Help me out new moms!

Megs0913 · November 2013

Hi ladies, coming over from the 3rd tri board. So I am 38 weeks but only dilated 1CM as of this past Saturday. They are going to check me again this Thursday and depending on how that goes they will likely schedule to induce me sometime next week. (Type 1 diabetic) My OB doesn't want me going too far past 39 weeks. My question is...what actually helped you guys get things movin'? Sex, walking, swinging? Lord knows I have heard everything under the sun, but I would like to know from personal experience what helped you induce labor. Thanks

HFrizzle · November 2013

Sex started my labor with my first one, but I was a week overdue. With the next three kiddos, nothing induced labor. I tried everything under the sun and ended up being induced.

LittleNugget93 · November 2013

I envisioned my cervix ripening, opening up, and my contractions starting. I also walked A LOT. CONSTANTLY. I only rested at night while sleeping. I also would lay in bed in the beginning of the day and take deep breaths and meditate in a way. It is really important to just relax. Tell yourself that your baby is coming when they are supposed to. They are not late. They are right on time. Our brain controls our whole body and we do have control over how it works to an extent. Believe in yourself.

I know that all sounds so cheesy...but I truly believe it helps. I was not dilated or effaced until 41 weeks. I dilated 1/2 a centimeter with no effacement the day before my labor started and the day I began visualizing everything.

noelani42 · November 2013

The day I went into labor (40w6d) we went on a loooong walk and I had spicy food...I went into active labor the minute my food was done...I was having mild contractions for 48 hours before that though

Carnation77 · November 2013

pumping

megs1409 · November 2013

My water broke (1 day past my due date) immediately after I finished dinner which was a buffalo chicken salad. So, I guess spicy food *might* have helped?!?! Honestly, I don't think any of those tricks work unless your body is ready...

TexasGirl81 · November 2013

Lol! Swinging, my mind went somewhere else! But yes, take a stroll around the neighborhood. Have sex if its not uncomfortable. GL OP!

burmann · November 2013

I was starting to go into labor the day I was scheduled to be induced. I was 38 weeks and also a type 1 diabetic. I tried everything to get labor going since baby was so big. I could feel her hugeness. No one believed me until she came out at 9 pounds. Just enjoy your sleep now and baby will be there soon enough.

blondii428 · November 2013

We had sex at least once a day the entire week before my due date and I also did a ton of walking. The day before labor, it was chilly out so we walked the mall..a lot. Sure enough I woke up at 3 am in labor. Good luck!

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HBirdie · November 2013

AFwifelife said:
Nothing I tried worked and I was also induced. If your body isn't ready to go into labor, none of those things will make you go into labor. Even the meds they give to induce may not work.

This exactly. I was 12 days overdue. We'd tried sex, spicy food, tons of walking, evening primrose oil, getting my membranes stripped, and rebozo sifting, and nothing. I was induced with pitocin on a Tuesday morning and it did give me contractions, but in the end, my uterus still wasnt ready, stopped contracting when I was 7cm dilated, and I had a c-section after over 30 hours of labor.
So not to be discouraging, but if your body isn't ready, there isn't much you can do. Best of luck, though!

youtubebeauties · November 2013

Walking! I did some serious shopping the day before my labor started.

bl190004 · November 2013

I had my membranes stripped and contractions started a few hours later... but if your body isn't ready for labor, this won't work.

Be patient (easier said than done, I know). Sleep as much as possible and try to relax. Read a book. Take a long bath. Go to the movies. You'll have that babe when he/she is ready. Once labor starts you won't have hardly any rest for a couple days AT LEAST. Then you come home from the hospital and newborn craziness starts. Even though you're ridiculously uncomfortable and ready to have this baby, enjoy these last days with just you and SO as much as possible, because life will do a 180 once LO is born.

(Sorry -- know this prob isn't what you wanted to hear, but it's true!)

rcalkins11 · November 2013

I was the same way (only not diabetic.) I was induced. And it wasn't that bad. They start by inserting pills next to the cervix, and if that doesn't work, they move on to putting this balloon type thing in. Which dilates you to a 3 by the time it is removed. The only down side to that is that it hurts going in, and they come in and sorta tug on it every couple of hours. Then after it is out, labor progresses normally.

ELauren88 · November 2013

I gave up hoping it would happen. Doc said I was like fort Knox, said we'd discuss inductions or possible section the following Monday. Went into labor on my own 3 days later. I also walked everyday, but did nothing else. If it happens, it happens. I've heard visualizing helps.

CaliforniaDream87 · November 2013

I walked everyday starting at 38 weeks. I gave birth at 40 weeks 2 days. It will happen when your baby is ready.

emorda · November 2013

AFwifelife said:
Nothing I tried worked and I was also induced. If your body isn't ready to go into labor, none of those things will make you go into labor. Even the meds they give to induce may not work.

This was my situation too. I am a healthy person and didn't have any complications my entire pregnancy. I had to be induced 9 days after my edd. Even then I wasn't dilating with the pitocin (at the rate the nurses and my dr wanted). I ended up getting a fever, baby in distress and had an emergency c section. They even had to suction lo out, she was stuck way in me and I was 9 days past due. Your body will do what IT wants in the end, if it's not ready, it's not ready.

It all turned out well. I had a healthy, 8lb 3oz baby girl and couldn't be happier. Recovery from my c section is another story though.

muffyvonmuff · November 2013

I think sex also did it for us, not that we were trying to get things going but we had sex the night before my due date and the morning of and that evening my water broke.

magdalina.h · November 2013

c-section

imakeeff0rts · November 2013

AFwifelife said:

Nothing I tried worked and I was also induced. If your body isn't ready to go into labor, none of those things will make you go into labor. Even the meds they give to induce may not work.

This and this.
I tried everything. I had pre-e and cholestasis so I had to be induced. I was at a 1 when the induction started, and was only a 1.5 after the cervidil. After 10 hours of pitocin and hard labor, my doctor was able to stretch me to a 2 and I ended up with a section.

In the end, we were both healthy.

If your baby and your body aren't ready, nothing will work.

Edit: typo.

leahaustin · November 2013

I am not really sure if any one thing I did helped induce labor but I had my membranes swept at 39weeks, I walked about 2 miles a day in August/early September and I had sex up until the end. I had my DD at 39weeks and 6days.

AFII · December 2013

I know this is too late but maybe it will help others... I had sex and did squats. Legit squats as low as I could go, butt out and support from DH. Using those large muscles of the body helped bring on a contraction. I went from 1.5cm to 5 cm in one afternoon.

VVT3111 · December 2013

nothing helped me

tbug082810 · December 2013

Schedule your induction

I went on my own 2 days before I was to be induced to GD. (2 days after I was due)

Kljohnson042812 · December 2013

save your energy!! REST!! don't waste your energy on all of these wives tales. You will go into labor when you are ready to go into labor. It might be after a long walk or eating spicy foods, but it's just a coincidence. People can tell you to try 100 different things but it's not going to work unless your body is ready!! my recommendation would be to REST REST REST!!! don't waste your energy walking or having sex. rest for labor and for the long sleepless nights! It is exhausting and you need all the energy you can get!

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