Natural Labor Induction Tips

JENALBER78

Hi Ladies! Hope someone has suggestions as I am at a loss here...

I currently have a 14 YO and an 11 YO and am 37 weeks +3. Both priors were delivered by C-section with no trial of labor. I am trying for VBAC this time around, due to medicinal allergies and ease in healing. However, I have been told by my doc that I may not go into labor at all because my body has never had to do it before. She also says there is a good possibility that I may still go into labor because I have been having mild contractions for several weeks now, and at 36 weeks, I was dilated 1cm. The dilemma is this... they will not let me go more than a week beyond my due date (April 14th) if I do not go into labor. They will also not induce me due to the prior C-sections. I know that sex and walking are both supposed to be helpful with naturally inducing labor. Any other suggestions for helping to speed up the process for starting labor?  

Chichigo

I've heard the only reliable natural induction technique is nipple stimulation. Things like red raspberry leaf tea and pineapple enzymes help your uterus but don't cause labor.

mb314

Sex and nipple stimulation.  As a last resort, you could try castor oil (I would only do it as a last resort, though).  I bought castor oil two days before my scheduled induction, but thankfully, before I could take it, I went into labor on my own.

Also, I don't buy that your body won't know what to do and may not go into labor on its own because of prior c-sections.  When the baby is ready to come, your body will know what to do.  Hopefully that will be before 41 weeks.

Good luck!

vszapp

I have s

vszapp

Sorry, stupid phone... I have some friends that were successful with acupressure.

TaylorHam86

The doula who teaches my Lamaze class class recommended pinching the fleshy part of your hand at the base of your thumb, like the webby part, if that makes any sense. It's also a pressure point for relieving headaches, if that helps at all. Good luck!

Edit for clarity

Cchewning

I personally would avoid castor oil!! It can make you feel miserable, dehydrated and can cause meconium aspiration. IMO You should drink RRLT 3+/day as well as take evening primrose oil orally as well as insert them. It is a prostaglandin (like sperm) and will soften your cervix. Look up accupressure to induce labor on YouTube and try it. Pumping (with a breast pump) definitely induces labor but I've heard mixed things from midwives/doulas about it because if your body isn't ready for birth it can make labor last longer. There is also an eggplant Parmesan recipe which is famous for inducing labor within 48hrs. I used it and did go into labor the next day but I was doing all of these things! GL! https://www.scalinis.com/main-babies.html

wintersong

Wait, your body might not go into labor because it has never had to do it before?
What about first time mothers? This argument makes no sense to me. Biology is biology. It's not like your uterus has learned that labor is unnecessary and so won't do it. We all know that sometimes labor doesn't go as planned, but I never heard of a person being pregnant for years because their body could not go into labor. :-(

Ladyburd

With my first DD. I went 40 weeks and 3 days. They stripped my membranes and advised for sex, orgasim, & nipple stim from DH. All I have to say was it worked. By 10:30 pm my water broke.

JENALBER78

MSVarner - it is something to do with the fact that my body has never had to go into labor before to get a baby out. I guess for first time moms, your body naturally will go into labor when you are ready, but because mine has been given "other alternatives", it may think it does not need to. It sounded silly to me also before she explained, still kind of does since I have already started having mild contractions and dilating a little bit. She did say there is a good possibility I may go into labor since all the signs are there, but I guess she has seen some women that did not??

Fortunately my last 2 appointments before my scheduled C-section are both with midwives in my OB office. At my appointment on Tuesday, she removed my mucus plug. I have never heard of that being done before, and it was very painful. The midwife said it should help to stimulate more dilation. She also recommended lots of walking and lots of sex. I have also gotten a stability ball to sit on at my desk, rather than the chair. I really don't want to force her to come early if she's not ready. At the same time, I am willing to try almost anything natural that will not harm either of us to not have to go into surgery and that whole healing process again. At my next appointment, the midwife plans to strip the membranes to help in my efforts against having the C-section. Unfortunately, I had to schedule the C-section and if I do not go into labor before then my baby girl will be born on 4/15. She also indicated that, depending on which doctor is on when I go in for my C-section, I may be able to convince that doctor to use a balloon to try to stimulate labor prior to performing it. (A few cool things going on that day. Its a full pink or red moon and a lunar eclipse... don't know that we will be able to see it all in Florida).

Here's to hoping that something happens before April 15th!

JENALBER78

To any interested in an update...

39 week apt yesterday. Midwife says I am  still only dilated 1 cm (but a slightly more open 1 cm). She was still able to do a membrane sweep and somewhat regular contractions started almost immediately (lets just hope the contractions are really doing something this time, as I have been having BH for 7 weeks already). By somewhat regular, I have a contraction timer on my phone and have been having a minimum of 4 contractions per hour, all lasting at least 30 sec, since around 11am yesterday morning.

I asked for any other recommendations to assist the progress. She said she would definitely not recommend castor oil, "it will really serve no other purpose than dehydration". She also mentioned raspberry leaf tea and evening primrose oil, but said that for those to be effective at all they should have been started around 36 or 37 weeks. At this point, she recommended staying active, the stability ball and lots of intercourse (not for the oxytocin release as I am not having problems with contractions, but more for DHs semen release for the prostaglandins to help with cervical ripening).

 She also mentioned fresh pineapple (which I learned yesterday can also include mango and kiwi). They all contain an enzyme that mimics prostaglandins and can assist with cervical ripening/softening. 

It seems that the membrane sweep has been the most effective so far. I began "bloody show" this morning... 6 more days, here's hoping?!?!?!

wintersong139

Good luck with your labor! T&P for you, @JENALBER78!