too soon for nipple stimulation?

beckstyle · May 2012

So I'm officially 39 weeks today! Woohoo! Like many of us I'm anxious to help things get moving, I've been walking a lot (part of my daily routine anyways) and I'm wondering if its too soon for nipple stimulation with my breast pump? Thanks ladies!

FyreFlyeRush · May 2012

Nipple stimulation can lead to painful contractions that don't do jack. Talk to your OB or MW before starting them. That said, I'm so desperate, I gave in the last two days. It didn't even cause mild contractions. Walking has been the only thing to get contractions going so far. But, they go away within a few hours.

Holly_1007 · May 2012

IMO the baby will come when it is ready, until you get to the point that your doctor/midwife is talking induction, I wouldn't get excessive with the labor inducing techniques.

Celyn · May 2012

Any induction method used before your cervix is ripe is likely to fail. You could find yourself with several days of contractions that don't lead to active labor. If you don't know your Bishop score, don't chance it. It's hard to wait. Hugs to you.

TrendyTina · May 2012

I wouldn't start now. I used nipple stimulation after my water had been broken and contractions didn't start. Unless you water has broken, I would not break out the breast pump.

Sawyerplus1 · May 2012

I've always heard that nip stim contractions can be really intense and/or hard to control, and aren't really recommended. At 39 weeks there's lots you can do to ripen your cervix (EPO, sex/semen, etc) or 'kick start' things (labor cookies, walking, more sex, etc) that seem a lot more harmless.

caralck · May 2012

It's not recommended to do if you're not being monitored because you could cause a long sustained contraction that could be dangerous for baby. Again, won't happen to every woman every time but not something I want to risk personally.

lindsay.lou · May 2012

I'm not a big fan of any sort of natural labor induction pre-EDD. The baby will come when s/he's ready. Coaxing labor to start before that could set you up for failure.

celiabwatson · May 2012

For another perspective, I'm tandem nursing. So I was getting "nipple stimulation" a few times a day from my toddler nursing. I did find that I had an increase in braxton hicks when nursing but it never led to anything until she was ready. The morning I went into labor I was nursing my son as usual but the contractions kept going when he stopped nursing.

Nipple stimulation was recommended for my first labor because my water broke and we needed to get things going. I'm not sure if it helped or not, but I tried it.

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