natural induction/encouragement?

There are probably lots of threads on this if someone wants to direct me to them.

My sister is a week over her due date with her first child. She is booked into a birthing centre in Northern NSW for a water birth with Doula attending. Her GP will also be in attendance. She is a little concerned as the centre has a policy of not allowing her to go more than 2 weeks over her due date, and if she is chemically induced the birthing centre wont allow her to birth there and she will have to go to the local hospital. A bit of a catch22...

I chatted with her and while she realises anything can happen in the next week, I wanted to give her some suggestions for natural encouragement of labour knowing full well that baby will come when baby wants to come (and that is really how she wants it).

She and her partner are into natural therapies (he is a naturopath) and want an intervention free birth if possible.

Any suggestions?

Here is the thread to the article on the main page hun, but to summarise!

Nipple stimulation - one breast at a time.
Sex - Semen has prostaglandins in it that may help ripen her cervix
Walking
Acupuncture/Acupressure - get her to go to someone who specialises in pregnancy related acupuncutre
Evening Primrose Oil - can help ripen the cervix
Raspberry Tea Leaf - might be a bit late but can help strengthen the uterus
Massage - can induce all sorts of lovely hormones that can kick start her labour if her body is ready
Eating curries - stimulates the bowel - which in turn can stimulate labour - again if she is ready
Castor Oil - lots of people steer clear of this, again stimulates the bowel so all she may end up with is the runs and not much else!

Good luck to her - I really hope she can find something that works and avoid having to birth outside the birth centre. The other thing they may try is a stretch and sweep, basically an internal so they will see if her cervix is doing much plus the sweep the membranes from around the cervix which can kickstart labour too - kind of not that natural BUT alot better than a medical induction.

Dusty - unfortunately many birthing centres have this "proviso" attatched and frankly it puts women in a really really difficult position. I get really annoyed about it. :redface:

She could have a strip and stretch - the midwife trys to manually stretch the cervix and this actually causes the body to produce prostaglandins, removing some of the plug at the same time. This can stimulate labour. Some people find this too interventionist - others are okay with it. It will only work if the cervix has begun to ripen some.

Curries - simply because they can cause diahorrea and this in turn can stimulate the uterus.

Evening Primrose Oil - using the capsules insert high up on to the cervix - the EPO acts as a prostin and can stimulate labour. This needs to be done twice daily and ideally you would lie down on your left side for about half an hour afterwards.

Intercourse: Semen also contains a prostin and will help with the ripening of the cervix.

I hope that helps some - and I hope that your sister gets the birth she wants and deserves. :hug:

Acupuncture and Massage. Other than what has already been mentioned.... ;)

I tried it all, I found massage to be the best thing, but I think it had to do more with relaxing me rather than inducing labour. You tend to get stressed if you go over the magical date, than your body naturally clinches the cervix due to that stress so the best thing is to relax. Which is sooooo hard.

Awesome! Of course BB has brilliant advice like this and brilliant people to tell me about it. Much appreciated and I will pass it onto them.

This is going to sound a bit embarrassing, but I always thought the stretch and sweep was a dance exercise to get things moving along :cryinglaugh:

:rofl: Dusty! Could also be known as the Scratch and Sniff (courtesy of Gudism's DH) Nice hey! ;)

Can I just ask a quick question about these methods....? Just wondering when one can start taking RTL and EPO in the third tri. I recall using these two methods in my first pregnancy and want to use them again but can't remember when it's OK to start (I don't want to go early). I thought someone reading this thread would know (sorry to butt in Dusty).

Hey Jac- there is nothing clear out there about the times for these but generally from 34 weeks for RLT is fine (It doesn't induce labour - just assists with the uterus) and EPO can be from around 36 weeks I think. If you are inserting then more like 38 weeks from memory. Maybe you could call your carers and find out? I was going to check with my midwife last week and forgot but am going to get some RLT and EPO this week. HtH!

ETA - HERE is a thread on EPO that might help. :)

Awesome Tan, thanks for that. Can you post again if you get any more info from your midwife? Don't know what my OB will say but will ask him!

BTW - our #2 bubs are due at almost the same time and our #1 bubs are a similar age too! Scary to think 2 under 18mths verrrrrry soon.........

Moxibustion is related to acupressure - it involves burning two incense sticks to heat accupressure points on the sides of the feet. It can help as well.

I just wanted to say that walking worked for me.

I did serious couple of km walking though.
With my girls I went 8 & 7 days over. Had a stretch & sweep at 40+2, but nothing for a few days.
Had a bit of pre labour, then walked about 5 kms. She was born at 7am the next morning.
DS came 2 days early & I put it down to my 2 km walk the night before.

Everyone is different though. What works for some might not for others.

I was 2 days overdue ... and a Midwife pressed on some pressure points on my wrists & ankles (she was certain that it works)

.... my daughter was born the very next morning :dance:

(You can do it yourself, ... maybe Google it & see what you come up with)

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Moxibustion is related to acupressure - it involves burning two incense sticks to heat accupressure points on the sides of the feet. It can help as well.

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It can be used elsewhere for different things too (I had moxibustion / acupuncture for induction, and have used moxibustion in conjunction with acupressure and remedial massage for a neck strain), and is often used in conjunction with another form of therapy for best effect.

There are pressure points for induction of labour in the ankle (just below the ankle bone), and in the side of the little toe, which is why these areas are avoided in massage in pregnancy, except when trying to induce labour.

If your sis is booking a therapist (massage/acupuncture or acupressure), get her to make sure they are experienced in induction of labour.