this vulnerable time. Stand up for your rights and consider hiring a doula to help you with that. Good luck!

Hi S.,
I am a birth doula which means I give labor support. I also practiced as a certified pregnancy massage therapist for 15 years before retiring from that part of my practice.
Yes there are a few things that may work. Obviously, if there were guaranteed ways to natural induce labor, you would know b/c that couldn't be a secret.
The two things that I have used in my practice is holding pressure on a few different accupressure points and also stimulating your nipples to mimic a baby's sucking. That releases oxytocin which signals the uterus to contract. The pressure points I am referring to are around your ankle just under the boney part that protrudes on your ankle. Look for where it's a little tender to the touch and firmly hold pressure there not not to the point of it being painful. Another point is the between the pointer finger and thumb. Again, look for where it is tender and hold that point. Rule of thumb for this is hold steady pressure on the pressure point until you release then tenderness ease, up to 2-3 minutes. I agree, babies know when they are ready most of the time. My twins were a VBAC! Good luck!

I had a prenatal massage about 5 days before my due date because I was absolutly swollen and wished I hadn't eaten all of the ice cream that I did throughout the prenancy. The wonderful girl that was giving me the massage joked that there is a pressure point on your ankle that is suppose to bring on labor, I instantly had her do the remainer of my time on this "certain" pressure point on my ankle. That was at 6:30pm, my water broke at 6:30am the following morning. If it doesn't work for you, look at it as a moment to get a wonderful massage!

Hey try castrol oil. I did it with my last two and it worked for me. You can get it in most drug stores the small bottle will do the job. I do have to warn you that it is nasty it feels like you are trying to swallow vaseline yuck. I chased it down with a pepsi and that relieves some of the effects of swallowing it. In about an hour with both of my kids I started contracting. Well I hope that helps if you have any more questions you can email me good luck.

A.
____@____.com

well what i did was i drank Castor oil mixed with chocolate ice cream and that night i started contracting only thing was i would not dilate o being that i was already scheduled for a c-section they did it any way the only thing about that was i could have ruptured my uterus and bled out so be careful..good luck im expecting another one two they r suppose to schedule u a week ahead not a day. for ur section dont know why they did u a day ahead

Go get a pedicure; a really good one. It has been shown to start contractions. I recommend getting one at Jennifer Josephs Salon in McDonough; she spends an hour rubbing your ankles, feet and painting toes.
My DR stripped the membranes and within 48 hours i was in labor...
Good luck!

Don't let them schedule your c-section without your consent. Just say no.

I tried these things when I was pregnant: raspberry leaf tea, fennel, spicy food, lots of walking, lots of sex, pressure points, eggplant parmesan (homemade, not the famous one) stripping membranes, castor oil, etc. You name it, I tried it, and got nowhere. The only thing that worked was an enema- that moved things right along, and fast!

You are paying your doctor for a service. You do not have to have a cesarian - at this point. You may indeed need a cesarian but you are not required to have one just because you had one before. Just so no. Be strong. You would not buy a honda if you wanted a ford just because that's what was convenient for the car dealer.

I have heard that castor oil works for some people. I tried it, and it didn't work for me, but I know some people that it has worked for. If I remember correctly, you mix 2 tablespoons of the nasty stuff in orange juice or root beer (to cover the taste, although you still taste it. YUCK!). You can look it up online to be sure.

Ultimately though, I truly believe that the baby will come when the baby is ready to come. I remember how anxious I was though. I tried EVERYTHING to try to get my baby to come early, and he didn't. I was induced 2 days before my due date. Good luck with everything! :-)

I am of the opinion that you should ask your doctor what the medical indication of an induction is. I am going to guess you are seeing an OB vs a midwife because a midwife would not push you to induce.
I was induced w/ my first baby and 17 years later remarried and had another baby, now 10 months old. I was so afraid that I would not go into labor naturally.
Well, I did go into labor 2 weeks late, heck, almost three weeks and my midwives would have let me go as long as I would have liked as long as my placenta was still preforming properly.

I guess my point here is ask questions. I would not let them deliver prior to your due date and your body will let you know when it is time. You need to trust your body right now.

Oh My Goodness! First of all, giant congratulations on the baby and the decision to attempt a VBAC. But who is your doctor? He/She does not seem committed to your success, and although it's late in the game, it is still your pregnancy and your birth. I had a VBAC last year - February 3rd! My docotr was very supportive, although he did keep me level-headed by reminding me of the 50% chance of another c-section. What he did to help, though, was do an induction a couple of days BEFORE the due date. My first was born 16 days LATE because they refused to induce, and she weighed nearly 10 pounds and had an enormously round head - she was NEVER going to come out unassisted. Knowing about that, my docotr thought the best thing to do would be an induction to prevent another big baby. I was in agreement with anything that would avoid another surgery, but I still tried in vain to avoid a pitocin drip, too. So for two weeks prior to delivery, I surfed every single midwife website, read every book on the library shelf, and tried any and all remedies I came across. None worked. Even the ones that seem to help others with a pretty high percentage rate. I'm sorry I don't have the websites anymore, but you can google natural induction, and variations of those words, and probably come across the same information. Stripping membranes is a great one, but you need a doctor willing to help. Speaking of, maybe try being MUCH more vocal about your wishes and needs? He's afraid of lawsuits, plain and simple. An honest and open discussion may help the two of you figure out better approaches than a scheduled c-section! I'm sorry, I just cannot believe they've already scheduled you. I'm mad for you! His insurance claims should not dictate your birthing experience. Okay, I am pressed for time, so lucky for you, I won't go on. But also try castor oil. It is DISGUSTING. GROSS. AWFUL, ICKY, NASTY, UGH! But, it works for a LOT of women. Not me, not any of the 4 times I drank that nasty stuff. But it's worth a shot to avoid the operating room. I don't remember the doses, s look that up. I remember drinking the entire bottle, every time. EW! Black cohosh extract did start mild contractions with me, but they never caught on. I really believe my body is just missing the "on" switch, because even pitocin had trouble getting things moving. I hope you have better luck. Congrats again, and remember, no matter what the outcome - you will have a squishy baby in your arms soon! Nothing better!