Inducing labour?

Question

i am 38 weeks pregnant and very ready to have this baby...i am not sure if i am dialated or effaced at all...but i would like to know if there are any natural ways to induce labour at this point.

Answer 1

whats 2 more weeks to wait if you have already waited 38? let it happen naturally!

Answer 2

Really, you should sit tight and wait till your due date - it's only two weeks away, and the baby needs time to develop in the womb. I know it's hard - I just had a baby 5 months ago. The last few weeks are the worst. You're uncomfortable, excited, anxious. But you can't rush the birth - your baby will come when he/she is ready!

That being said, if you go past your due date there are some things you can try:

You can have sex (unless your doc says you shouldn't), do pelvic rocks (like swiveling the hips or dancing) or go for a walk. Those are safe for everyone. However, you might want to ask your doctor or midwife if there is any reason why you shouldn't do some of the following. If you ask if you should do these, the doc will often just say no, because they don't know how effective they can be. A more effective way of asking would be if there's any reason that you *shouldn't* try them.

1. Nipple stimulation. Either by yourself, your partner, or a breast pump. It might seem funny, but some serious heavy petting and really rubbing/sucking on the nipples can stimulate labor. Midwives recommend it all the time!

2. Drinking castor oil. Its nasty tasting stuff and might give you diarrhea or make you vomit, but its an age old way to start labor. You'll have to drink several ounces - just make sure you have some juice or something to chase it with.

3. Accupressure. There are a few specific points to try. Apply firm pressure to the meaty part of the hand between the thumb and forefinger. Also, there is a really tender spot about 3 inches above the ankle bone on the inside of the leg. Feel around with firm pressure from your thumb - it will be tender. Apply firm pressure to those spots for as long as you can stand, at least 10 seconds or so at a time.

Those are some tried and true techniques that midwives have used for hundreds of years to stimulate labor. Just remember, only the baby can decide with he/she is ready to be born. Relax and enjoy the last few days of calm before the storm!
Congratulations!

Answer 3

I had to be induced at 38w3d because of PIH - i was only ok with being induced because from 36w onward I was effaced 80% and dilated to a tight 3cm. What you can do to make your cervix more favorable (i.e. to ripen) to labor is to take 1000-1500mg of Evening Primrose Oil capsules each day - i would take one 500mg capsule 3x each day. You can also insert one vaginally before bed (wear a pantyliner because some oil will leak out) so that it will work directly on the cervix. EPO does not induce labor, but it does help to ripen the cervix so that labor will come on naturally. Once you are another week closer to your due date you can also do a black cohosh tincture sublingual. These are the things my midwife advised - she is not a lay-midwife, but a CNM and doing it for 20+ years so she knows her stuff.

Why don't you know your cervical status at 38w? My midwife began checking at 36w when she did the group B strep test (she was down there anyway :) ) and for each weekly visit she would check. I noticed a dramatic improvement in my effacement and dilation once I began the EPO. I would not have done as well when I was induced medicinally (with pitocin - no cervadil - do not get cervadil!) if I hadn't already been 'ripe' for it.

p.s. i was 42 weeks for my first pregnancy - she was born on the day that they said would be my last day pregnant for sure - i know to this day that if they had scheduled her earlier than that it would likely have ended in c-section because things just weren't ready for it. It's like trying dig a trench with a twig --- a total uphill battle! :)

Answer 4

We are all ready at 38 wks to have the baby but it is best to let the baby decide when it is time to make its arrival.Unless you have a history of very lg babies or something is wrong with you or the baby induction is not a good choice ...tempting...but overall its better to wait.I have had 4 and 3 of them were later arriving so I can sympathize more than you ever understand!!My babies were all over 8lbs 3oz with the biggest being 9lbs 12oz. I know your tired ,grumpy, feel fat and can't move to get out of your own way..but it will be over soon and you want your baby to be ready for the world with fully developed lungs and moter reflexes not struggling to breathe because he/she needed another week of cooking inside.Take a deep breath(as deep as you can..HA HA)and be happy you didn't have a preemie and can look forward to a happy and healthy birth!Good luck and hang in there your almost done!!!

Answer 5

Some people say castor oil - don't do this!!! it just makes you feel ike you ar going into labor. :) And it's not cool!!! You won't leave the bathroom for 24 hours. :)

I tried raspberry leaf tea.. no help, but I've heard it does for some people.

I tried Golden Seal Root... not sure if it really helped...

Walking- a LOT. like, go to a department store like Wal-mart and just walk around for 4 hours....

Sex.. this gets some people going right away... didn't work for me, though.

SPICY FOOD! I ate some spicy stuff and in 24 hours I was in the hospital gearing up for the birth. I think I had the spicy chicken thing at McDonalds.

Answer 6

Please don't try anything. Wait till the baby is fully mature. At 38 weeks your baby could still be a low birth weight or his/her lungs not fully mature. Wait for your body to say it's ready to deliver and then you will always know your baby came at the time destined for him/her.

Answer 7

there isnt anything you can do to induce labor unless you are already in one of the stages.
baby will come when he or she is ready, having sex, walking, running, etc etc etc doesnt make the baby come any faster if you arent at the labor stage.
once you naturally begin labor though--nipple stimulation is the number one thing to get it going--practice with your breast pump, lol

Im 38 weeks and ready too, lol
my doctor said when my water breaks or I have bloody show 'that will be it' --I have my breast pump ready, lol

Answer 8

My daughter tried a lot of the above answers and the only thing that worked for her was the doctor stripping her cervix. Oh by the way she got extremely sick with the castor oil...I definitely don't recommend that.

Answer 9

ALOT of sex and walking ...that niple thing dose not work or eating spicy foods does not work you'll end up getting heart burn instead ...
Been there done that

im due in 8 weeks on #3

Answer 10

You shouldn't attempt to induce labor naturally if you are under 40 weeks because you may give birth to a baby who isn't ready to thrive outside the womb!
Read this article first!---------> http://www.drspock.com/article/0,1510,5329,00.html