Nipple Stimulation

[hannanat]

I have few questions re nipple stimulation.

Firstly does it work?

Does it work immediately or is it a long process?

What is the technique?

Thanks,

[Tracey]

Nat,
I pulled, plucked, tweaked, stimulated, rubbed & flicked my nipples & I went 7 days over, I also walked, jumped, DTD, drank raspberry leaf tea & still nothing!!

So I hope it works for you....

Although I just posted in your preg thread about fresh poineapple has something (prol....???) That helps ripen & soften the cervix!????


GooD luck darls!!!!

[hannanat]

Thank you, love - if it wasnt for you I'd start to feel a bit lonely around here, lol.

Hmmmmm, I hadnt thought of jumping. Perhaps a little go on the trampoline.........

[Fi]

OK - This is the very limited amount I know about it - so I might get it completely wrong!
I think the whole idea of it is to stimulate the hormones like a baby would during the first stages, so it you are going to do anything, it probably needs to feel like a baby action.
I did it whenever I got contractions/BH's (I had 2 weeks of prelabour so there were plenty on a pretty regular basis!). I would hold a warm facewasher/wheat bag to my chest and then start basically milking each one. I also used a breast pump and got alot of colostrum out.
As for what they did - well pretty much nothing for me. They did sort of feel like my contractions were a little stronger, but since Jenna was in the wrong possy, nothing natural was going to bring on labour for me until she got into the right position.
I also got DP to have a good suck on them, and that did about the same as what the breast pump did.
It was quite exciting at the time, cause like I say the contractions would deepen, but then just go away again.

Tanya (who isnt around that much at the moment) used nipple stimulation in her last birth and it seemed to work for her.

HTH - maybe someone will pop in and give you a more detailed description of what to do

[DoulaRelle]

Natalie, I have been really interested in the success of this as well! I read somewhere that you had to basically do it none stop for a good day! Can't see me being able to do that with 2 littlies!

So will be watching this thread with interest!

[hannanat]

Thanks Fi. I get the contractions too, but as soon as I stop they fade away. I'm wondering if I should keep going. I might wait til the kids go to bed and give it a go for a good few hrs. If I'm not on tomorrow its because I'm in hospital - either having a baby or because I have worn my nipples off, lol.

I know Relle, I think I'll wait until the kids go to bed and then give it a go. I'm getting very slight contracrions and have been since Saturday night, so I'm thinking I just need something to kick them off properly. I have another appointment with my ob on Tue and I have a feeling he's going to want to induce me as last time I had +1 protein and BP was a bit up. I was in hospital on the weekend with swelling, so I dont know how much further they will let me go. I'm scared of having a medical induction with syntocin so if I can get things moving on my own I'd be happier. Still 4 days til Tuesday, so plenty of time for me to go before I see the Ob.

[~Jo~]

Like Fi has said the warm facewasher and the gentle stimulation brings on the contractions. When I was doing the stress tests for bubs that is what they encouraged.

Jo

[hannanat]

Did you go into labour Jo?

[~Jo~]

The next day I did but after a bout of lovemaking so not sure if it helped or not??LOL

Jo

[amanda_81]

I tried this (as well as anything else I could think of lol) but it did nothing for me. I was told to do it in cycles, so stimulate them for 5 mins then stop for a minute or two then stim for 5mins etc.. But if that doesn't work try longer intervals. I used to sit on the lounge doing this all night and nothing.. so glad that no one was home or came to visit me lol It was the funniest sight, plus it was in summer so really hot, so i'd only be in my underwear lol
I was told that a good way to bring on labour is to sweep, sideways, pretty energetically. But I never got around to trying it.
HTH

[hannanat]

Eeeeew sweeping - no I cant do anything that feels remotely like HOUSEWORK, lol...
Amanda when you did it did you get contractions or just nothing happened at all??

[Tracey]

Google the fresh pineapple too, it has this prolastagin (oK I just added the last letteres, but something starting with prol.....?)

Also curries? My Mum swears by them!!!

I hope your in hospital now & not from worn out nipples!!!!

[amanda_81]

Eeeeew sweeping - no I cant do anything that feels remotely like HOUSEWORK, lol...

Thats how i felt too... but my aunty swears by it and shes had 5 kids.

As for the nipple stim, I would start getting a bit crampy but nothing too much. I felt like i was going to pull them off lol

I found long walks were what got me started but once i stopped walking so would they.

[Tracey]

Me too amanda, henbce the fact I walked & walked & walked with contractions I was having with Indah!
Once they finally started I did not wnat them stopping!!!!!

[Mumma2three]

I had pineapple and nipple stimulation the day coco was born. I swear it helped, but maybe it was just time and it hastened the labour a bit (1 hour 54mins)!!!So Im saying it helped!! xo

edited to add: She was 8 days early and I was absolutely DETERMINED to get her out early. I wanted Dec 1, and sure enough she came then. I think I started the whole process a day or two before xo