How do you prepare your body for birth?

[mumrach]

Skye-All of the things above are great. My sister uses this routine and always has her bub the next day (not that you want to do it yet, wait until you are due ) She takes 20ml of Castor Oil in orange juice (I don't know if I would do that one), she eats a whole pineapple, inserts a EPO tablet after she has a really warm bath. She usually has cramps about 2 hours after and has bub really quickly. But I mean who wouldn't, she takes enough oil for the bub to just slide out

[DANNIIM]

Doesn't the castor oil give you the runs...don't think i would be in on that one and what is with the eating of a pineapple??
A girl i used to work with used to do this really wierd positioning sex...i didn't ask any questions but she always had her babies, all 3 of them when she said she would....don't think i would be in on that one either!

[jgal]

Be wary of caster oil - it does give you the runs and can cause contractions due to the cramping. It's not a very "gentle" technique and can cause the baby to go into stress and pass mecconium. Not one I will be trying.

[runnermum]

great topic - this is my 2nd bub and would love it to come before 40 weeks as I am due on the first day of school for my son !!

I tried Rasberry Leaf tea consistantly for my first. Hated the taste, but did it. I had a posterior birth too, like Sararose, and although it was a vaginal birth with no intervention, it was also 27 hours of PURE PAIN with very strong contractions but NOT dilating. actually I had an epidural at 20 hours as I was only 1 cm dilated.........so does it work??????? well, I won't be bothering to take it again!!

Question: what will Clary sage help to do??

The best thing that i did for my labour was being very fit - I ran 5-6 days a week up until the day he was born - and then had a marathon labour........ahhh.......

"they'" say the 2nd bub's labour will not be as long......lets hope that it may be right for me.... not counting on it however!

[Skyeblue]

All great ideas.

I have bought the evening primrose oil. Im not very confident at the massage....does anyone know what kind of oil you can use for the massage?

[Salsa]

Apricot kernel oil is good, its lightweight and easily absorbed without being sticky. Its also a carrier oil, which means you can use it as a base for mixing essential oils to create your own blends.

[Arcadia]

Another great way to get prepared is to use the Pink Kit, which goes into perenial massage in more detail. It describes "internal massage" because you focus on the muscles that make up that perenial area inside the pelvis, rather than just the skin on the outside (which is what I presume other people mean when they talk about perenial massage).
I haven't started this yet (they recommend the last 8 weeks is the best time) but I have worded my husband up that his help may be required.

In terms of oil - for the outside of the perenium area, almond kernel oil has been recommended to me a lot. Although obviously you don't use any oil for internal massage.