What inductions methods worked for you?

Other then medical intervention....

What methods worked for you??

Im at my wits end and want bub out and NOW!

Ive read the natural methods on the main page but none of them are working...granted ive not tried all because thay are not for me!

I found most methods of natural induction don't work unless your body/cervix are actually ready. Though i did use loads of EPO both orally and vaginally from 37 weeks and i was 3cms dilated at 39w3days. I'm not sure if this was a contribution or not though.

I used EPO and inserted two or three of them each day. We also DTD one night and I began having contractions within 4 hours. Not sure if DTD helped with that or if it was going to happen anyway, though. She was born at 38.5 weeks.

EPO orally and internally.
Accupuncture to prepare the body, wasn't to induce as I was still early at that point.

Well Kim, if you didn't post this, I was going to! I'm with you, hun, and it really bites! The emotional/mental stress of waiting and wondering is brutal this time. I was so sure I'd have the baby this past weekend, or sooner! And everyone keeps saying "You're not even over due yet, just relax, and count on the baby coming late!" Right. As if it really works that way. :rolleyes: Elyse came right on time, and Marieke was 1 week early, so I thought this baby would be early too.
Anyways, I will talk to my midwife about EPO on Friday when I have my appointment with her (if I don't go into labour sooner :)) and see if she has any other suggestions.
:hug: Kim, maybe today's the day for both of us.

Um, I agree, you can help prepare your body, but it ain't going to happen until your ready anyway,

Nipple stimulation (expressing colostrum), accupuncture and sex worked for me. Sex for #1 (waters broke about 30mins after and I was 40 weeks) and NS everyday for a week prior while I was in the shower (nothing hardcore, a couple of minutes each side) as well as weekly accupuncture (not to bring on labour, just to relax and prepare my body) resulted in bub #2 coming at 39 weeks.

My doctor at the clinic actually did a sweep which was most unpleasant, cause my blood pressure was too high and he wanted to get things moving that was about a week out from my due date, two days later my waters broke!

Cricket, Kim - I'm feeling your pain!!

I'm not completely over it yet but talk to me next week ;) I'm definitely ready to meet our bub though!

I've been using EPO (x3 orally and x3 inserted daily) since about 36 weeks. Can't say at this point whether it's helped or not.

My ob has offered to do a sweep on Monday if I want him to. I'll think about it over the weekend I guess. Other than that, Operation "DTD" will begin next week!!

I've heard clary sage oil can help too - does anyone know where you get it from?

i had sex on the morning I had Mason...and I had been taking RLT for a few weeks prior :)

I reckon id say YESSS to a stretch and sweep right about now...anything!!

But..get this...i dont see my hospital until 41+3. So ill be waiting a loooong time if i dont go into labour beforehand :(

EPO isnt for me....but maybe it will help....hmm... where do u buy it from??

DTD, NS, D.I.Y stretch and sweep (thanks feeb for the help and tips how to do it tho), curry, bumping roads....nothing works!!

Accupunture no thanks....

Im beginning to think castor oil might work....but then i might live on the loo :(

no doubt about the loo kim!

epo is from chemist or supermarket. take orally & insert vaginally
2x 3 times a day :)

I wouldn't try the castor oil because it can make bub poop too.

Sorry to barge in here, reading out of interest - what is EPO?

A friend of mine was at her wits end, had tried curry, sex, walking, nipple stimuation and had drunk RLT for weeks - so went to a acupuncturist and was in labour within 2 hours! - if you have never had it before (acupuncture) i understand the hesitation but it doesnt hurt a bit (my sister does it regularly to me - well use to)

Good luck!

Kim sweetie I wouldn't be playing around with your body too much just yet, you've still got 10 days before your term, and technically another 14 days after that. Try and relax and focus on other things. Your body will do what's right when the time is right, anything before that time can lead to all sorts of problems! EPO is quite harmless, it will only work if your body is ready, but definitely don't go the castor oil. I hope you don't think I'm being a doom prophet I totally get how those last few weeks can be but its not that long now YOU CAN DO IT :D :hug:

Your body is designed to labour eventually.... trust it! It's not going to not happen! And trust that when it does happen, that it's when baby is jumping up and down saying 'helloooooooo! yoo hoooooo! I am ready now and my body prepared to do this with mininal fuss and stress...'

Thanks Cailin! I guess i should just be greatful and wait for bub to come....:)

Sammiejane-EPO is evening primrose oil

I walked very day for 1/2 hour with my last 2 pg and both of the girls came early one at 38week and the other at 39 both of them half way through the walk I had pains which I thought was stich which came and went ( I know not very bright ) but had baby later that day. Think yourself lucky up here the public hospital will let you go up to 3 weeks over due date. like 40weeks isn't long enough!!

Im with you Kim - OVER IT!!!!!!!

What is this you mentioned about DIY stretch and sweep?? Please tell me more.........

DH and I DTD the night before I went into labour with Harrison... I believe that this is what did it for me.

LOL Becky...not worked for me yet.

Feeb was tellin me you can do it sitting on the loo....use lotsa lube. put in two fingers til you find ur cervix, cos its ur 2nd bub there should be like a little hole (hmm so im told), ur cervix should feel like ur ear lobe (on a non preg lady it feels like ur nose), then u gently 'sweep' the cervix.

Or of course get Dh to help ya out....thats what i do....hmm maybe thats where im going wrong....dont think so tho....i cant find nothing when im doing it myself on the loo neither!

Now i/we are either doing it wrong, not finding cervix, or im/we are useless.....but i have no idea wats going on.

LOL
Thanks Kimbaz. Not sure I'll have any idea either. I'll give it a try - cant hurt!

Just make sure u have lotsa lube, go slow..and apparently cant do damage so cant hurt to try!

Just to top it off... DTD! haha

just out of curiousity, what is EPO and stretch and sweep?

i've never heard of these terms before

Evening Primrose Oil. And a stretch and sweep is where your caregiver, OB, or midwife, inserts a finger or 2 into your cervix and attempts to seperate the membranes from the cervix. The idea is that this will cause a surge in hormones and kick start labour.

thanks, i've already gone through 2 pregnancies and now with the 3rd, i'm still learning new tricks!!
how does the epo work when taken orally? and do you just stick a normal capsule up 'there' for the other way?
and when should you start taking it?
(at the moment i'm 32 weeks & 3 days.)

TBH, I have no idea how the EPO works orally, other than that it is recommended to do also. You can start using it at around 36 weeks both orally and internally. For the internal dose start with one to 2 capsules inserted high into the vagina, by 38 weeks you can up it to 3 capsules, and you can do it morning and night. I only ever did night time though. I find right before bedtime best as it gives it a chance to pool and soak the cervix. Make sure you wear a pad or panty liner though, because what goes in, will come out ;)

With my last pregnancy I was 3 cm dilated before I even went into labour and my cervix was so ripe and easy to stretch. Has to be a bonus.

Trish - do you mean you can insert x3 in the morning and then another x3 at night? I want to up the dose now that I'm so close but wasn't sure if it was a no-no? I can't see why it would be.

Anything to help right now!!

From what I hear, EPO works somewhat like a prostaglandin, which is what they would give you to ripen your cervix in an induction. (also present in semen, BTW) It is good for making your cervix soft and ready to dilate and efface. I asked my midwife about taking it, and she said they used to recommend it in their practice, until a study came out that associated it with early rupture of membranes. So they don't recommend it here anymore. But from what I hear/read on BB, lots of women are taking it without issues, so if you're fine with that, then go for it!
My midwife gave me a herbal combination to take three times a day that has pulsatilla, arnica montana, caulophyllum tha, actea raccem., and gelsemium semp. in it. (don't ask me what all those things do - she told me, but I forget!) Anyways, the idea is that it will give you a little nudge into labour if you are close anyways.
All the best!

Willow, yes you are right. Morning and night x 3.

Cricket, I know that the pulsatilla is to help calm any fears you may have, arnica is a stimulant and diuretic and is also used for sporting injuries like sprains. It's actually a good thing to take after bub is born to stop any swelling you may get "down there". Caulophyllum thalictroides (which is what I think cculophyllum tha is supposed to be) is also known as Blue Cohosh, this is used to stimulate labour. Gelsemium sempervirens is used for feelings of fear and irritability, depression, headache, chill, heaviness of the eyelids, weakness, and vertigo. And I'm not sure what actea raccem is at all.

Usually just a combination of black and blue cohosh and perhaps some pulsatilla is all that is needed to give labour a push start. But I will warn you and say that this can cause and irritable uterus, basically set you contraction fast and frequent - more like spasms than anything else.

But nothing will work unless your body is already to do so on it's own.

OK cool - thanks Trish!! I might speak to the middy at my obs office today about it too.

I have heard that Raspberry Leaf Tabs are great!

Accupuncture, and Reflexology, and RLT for me this time, from 36 ish weeks!

RLT won't actually bring on labour. What they do is tone your uterus so that when you do start having contractions they will be stronger and more effective. They are also great for helping to build a good milk supply and also help with post partum bleeding.