Encouraging labour with natural methods

[BellyBelly]

Did you try any natural methods to encourage your labour to come on? Do you think they actually worked or just wivestales? Some common ways women encourage labour, which may be wivestales or known to help include:

*Eating spicy foods
*Nipple stimulation
*Having sex
*Aromatherapy (see a qualified therapist for any aromatherapy use)
*Herbs (see a qualified therapist for any herbal use)
*Other - feel free to discuss!

[Tracey]

I also heard that walking would help & also Fish & Chips!

[Pietta]

I tried everything too (most of what is already mentioned) and absolutely nothing worked for me!! (but i didnt mind trying the bding side though!)

[Lucy]

I was overdue (by 4 days) with Olivia and was SO OVER IT that I was trying anything and everything, so I am not sure if any of it worked, but here is what I tried:

~ Sniffing Clary Sage........(this is to be AVOIDED during pregnancy, and shoudl only be undertaken under the advice of your Dr and an aromatherapist). Plus it stinks.
~ Raspberry Leaf tea, by the gallon. Again, only should ever be taken in the last stages of a pregnancy. I love the stuff.....
~ Sex. Had a bonk on the Friday night and went into labour on the Saturday morning
~ Reflexology. My hairdresser gave me a sheet with all the right points to apply pressure to (the feet from memory) but I was so huge I had to get DH to do it, and we just got the giggles...........
~ Chilli-con-Carne with extra tabasco........

[Scarlett]

Had a friend who got so sick of waiting she "forced" her husband to have sex every two hours for an afternoon. Didn't work though.

[christy]

I tried:

sex - everyday without fail from 40weeks
curries - one everyother day
mexican - on the off curry day
walking - 1 hour a day
rasberry leaf tea - 3 cups a day
Clary sage only the last week as I was too afraid of it before then...lol

and Matilda just disengaged instead....lol....nothing moved her...

[BellyBelly]

LMAO Lucy. I did what you did on Friday night (just after a warm bath), then lost all of my show minutes later and Elijah was born Saturday morning. I think being in early labour already helped but who knows!!! I remember contractions started Thursday lunchtime sitting at the puter working away... I just knew what was coming

[bon]

I have to say the last thing I wanted to do at 40 weeks pg was have sex!
I did try raspberry leaf tea, reflexology, lots of walking but in the end none of it worked. Grace had her own ideas about when she wanted to be born!

Bon

[Needalifemum]

I tried a few things..Tried aromathearapy, walking, sex, raspberry leaf tabs and Evening Primrose oil. The one thing I do know is that none of these things will work unless you are dilating already...meaning your cervix is ripe. But the funny thing is, you still don't know if it works because you don't know whether you would have gone into labour anyway. But it sure is nice trying some of the stuff and at least you know that you're doing something too

[Kara]

I was two days before EDD, and hubby and I decided to "practise" natural induction sex one Sunday morning. I was sure that bub was going to be late being my first and all. Anyways, my waters broke just as I started to eat breakfast and bub boy was born 8.5 hours later....

[vanessapete]

I only have 8 days to go and have been walking my butt off and drinking the raspberry leaf tea and nothing at all, bubs is still quite happily kicking my ribs!!!!!!

[katanya]

*Eating spicy foods
*Nipple stimulation
*Having sex
*Aromatherapy (see a qualified therapist for any aromatherapy use)
*Herbs (see a qualified therapist for any herbal use)
*Other -

tried it all and NOTHING worked at all

Also tried driving along bumpy roads, Oral Sex I read it somewhere on the net..DP wasn't complaining , jumping up and down, walking,etc..

Felix was engaged for over 7 weeks was born 41+6days and my cervix need artificial ripening by gels..all I can say is if they aren't ready they aren't ready! Next baby I will be adding 2 weeks onto my due date

[Antheia]

I tried it all! Sex, spicy foods, walking(a lot), nipple stimulation, raspberry leaf tea. Nothing worked. I was 7 days over and had to be induced due to pre eclampsia which was discovered 5 days overdue.

[Belinda]

I found from memory that i just started doing the nesting stuff without realising it and then i wanted a bath and it all started the next day, one day before due date so i was lucky, hoping i can strike it lucky twice but yeah not likely i am guessing!

[Trish]

Jillian,

I noticed that you said something about inserting evening primrose oil capsules. What sort of dosage did you use and how often did you use this. Also did you take it orally? I have read alittle about using this but haven't really found alot.

Take care
Trish

[Scarlett]

Trish I have read a little bit about evening primrose capsules basically they contain a precursor of prostaglandins and help ripen the cervix. The sites I have looked suggest either inserting a capsule (apparently they dissolve) I guess you would do it at night, or taking up to 4 a day orally. I have read that the gut is more effective at absorbing the substances than the cervix so I am thinking of giving that a go.

[Lulu]

Be careful girls - just because it is natural, doesn't mean it is 100% safe or particularly gentle. Speak to a naturopath or midwife before messing with natural remedies, even from websites.

Natural medicine is still medicine, and can be quite powerful.

Take care!!!

Lulu

[Trish]

Thanks for that girls, I will do abit more searching - might even set up a post to see if any other girls come forward.

Take care
Trish