Inducing labor

Sex, long walks

I walked back and forth a lot in the hallway (I had already been in the maternity hospital for a whole week), waiting, and nothing was happening. The girls in the ward suggested moving tables around and walking. I did all that in the morning, and by evening I felt contractions, but I wasn't overdue—it was the 39th week.

I was overdue by about a week. "Folk methods" like sex, scrubbing floors on all fours, walking up and down stairs, and active walks didn't help at all. If you're only a little overdue, don't rush. Get some good sleep while you still can ;)

Castor oil cocktail. Ask an experienced midwife for the recipe. A friend gave birth to her second child, drank it, and delivered within an hour. But that's an emergency case. For some, it helps on the second or third day. However, if the baby and body aren't ready, the cocktail won't do you any good. No harm either, though.

Wash the windows. Just be careful not to catch a draft. I'm serious!

I was advised to mimic movements as if mopping the floor from side to side. I tried it, and contractions started a couple of hours later. Even though my cervix wasn’t ready the day before. I don’t know if it was a coincidence or if it helped, but in the end, I gave birth naturally after my first C-section.

6+. I've heard that too.

This castor oil cocktail didn't help me at all, even though I was already at 42 weeks.

Oh, thanks. The only folk remedy I know is sex—but so far, it hasn't helped much. Guess I'll go scrub the floors now )))

It's kind of strange... I was given a referral to the maternity hospital a week before my due date. I packed my bag, and then my water broke at night, so they took me to the nearest one. Actually, a week before, in the prenatal department, they prepare the cervix for childbirth, carefully dilating it in a gentle way.

Nightmare! What do you mean by inducing labor? Doctors only do that after a thorough examination and based on medical indications. What if the fetus hasn't reached the normal stage of development? Post-term pregnancy isn't determined solely by the due date. And the onset of labor isn't just about cervical dilation. It also involves changes in the positioning of the pelvic bones. Why the rush? You could end up harming the baby.

Author, why not go see a doctor? Nowadays, they don’t let pregnancies go overdue—they send you to the maternity hospital and induce labor. And trying to move things along yourself could end badly :( Go to the antenatal clinic, get an ultrasound. If the fetal maturity indicates it’s time to give birth, they’ll induce you, and you’ll deliver calmly. Good luck!

Scattering matches and bending over to pick each one up separately. Only if the time hasn't come yet, why would you and your child need that? I gave birth three days earlier than the due date after actively scrubbing the kitchen cabinets, especially the lower ones. Honestly, inducing labor wasn't part of my plans.

Massaging the breasts can also induce labor. I went two weeks past my due date, didn't want to be induced, and everything was fine—I gave birth.

I know I should eat roasted peanuts. My colleague was advised by her doctor to give birth the next day.

I read somewhere a day before my due date that you should eat lettuce leaves (I really didn't want to go past my due date). On May 17th, during the day, I made a salad, ate it, then we went to wash the car—I took on washing the wheels (I had so much energy, I felt like dancing). On the morning of the 18th, around 1 a.m., my stomach started hurting a little... I stayed home until 2... then went to the hospital. When I got there, I was already 6 cm dilated, but there was almost no pain. By 4:30, I had given birth... after 3 pushes, and without excruciating pain (no worse than a regular stomachache). I don’t know if it was a coincidence or not, but it worked for me!

I haven't gone into labor yet—still three days until my due date—I'm just incredibly tired from this huge belly and all the joys of pregnancy. Sex doesn't help at all, no matter how much my "experienced" girlfriends praised it. I guess to each their own.)) Yesterday morning, I started having real contractions. I got excited and began getting ready... turned out to be a false alarm. Everything stopped as if nothing had happened. I went to see my doctor. She said my cervix is already dilated about two fingers, but the baby's head is still floating up high and hasn't descended. She advised me to walk in a half-squat and do more squats. Not sure if it helps, but last evening I waddled around the apartment like a duck in a half-squat, and this morning I sent my husband off to work and continued walking and squatting. I'm worried they might do a C-section if the baby doesn't drop. This is my third pregnancy, and my first two were natural births. I really don't want a C-section! I think I'll go wash the kitchen now...))

Author, how come you haven't given birth yet?

Oh girls, I've read so much about this. I've already tried everything, and my due date is here. I've moved furniture around in my apartment, walked around shopping malls, done belly dancing, spent at least a quarter of the day squatting, had sex multiple times a day (my poor husband is exhausted), tried nipple stimulation, and my stomach hurts. My mucus plug came out about 10 days ago, and discharge keeps coming out (how much is there even?), but still no contractions and nothing is dilating. The doctor says to keep going, but I'm really tired already.

I've been trying to induce labor for 10 days now, doing everything, but nothing helps :(

In an hour, I'll go to the maternity clinic and ask for induction...

I know that to induce labor, you need to soak your feet in hot water or take an intense shower.

Wash the floors, pick up matches? Ladies, have you lost your minds? Were doctors invented for no reason? That's right, it's easier to harm the fetus at home on your own than to let qualified specialists break the water. Go ahead, strain yourself and the baby before giving birth, you brilliant mothers.

Nika, you're really something... So according to you, it's fine to have your water broken, but doing simple exercises or household chores is bad. HOW???? Oh, I'm at a loss for words. HOW could that possibly be harmful??? Qualified specialists????????????? WHERE?????? Please show me, I'm about to give birth any day now. If I don't go into labor by the end of the 39th week, I'll be mopping floors, picking up matches, or better yet, having sex and stimulating my breasts. Nature isn't stupid—this can actually help, and there's no harm in it. Prejudices really need to be treated, though. Sorry if I offended anyone, but sometimes such NONSENSE is written on forums, such heresy that it makes you sick.

And by the way, an acquaintance of mine had her water broken to speed up labor—she screamed so much from the pain (the baby was coming out dry) that they had to give her an epidural. It's known that epidurals disrupt the mother-child bond and breastfeeding.

Dear girls, please think before you write something, because many people listen and believe advice. You should listen to doctors, BUT think ten times before taking any pill. They're obligated to "treat" you, whether you need it or not.

Sorry again, it's all the hormones =) BUT still, think about it...

But in my opinion, engaging in light labor is much more natural than rushing and bursting the bubble. Our grandmothers gave birth in the fields and everything was fine because they were working. Sitting at home on the internet all day... that's not natural.

Thank you, girls, for the advice. I'm 39 weeks and don't know what to do—my due date falls around New Year's. I really don't want to give birth with drunk doctors. I've been mopping the floors in every room three times, and I've started having lower abdominal pain. I really hope to give birth normally before New Year's.

38 weeks... fear doesn't leave me. 10 years ago, I had a difficult labor, I was passing out for a week, at home I could barely get out of bed for two weeks, I barely came to my senses. How will everything go now? I'm hoping for the best.

I'm 39 weeks pregnant, tomorrow is my husband's birthday, I'd like to give him a gift =) but somehow... can you suggest a method to give birth faster?

38 weeks, large baby, plus they saw that he has a nuchal cord. I'm really worried that if I carry to term, there will be even more weight gain, and what if I can't deliver naturally or there will be serious harm to the baby.

When people write about fields, it shocks me!!! Can you imagine what it's like to give birth in a field, have you ever been present at such a birth???????? And then men say the same thing... Don't talk nonsense about fields!!! The mortality rate was enormous! Both for mothers and babies. Look into how many times your great-grandmother was pregnant, how many births she had, and how many living children she ended up with...... Out of 8 births, only 3 of my great-grandmother's children lived to reproductive age!

My sister is at 40-41 weeks and was admitted to the hospital. They said she needs to use suppositories, but they aren't helping. What should she do?

I'm currently at 39 weeks and I'm already exhausted from walking. My belly has dropped very low. During the day, I feel fine when I'm up and about, but as soon as I lie down to sleep, it starts and has been going on for two weeks now. I can't sleep; I wander around at night like a sleepwalker and don't know what to do anymore. This is my second pregnancy. With the first one, it was easier to walk around, but giving birth was agony—16 hours of suffering, and I gave birth to a 3,500 kg baby. But now I think it will be worse because the baby is very large. I really want to give birth soon. My due date is set for June 19th, which is in 9 days.

I've read all sorts of things. I've already tried EVERYTHING possible: I drank castor oil with vegetable oil, took laxatives, had sex, washed windows, squatted every evening, took contrast showers, vacuumed the floors. And what do you think? Not a peep! My due date was June 13th (!!!!!!!!). I'm afraid to go in for induction. I've read/heard too many scary things. But I also have a hereditary tendency to go overdue. My mom's due date was set for May 9th, and I was born on June 9th. My grandmother also went about a month overdue with my mom, and with her brother, she was supposed to give birth in mid-April, but ended up having him on June 6th.

We'll see when I finally bring my little one into the world!

Forgot to mention, my belly was sticking out and it stayed that way. Not a single millimeter lower!

They gave me a due date of July 12-13, but I'm still walking around. I'm being admitted to the hospital tomorrow, and I really don't want to go. They said the baby is big, and I might not be able to deliver naturally. I'm scared...

I've been having contractions for 3 days now, and I've tried everything. How can I tell if the cervix has dilated at home?

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Natasha, I support you 100%. I also can't give birth yet, already 40 weeks. My doctor himself told me that I need to induce labor at home using the methods you described. Breaking the water is the last resort, if there's no other way. And nothing will happen to the baby, plus the birth is considered natural. Well, that's it, I'm off to induce labor. Wish me luck.

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A pediatrician with extensive experience told me that you shouldn't raise your hands above your head because the baby's umbilical cord might be short—and that could harm the baby.

Hello everyone!!! Girls, I don't know what to do anymore.... It's the fifth day, my stomach is aching terribly, and my lower back is pulling..... And last night, my stomach and lower back hurt so much that I couldn't sleep until 4:30. I went to the doctor, and they said I'm dilated to one finger, the cervix is ready... Soft and short, but they said there are no contractions...... So I went back home. I'm 40 weeks along, what should I do? I really want to give birth this year((((((

I have 7 days left until my due date, but I have no energy left at all! Honestly, my opinion is that everyone's experience is unique! I mop the floors, walk a lot every day, drink roasted sunflower seed oil, and don't forget about sex, but nothing seems to work(((
It would be easier if my stomach hadn't been pulling like crazy for the second week..... The doctors checked and said that if I don't go into labor in the next few weeks, they'll induce on February 17th. BUT, February 17th is my birthday!!! It's so frustrating, seriously. So don't rely on what worked for others—there's no guarantee that method will help you.....

Hello everyone!!! I've just hit 38 weeks, my belly has dropped (but not too much), everything hurts—my back, lower back, pelvis... I can't sleep, lying down or sitting isn't comfortable either... and now there's a bit of swelling too.... I reeeeally don't want the baby to be overdue. If labor doesn't start on its own by week 40—I've decided I'll be picking up matches and washing floors—no labor induction!!! So I'm gathering info...

By the way, girls who were about to give birth in the coming days—write about how it went, what helped... how did labor start??? Terribly interesting... :)

Better to take a hot bath. One of my acquaintances who's a medical professional did that to avoid being in the delivery room over New Year's.

Our little boy was born on February 16th, but via C-section! Everything was fine, but at the last moment complications arose. It's not certain they were caused by the induction, but I will now warn everyone against it!!!

I am 40 weeks pregnant. My due date is set for March 18th, and today is already the 12th—I’m really worried. They say it’s better to give birth earlier than to go past the due date. I’ve heard that dark chocolate helps with cervical dilation and can speed up labor—has anyone tried it?

Chocolate actually slows things down!!! And absolutely no hot baths! What are you thinking!

My due date is today)) I really want to give birth to my little one in the next few days!! We've tried sex and walks, next up is mopping the floors))))

Girls, I'm at 40 weeks now. I had contractions but they stopped, and now there are no signs of labor at all. I'm worried and don't want to go overdue. Any advice on natural ways to induce labor???????

Drink a laxative: it's the same muscles, that's why they give an enema before childbirth.