Ideas to Induce Labor Safely?

I just learned this in school...the reason they always send you home from the hospital when you are not fully dilated, is because the hospital is not exactly a relaxing place to be. The human mother, as well as most breeds of mom, will not fully go into labor until they feel they are safe and relaxed and nested. Every mom is different, some feel relaxed at the hospital, but many do not. That is why they are sent home if their labor stops. How many stories have you heard of a woman going into labor and then having her labor stop as soon as she gets to the hospital:)
Anyways, my suggestion is to relax, and to keep walking, and do some yoga and stretching(cat-cows are wonderful), and talk to your baby about how excited you are and how welcome she will be in this world:) Congratulations!

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S.,
I have no advice to give, just wanted to send along good wishes and to say from one Mom of 2 boys and a girl to a soon to be Mom of 2 boys and a girl....it's great! Congrats!

Take this last bit of time to make sure everything is ready (although with finally getting to buy Pink, I am sure you are more than ready) and maybe think of any new ideas you want to put in place for her... I bought my daughter a hope chest and we are filling it with memories for her, pictures, first blanket, wishes from family, stuff like that! Girls, in my opinion of course, need a bit more soft, mushy, sentimental, etc type stuff to have from family when they get older.

13 has always been my favorite number (it was my Dad's favorite too!) and I just thought I would throw this out there...we have a Friday the 13th coming up...pretty cool...our family has never believed them to be negative, only positive and rare!!!

Good Luck and Best wishes to you and yours!

K.

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Absolutley! Sex. It is akward, uncomfortable and not what you want to do right now, but it worked with both my girls. I had them the next day.

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Sperm from sex is really the best way. Keep in mind that due dates are definitely not an exact science. The medical profession STILL goes off of the typical 28-day cycle, which many women do not have. Therefore there are tons of "late" and "early" babies who may not be late or early at all.

Your precious little girl will come when she is ready. Just be thankful that you're dilating and effacing OUTSIDE of the hospital. This makes a birth without the interventions much more possible. I wouldn't worry about it. Sounds like she's priming the pump and will arrive shortly:)

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Castor oil worked with both of my children. I understand wanting to get it done and over with, lol been there done that. Like the earlier post suggested, blend it with some orange juice and be prepared for a few hours of diarrhea, but I thought it better to be cleaned out ahead of time than have a big BM during delivery. :) Good luck :)

I went through the Bradley courses for childbirth and my doulah suggested caster oil. I did it for my first one. You buy a small bottle at the grocery store or drug store (where the vitamins are). I mixed it with orange juice (I couldn'd drink it alone-it was too thick). I was already in the beginning phases of labor and I went into hard labor shortly after that--a few hours--all in all my baby was born about 6 1/2 hours after taking the caster oil. I will warn you, it cleaned me out but then I didn't have that to worry about at the hospital. My OB doesn't feel it really works, but in comparing my first child to my second, I feel it does. (I didn't do it with my second, because my first came so fast after I arrived at the hospital that I didn't want to chance it). Please email me if you have any other questions.

I just had my daughter two months ago, and something that worked for me was pressure point massage. It could be a coincidence, but my husband worked on my pressure points around 9pm and my water broke that morning at 4am. You can just do an internet search for "pressure points to induce labor", and you get lots of answers. The ones that worked for me were on the ankle and lower leg. Good luck!

Castor oil worked for me - both times! Both my babies went past their due dates and I tried black cohosh (herbal extract) and everything you mentioned. Then, a couple of days before the due date I took a tablespoon of castor oil in a little OJ and sure enough, I had a daughter the next day! Same thing with my son. My midwife said the good thing about castor oil is that if you're ready it will push you over the edge into labor, but if you're not it only empties your bowels. :) Blessings on your labor - whenever it comes!

With my second boy, I really wanted to have a VBAC so I took Evening Primrose Oil pills and drank a lot of Raspberry Leaf Tea as recommended by my midwife. It seemed to work since my water broke the day before my due date where I never even went into labor the first time. Although I ended up having another C-section since my baby's heartbeat went down with every contraction, I believe I was close to having a regular birth. Good luck to you! By the way, did you do anything different this time to get a girl? I really wish I knew the trick!

A very dear friend of mine (who had her children with a mid-wife) suggested to me (when I was pregnant and ready to have the baby) to squat and do some pelvic rotations, front to back. So to do the squat safely (without falling over!) I held onto her and did a very wide legged squat and some pelvic rotations. WOW!!!! I actually felt like a "pop" which I can only imagine was a vertibrae adjustment and that night, less than 12 hours later, I was in labor! It was wonderful, something I would strongly recommend. Just find a safe place to get into a squat postion....the arm to a sofa would even work! Best of luck!

Hi S.,

I'm sure that you have already had many great ideas thrown out there. It sounds as if you are past 40 weeks and so there are definitely some things that you can try. I want to reiterate first though that induction is induction no matter what means are used. You should never try to induce your labor without the knowledge and consent of your physician or midwife. If you decide to induce your labor, whether you use herbs, supplements or harsher drugs, it still carries risks. Please consider this carefully before you choose to use methods for inducing labor.
This being said, there are some techniques that can be done and things that you can use that may "stimulate" labor, but if your baby is not ready will not push your body into labor. These are: sex, nipple stimulation, massage of the legs and feet, accupressure, walking, talking to your little one and letting her know you're ready when she is, etc...
Here is a website that lists some of the methods commonly used for self-inducing labor. http://pregnancy.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Self_Induction_of_Labor

I hope this helps. I live in Shelton, Wa so if you would like any more info. feel free to call or e-mail me!

D. Rylander
A Blessed Birth Doula Services
###-###-####
____@____.com

Please let your little girl be born when she is ready! Babies know when they are ready and set in motion the hormones to start labor. I'd suggest that you enjoy this special time with your two boys and your husband, maybe spending extra special time with each of them, and all of you talk with the baby about how you're welcoming her to come whenever she is ready. "Due dates" are only averages and estimates. Your baby knows exactly when the right time will be.

An old wives tale is to drink Raspberry Leaf Tea...not sure if it really works but I did it and had my daughter 2 days later (a week before her due date). Add walking to it and that will really help. Congrats on your new baby!! :-)

Well, with my second child, I got the go-ahead from my OB to try a glass of wine when I was four days late. I don't know if it was a coincidence or not, but I went into labor that night and had him the next morning. Good luck!

K.

Hi S.,
Accupuncture can work well. I know someone already suggested that but if you need someone a little farther south from Seattle, I have a great accupuncturist in Kent. Good luck!
Kerry

Remember the commercial for catsup, anticipation, it was slow getting there and wanted oh so much.... that's your daughter and you. Dates are not definite things. She will arrive on 'her' due date and your body will be ready for that day. Take this opportunity for some extra sleep, to run those last minute errands, to make sure that all the things you'll need when you get home are at home right now. Plan your boys clothes for while you're gone, put them in 'outfit' stacks so Dad doesn't put prints with stripes or clashing colors. Get small gifts for your boys and have them wrapped, so as folks drop off gifts for you and the new baby, they'll have something to open.. eases any sibling rivalry. Take the boys shopping to have them buy a small toy to put in the baby's bed at the hospital so when they come to visit they'll be able to find her fast because they'll notice their gift to her in her bassinet. Breathe and relax. Enjoy the last few hours or days of calm before the storm of activity that will not stop for at least 18 years. If you were two or more weeks overdue, then I would be looking for 'prompts' but tomorrow is your due date, no.... enjoy the peace and somewhat quiet. Congrats on your impending arrival and on the wonderful two boys that you have right now. You are so blessed!!!

There are a couple of homeopathic remedies well-known to help and many midwives use - I'll look them up if you like with instructions.
Good luck :)
Liz

Acupuncture and chiropractic! There are certain nerves and medians that correspond with the uterus. If you're in Lynnwood or Seattle let me know if you need any recommendations, good luck! Little girls are so fun!!

Take 5 deep breaths (5 seconds in through the nose and 5 seconds out through the mouth--letting your abdomen rise and your ribs spread as much as possible). Then chill! You're not even due yet. My mother's advice about labor is: "When you don't think you can last another day, add a week to that and you'll be ready to have the baby."
I'm sure you are anxious, but you want your precious little girl to have the best start on life you can give her (as I am sure the whole anxious family does)...That means having as much time to get ready for her grand entrance as she "needs". Be patient and give her that time.
This won't be the only time you will be "waiting" on her--I know, I have 2 girls (they really are SO different than little boys!).
I LOVE the hope chest idea!! Wish I'd have thought to do that--then she could have it when she's all grown up. We gave our first daughter a beautiful (mother holding a baby in pink) music box as a "birthday present" and then one for each birthday since (she loves to listen to them).

If you are really to go, many things can help... sex, nipple stimulation, fresh parsley, vigorous walking, etc. If you are not ready to go, then no matter what you try, it won't work. Everything will happen in it's own time, and although it is really hard, the best thing to do to get things moving is RELAX. The human body is made to keep baby in when things outside are too stressful.
I have not read the other responses yet, but in case someone recommends Castor oil, look into it carefully before trying. Castor oil will give you intense intestinal contractions that may start labor, but they are likely to give your baby the same intestinal contractions that will cause her to poop in the water and possibly inject meconium.