tips to help get labor started?

mpstochlinski8

I have read so many things about there being nothing you can do to get labor started naturally and then the old wives tales, are they old wives tales or is there something I can do to get this ball rolling? My OB won't let me go past 38wks with my twins bc the placenta has complications after that point with most multiples. My induction date is set for halloween but they want me to go to the hospital the night before to start whatever they need to start. I want as natural a birth as possible even though they are strongly suggesting an epi incase something goes wrong in labor & they need to do a c-sec. I have somewhat wrapped my head around that I may need to do that but now throwing more drugs into the situation is making me nuts! I'm still hoping I can follow through with a smooth natural delivery & would love to not be induced. Any tips would be greatly appreciated! I'm so enormous with these twins I dont feel like sex is on the table at this point though LOL but anything that worked for you please let me know! TIA

Jeffsgurl86

It's awesome to see another twin momma on here!  I had my ID twin boys med-free in the hospital.  I went into labor on my own at 37 weeks 4 days.  I had a 12 hour labor and chose not to have the epidural in place.  My doctor encouraged me to do it (just incase we needed the section)but wasn't pushy about it.  I actually went and talked to the anesthesiologist at my hospital, and they said that they would have to do a "test dose" and have my on IV fluids and bedrest if I had the epi in place.  All these things, according to my research, have proven to slow labor down and I didn't want them.  We just prayed and hoped that both babies would stay head down.  Luckily everyone cooperated and we had an amazing birth experience!

My only suggestion would be to ask your doctor if he'she would be willing to let you go longer if you had sufficient monitoring of the placenta after 38 weeks.  Sometimes due dates can be off and only SOME placentas start having complications.  If yours is healthy and the babies look good, why induce?  Going into labor on my own was crucial IMO to my not having any drug interventions (I've heard/read so many bad things about pitocin induced contractions).  Good luck with your delivery!  If you have more questions about natural twin delivery, I can always try to answer them to the best of my knowledge. :-)

LindseyJW

jeffsgurl86:

It's awesome to see another twin momma on here!  I had my ID twin boys med-free in the hospital.  I went into labor on my own at 37 weeks 4 days.  I had a 12 hour labor and chose not to have the epidural in place.  My doctor encouraged me to do it (just incase we needed the section)but wasn't pushy about it.  I actually went and talked to the anesthesiologist at my hospital, and they said that they would have to do a "test dose" and have my on IV fluids and bedrest if I had the epi in place.  All these things, according to my research, have proven to slow labor down and I didn't want them.  We just prayed and hoped that both babies would stay head down.  Luckily everyone cooperated and we had an amazing birth experience!

My only suggestion would be to ask your doctor if he'she would be willing to let you go longer if you had sufficient monitoring of the placenta after 38 weeks.  Sometimes due dates can be off and only SOME placentas start having complications.  If yours is healthy and the babies look good, why induce?  Going into labor on my own was crucial IMO to my not having any drug interventions (I've heard/read so many bad things about pitocin induced contractions).  Good luck with your delivery!  If you have more questions about natural twin delivery, I can always try to answer them to the best of my knowledge. :-)

all awesome. especially this. 

mpstochlinski8

jeffsgurl86:

It's awesome to see another twin momma on here!  I had my ID twin boys med-free in the hospital.  I went into labor on my own at 37 weeks 4 days.  I had a 12 hour labor and chose not to have the epidural in place.  My doctor encouraged me to do it (just incase we needed the section)but wasn't pushy about it.  I actually went and talked to the anesthesiologist at my hospital, and they said that they would have to do a "test dose" and have my on IV fluids and bedrest if I had the epi in place.  All these things, according to my research, have proven to slow labor down and I didn't want them.  We just prayed and hoped that both babies would stay head down.  Luckily everyone cooperated and we had an amazing birth experience!

My only suggestion would be to ask your doctor if he'she would be willing to let you go longer if you had sufficient monitoring of the placenta after 38 weeks.  Sometimes due dates can be off and only SOME placentas start having complications.  If yours is healthy and the babies look good, why induce?  Going into labor on my own was crucial IMO to my not having any drug interventions (I've heard/read so many bad things about pitocin induced contractions).  Good luck with your delivery!  If you have more questions about natural twin delivery, I can always try to answer them to the best of my knowledge. :-)

thanks for replying that is very inspiring! I have been fighting OB for the entire pregnancy on the epi, I just dont want to risk having to be put under if something should come up and they tell me thats the risk I take if I dont have the epi. They mentioned just the cathedar maybe a small test dose but if something needs to happen very fast it still may not be fast enough to do the epi even with cathedar in place,SUX! My twins have been head down for months now so I feel good that they will stay head down and really want to give it a shot naturally or at the most with the cathedar and lots of prayers lol Hearing you did it natural means a lot and helps me keep positive that it can be done totally vaginally med free. I hate that my OB practice has been trying to wear me down at every single visit! Congrats to you for your awesome experience!!! I did think about asking to hold off on induction if nothing happens by later next week but as of the last u/s baby a is over 2lbs smaller than baby b and until this past month they have been about the same size so I'm a little concerned for baby a. I'm dialated 1cm as of this week but I know that doesnt really mean much. I just soooo badly want labor to start after this weekend since I'll be 37wks tomorrow. thanks again for the inspiration!!!  

SanctuaryMsg

I hear ya on the sex thing, but you should know that there are two elements to it that help kick start things.  First, the muscles that spasm when you orgasm are also the same muscles that are working during labor.  Second there are prostiglandins in sperm, so it serves as an all natural cervical softener.

Otherwise some of my tricks are:

clary sage essential oil (on bottoms of your feet and on your belly)
evening primrose oil (as a vaginal suppository)
lots and lots of walking
massage therapy (the more relaxed you are, the quicker you'll dilate)
acupuncture (make sure to ask them which spots to stimulate later at home)

Fingers crossed for you!

SanctuaryMsg

Also - I've said it in other posts and I'll say it again...

Trust your instincts when it comes to the induction.  You don't HAVE to comply with the doctor's recommendation.  Remember that they're not just managing their patient care, they're also keeping in mind their liability risk. 

Bargaining is always great.  Offer to do NST's and other tests/scans on an increasingly frequent basis if that will get them to let you go until your labor starts spontaneously.

The other thing to remember is you CAN say "no thank you".  Don't be afraid to be firm with your doctor when it comes to your convictions.  I've seen pretty pushy doctors back down when its clear a patient won't change their mind.

mpstochlinski8

SanctuaryMsg:

Also - I've said it in other posts and I'll say it again...

Trust your instincts when it comes to the induction.  You don't HAVE to comply with the doctor's recommendation.  Remember that they're not just managing their patient care, they're also keeping in mind their liability risk. 

Bargaining is always great.  Offer to do NST's and other tests/scans on an increasingly frequent basis if that will get them to let you go until your labor starts spontaneously.

The other thing to remember is you CAN say "no thank you".  Don't be afraid to be firm with your doctor when it comes to your convictions.  I've seen pretty pushy doctors back down when its clear a patient won't change their mind.

thanks good to know! my OB group seems to be pushy so far about things. my last appt before they want to induce is 27th, induce night of 30/31st so if still nothing by then I think I'll ask about holding off on induction. see if they will let is slide another week. 

ambermcmullin

I don't have experience with twins, but I do have it with going past due twice (according to my EDD, no due date is exact).  First time, my dr was old fashion and would not induce me until I was at least 2 wks pass, I was induced on the morning of the 15th day with pitocin and it was not fun but apparently it is the most common method of induction.  The second time, I had to plead with my midwife to hold off on scheduling an induction because I had such a bad time dealing with the first (pitocin, epidural, episiotomy, vaccuum - I swear I didn't remember hearing about the last two at birthing classes or on all my on-line searches!) . Good thing she listened, I went into labor on my own, 3 days after I would have been induced and had my son within 15 minutes of checking into my L&D room! The only thing I can think of was eating tons of fresh pineapple about 2 days earlier.  lol.  I thought by law they can't force you to do an induction, as long as your placenta has enough fluid, I went in for stress tests and u/s to check fluid like every other day. but maybe check, since twins might be considered high risk.  good luck

Jeffsgurl86

I like what the OP said about standing your ground.  It is true...many of the interventions docs do now are to cover THEIR butts when it comes to liability and not always (although that's a generalization) in momma and baby's best interest. 

Ultrasounds can be off by more than 15 ounces larger/smaller, so if (for example) your baby A was miscalculated smaller by 15 ounces, and baby B was miscalculated larger by that amount as well...they would appear to be almost 2 lbs. different!  That's a very large margin of error.  I had a bit of a scare early on with my twin boys...there was a 30% percent discordance in their weights and the docs were talking TTTS.  But they evened out.  In the end, they were (baby A )7 pounds 4 ounces and (baby 7 pounds 14 ounces.

My hubby is reading over my shoulder and saying I should tell you to go for the castor oil. :-) We were 10 days overdue with my second baby and we tried the castor oil the night my doctor called to schedule my induction.   I really didn't want induction either and was willing to try most anything to get things started.  I must say I was little nervous...but it worked!  I did one, 2 ounce dose,had no bad side effects, and we went into labor within two hours.  My 10 pound 7 ounce son was born after 8 hours!  My only recommendation would be to make sure you don't do it till your body is good and ready to have those babies. :-)  Hope this helps! 

mpstochlinski8

thanks I have just been surfing the net about this and read lots about pineapple, funny Ive eatin it the past 3 days and I've been craving it all day since I ran out LOL I guess I'm going to the store in the am for another pineapple! haha 

the castor oil or putting anything inside the who who weirds me out while preg, I know thats silly but it does freak me out that I'd have some terrible reaction to it or something lol we'll see if nothing by later next week perhaps I'll give it a whirl  

Jeffsgurl86

Umm. Yeah.  Never stuck anything up there...  You actually drink the castor oil.  :-)

mpstochlinski8

jeffsgurl86:

Umm. Yeah.  Never stuck anything up there...  You actually drink the castor oil.  :-)

oh haha I read something online about putting it inside of you, ok drinking it sounds gross but better LOL thanks  

kerryholmes

Castor oil worked for me, I took 2oz (mixed with cold orange juice) water broke 5 hours later and DS was born 4 hours after that!

Lina1030

intercourse w/insemination

stripping your membranes (that's what did it for me)