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QUESTION: Is it true walking a lot can help bring on labor?

AEM81AEM81
in 3rd Trimester

Hi Ladies,

I'm a first time mom to be from Florida but I live in Spain; that's the reason I asked the above question. Baby is due on November 21st but my parents can only come to visit for 10 days--they are coming from the 20th to the 30th, So I know there's nothing I can do to if baby doesn't come out  during that time however, so many people have told me to do tons of walking to help the process along. So can you please tell me about any of your experiences with this? I would be sad to watch my parents go back to the US without meeting their grandson. Thanks for any feedback you can offer ;) 

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Re: QUESTION: Is it true walking a lot can help bring on labor?

  • AEM81AEM81
    Thanks for your response! I agree I mean common sense tells me that obviously he's not going to come out until he's ready and my body's ready...I guess I'm just putting a lot of wishful thinking into this, and hoping he doesn't go way past his due date...
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  • Mrs.SyntaxMrs.Syntax member
    The day I had DD, DH and I took a 3 mile walk. We came home and real contractions kicked in. DD was born 5 hours later. I had a really short and really easy delivery, and I think that the walking helped get DD into a good position. However, it probably didn't kick-start labor because I had been having bloody show the night before so everything was already in progress (I just hadn't been having contractions until then.)
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  • dodo1202dodo1202
    I agree with PP.  I have asked several doctors about walking because I have been taking a walk for an hour daily since day 1 of this pregnancy.  My doctors told me walking will not trigger labor but will help labor easier. My MFM doctor told me instead not to exercise on walking stairs.  If you're due, I guess you can try on walking stairs as exercise.
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  • LadyMadrid08LadyMadrid08 member
    My daughter was born two days early, in Madrid! Where in Spain are you? I'm guessing if you go overdue there most doctors won't let you go more than one week overdue before talking inductionthis is what I heard is the norm there, but I was working with a pro natural team that would wait up to two weeks overdue. as you get close to d the due date I think three only thing you can do are all the natural induction idea like walking, sex, spicy foods etc. I know what mean about hoping your parents are able to meet lo. I had my mom come stay with us 6 weeks and told my dad to come two weeks after the due date. I guess you can't change when they are coming now though. Good luck!
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  • MrsCarroll.6-10-07MrsCarroll.6-10-07 member

    imageAli&Luke:
    All the usual natural induction methods (like sex, walking, nipple stimulation, etc) only really work if your baby and your body are ready. 

    Yup. This. I tell people the only thing proven to work: TIME. 

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  • Gipper0809Gipper0809
    All of my coworkers joke that they walked DS right out of me.  We were at a conference and ended up walking about 2.5 miles to McDonald's for lunch one day.  I went into labor about 12 hours later.  Don't know if that's what did it, but it makes for a good story.
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  • Laura_ElaineLaura_Elaine member
    With DS, my 1st, I started having contractions the morning of Easter, in church. We went to my grandma's after for our traditional family lunch, and left around 4. We welked around the block  and when we got back home, the contractions were getting stronger and closer... I'd say true active labor started around 7, we got to the hospital around 9, and he was born at 1:09am Monday morning. With DD1, my 2nd, I called DH home from work early, around 5:30 (he was working overtime until 7-ish) and we walked around the block a few times, but nothing took off. I woke up, however, around 1:30am with major contractions, got to the hospital right away, around 2, and she was born at 3:56am. I think if you're ready to go into labor, the exertion of walking can help, and I had heard that's how to tell the difference between true labor and false labor: if false, the contractions will stop with the walking, but real labor will be progressed.
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  • JandKHallJandKHall member
    Natural ways to jump start labor can work but in my experience they do not. LOL I'm 5 days overdue and my stubborn LO just doesn't want to come out.  H and I have been trying everything and nothing is working but I'll be induced Monday morning if he doesn't come out sooner. Good luck to you...Oh and I heard you have to be careful about nipple stimulation...although I can't remember why right now damn pregnancy brain. And if you do it too much or too hard your nipple will be killing you later on as I learned the other day. :)
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  • katieh1017katieh1017 member
    I agree with the PP"s that it will help you progress if your body is ready. When I got to the hospital I was 2cm and I needed to be 4cm to be admitted. They had me walk around in the hospital for 2 hours and come back. I had gotten to 4cm when I came back to be checked. Walking around contracting every 5 mins at 2-4am was no fun!

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  • AEM81AEM81
    Thank you for sharing! Well, I'm still far from my due date but I'll definitely keep walking for an hour everyday, and at the first signs of labor I'll definitely go for a stroll :)
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  • AEM81AEM81

    imageMrs.Syntax:
    The day I had DD, DH and I took a 3 mile walk. We came home and real contractions kicked in. DD was born 5 hours later. I had a really short and really easy delivery, and I think that the walking helped get DD into a good position. However, it probably didn't kick-start labor because I had been having bloody show the night before so everything was already in progress (I just hadn't been having contractions until then.)

    Thanks! I have stairs in my house, so at the first signs of labor I'll definitely keep that in mind ;)

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  • AEM81AEM81

    imageLadyMadrid08:
    My daughter was born two days early, in Madrid! Where in Spain are you? I'm guessing if you go overdue there most doctors won't let you go more than one week overdue before talking inductionthis is what I heard is the norm there, but I was working with a pro natural team that would wait up to two weeks overdue. as you get close to d the due date I think three only thing you can do are all the natural induction idea like walking, sex, spicy foods etc. I know what mean about hoping your parents are able to meet lo. I had my mom come stay with us 6 weeks and told my dad to come two weeks after the due date. I guess you can't change when they are coming now though. Good luck!

     Hi Lady Madrid! Does the name mean you like Pereza? I live in Tarragona, but I love Madrid ;) I tried to get my parents to just come for a visit for Christmas, but since I am an only child living in Spain my mom insisted on making the trip over even though in my opinion she's cutting it close by coming for only 10 days and one day before my due date. I'm going through "segurdiad social" so "natural" isn't so much the word inside the system or at least that's the impression I get. In my pre-natal class the midwife said that they typically induce at 41 weeks 4 days...which means if it came to that I'd probably be getting induced as the parents were leaving...anyway thanks for your feedback, I guess all I can do right now is continue with my long walks everyday and play the waiting game ;) 

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  • AEM81AEM81

    imageGipper0809:
    All of my coworkers joke that they walked DS right out of me.  We were at a conference and ended up walking about 2.5 miles to McDonald's for lunch one day.  I went into labor about 12 hours later.  Don't know if that's what did it, but it makes for a good story.

     

    It is a great story! I hope to be so lucky ;) 

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  • AEM81AEM81

    imageLaura_Elaine:
    With DS, my 1st, I started having contractions the morning of Easter, in church. We went to my grandma's after for our traditional family lunch, and left around 4. We welked around the block  and when we got back home, the contractions were getting stronger and closer... I'd say true active labor started around 7, we got to the hospital around 9, and he was born at 1:09am Monday morning. With DD1, my 2nd, I called DH home from work early, around 5:30 (he was working overtime until 7-ish) and we walked around the block a few times, but nothing took off. I woke up, however, around 1:30am with major contractions, got to the hospital right away, around 2, and she was born at 3:56am. I think if you're ready to go into labor, the exertion of walking can help, and I had heard that's how to tell the difference between true labor and false labor: if false, the contractions will stop with the walking, but real labor will be progressed.

    Well even if walking what bring on labor it's good to hear stories like this of experiences that help people in the labor process. thanks for sharing 

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  • AEM81AEM81

    imageJandKHall:
    Natural ways to jump start labor can work but in my experience they do not. LOL I'm 5 days overdue and my stubborn LO just doesn't want to come out.  H and I have been trying everything and nothing is working but I'll be induced Monday morning if he doesn't come out sooner. Good luck to you...Oh and I heard you have to be careful about nipple stimulation...although I can't remember why right now damn pregnancy brain. And if you do it too much or too hard your nipple will be killing you later on as I learned the other day. :)

    Well good luck to you! I hope you have quick smooth birth once it all gets started! 

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  • peanut823peanut823

    I was talking to doc about this and he said... baby will come when baby is ready. Dont do those old wives tales and walk miles around the mall (the mall...LOL) and get yourself all swollen and worn out. Save your strength for the delivery. So needless to say I will NOT be doing any of that and just going baout my day nornally until LO comes. He'll come when he's ready (wishfully thinking boy)!

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  • pamiva1pamiva1 member
    I don't know if it was a coincidence or not, but the day my water broke with both DD and DS I walked several miles, something I had not done often in either pregnancy. So, I think it works! We'll see if it's the same this time around.
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  • Cynthia1207Cynthia1207 member

    No it doesn't work.  Every time I go out for a walk, baby feels a little lower but he gets right back up again once I rest.  I've been having early labor signs for a week on and off and my cervix is still completely closed.  Baby will come when he's ready.

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  • jbutterfly82jbutterfly82 member
    According to my midwife, walking will only help if you are in the first phase of labor. Good luck!
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