Rumors

thats funny, when you think you are ready, you will try just about anything... walking, bumpy road. With me, I knew I was done, I asked my doctor to induce, but he said he was too busy.. I was so upset, must have been karma when my water broke at 1am and I got to call my doctor and say "I told you so!" Good luck!

First off, I would not put a heating pad on your tummy unless you first ask your docotor.
I had heard that 'self gratification' can induce labor, if your are already close. With my second child, I tried it and an hour later I was in labor.

Good luck

Yes there is but don't!! Castor oil makes you have diarrhea which can lead to labor due to the cramping. Try a castor oil pack = rub the oil on your belly then put a heating pad on your belly. I did it 3 times the 2 days before I went into labor. But I was also taking long walks, baths, and did some squats. I don't know how much these 'myths' actually work cuz you can't fool with mother nature :) good luck

K.

Hi T. :)
I am not sure what you can drink but walking and lots of activity seems to encourage labor or at least that was the case with me. Hope this is helpful.

Mishy

Theres raspberry leaf tea, and black licorice tea as well. Though it looks on your profile that you aren't that close to your due date. The important thing to remember is that even though you are anxious to hold your beautiful child, that child will be much healthier if you let it stay in its warm nurturing environment. Also these teas and other remedies tend to give you contractions with no real strong developments, in other words you may be contracting but you might not be dilating.

Lots of Luck,
Y.

T.,

In my experience as a Doula there are things you can do to help labor come, but only if your body is already ready. I would not advise you to take anything until you talk to your care provider.

Good Luck!

S. Tuke Doula CCBE

Hi Ticia,
Been there done that. I have 3 kids that were all over due. I am not talking about 1 or 2 days over due, but like a week with each. I think it is castor oil maybe? Don't quote me on that. I just think that each child comes when they are ready. So enjoy it, no matter how late you are it will be over really fast!!!

As a birth doula, I would caution you NOT to try to augment your labor. Babies are made to be in the womb for the full 40 weeks so that they can develop properly and be healthy at delivery. If you are now post-date for delivery, there are herbal tinctures you can try - black cohash for example, which can help start labor if your body is ready...but discuss with your provider before taking. If you do an online search for ways to induce labor, there are lists of things you can try that are natural such as nipple stimulation, intercourse, walking, spicy foods, and herbal stimulants.

Best of luck!

I don't know if you are already experiencing contractions or not but I have had three children all ranging in different labor times and beginning labor experiences. My last child I was four days overdue and constantly having contractions that would not produce me past 4 cm dilation. I tried the castor oil and orange juice (big mistake and a horrible and untrue and very uncomfortable rumor!), I tried bumpy roads and ironically after my son was born he hated car rides (go figure), I tried walking with no luck and finally after my 6th trip to the ER thinking it was time (after bloody discharge) they were about to send me home again when a wonderful nurse transferred from Australia had me try something different than anyone has ever told me and I swear by it! Every time you have a contraction squat down (with assistance) as far as you can go really opening "the area". This widens the birth canal and stretches it along with gravity and the combination of the contraction. I did this for half an hour and went from 4cm to 7cm! I had my son within the hour. Now keep in mind that if you are getting an epidural you may not have time. They were able to give me mine but I was so exhausted after the squats that when the epidural took effect I found that I was not using the right muscles to push my son out. So they had to reverse the epidural to get feeling back and while it was very agonizing (first time delivering natural) it was very fast. I agree with everyone else though, do not try to induce if your doctor or midwife does not suggest it and I wouldn't try this if your not already having contractions and AT THE HOSPITAL!!!! It won't take long. I wish you a healthy and happy delivery and hope this helps.
Sincerely,
D.'

It seems like different things work for different people, but it was sex that did it for me. I went into labor around two hours after we had sex. I also heard that eating spicy food works, but that didn't seem to help me at all.

I drank castor oil- 2 ounces in orange juice with vanilla ice cream. I went into labor a couple of hours later. It works by giving you wicked diarrhea. Make sure you drink lots of water so you don't get dehydrated. I didn't think the cramps were too bad (especially not compared to labor).
Good luck!
R.

Nipple stimulation. I was told to try it myself and I did have contractions, but they stopped when I stopped. (Which turned out to be a good thing in the end for me!) Caution: Do not do this if you've had a previous c-section unless you have consulted with your doctor first. Here is something I found on the internet to tell you a little more. (I did both nipples at the same time for 30 min at a time) Good luck!
http://www.birthingnaturally.net/cn/technique/nipple.html

the best and safest thing is to have sex. Seminal fluid has properties that cause a uterus to contract. And of course nipple stimulation can also work to induce labor. But do not do the nipples stim if you are early. Wait until you are at least 37 weeks. Good luck.

Hi... you don't want to try anything without speaking with your Midwife or doctor about it first! There are a number of herbs you can use- black cohash (SP?) is one of them- but you NEED to check with someone so you know the doses. Some other ways to induce labor naturally are sex, nipple stimulation, thumbsucking, and exercise. Really, though, your baby is going to come when it's ready. AVERAGE is 41 weeks, 1 day. Normal is up to 42 weeks. A friend of mine went for 43 weeks and had a healthy baby. Good luck!

GO online and type in Natural Labor inducers. You will find a list of stuff. That all of it sort of does work. However not the way people think. It only gives the extra little push if your body is already ready to go into labor. I felt like I was ready and wanted to do it right away. You know what I was late by 10 days also and felt like I was going to explode. I had my doctor induce me and everything. The thing was when my little girl came out with much reluctance. She had just turned 40 weeks gestational age on that day. I was not late at all. I was impatient. I realize now the strain I put on my little girl by pushing myself all the time to try to go into labor sooner and for agonizing over it. So be good to you and your baby. Walk allot and every doctor will tell you that is the one proven thing that will help the most. Oh make sure you are not constipated what so ever. Get some milk of magnisa or phillips is the same thing. Ensure you are not constipated. Then walk as much as you can. Do NOT run. If it is to be it will definently occur and it will be a natural process. drink allot of water as well. You and your child will need it. Good luck.
S.

Hi T.,

I don't know about a drink but I do know walking will cut down the labor time. I've been pregnant twice and walked all the time and both my pregnancy labor times were under 2 hours.

Good Luck,
J. B.

First off, a lot of walking can stimulate, and the "drink" is supposed to be chamomile tea, but attempting to rush labor is not a good idea. If the baby is past term, massaging the stomache, long walks, and chamomile tea are the doula-esque recipies. I suggest seeing your doctor, however.

I was told Karo Syrup, but it's not the best tasting stuff! I would just do a lot of walking...after having 3 children...I have learned, they will come when they are ready! I did A LOT of walking and cleaning...it helped with dialating (with my first 2 children)..I was enduced with the last..and that didn't help it go any faster either!!!

Hi T.,
I am a massage therapist, and sometimes getting a massage helps stimulate labor. there are certain points you can rub that stimulate contractions. so you could try that. or I have heard if you drink a table spoon of castor oil that sends you into labor. But I dont know if that is true or not. Hope that helps

T.,

Here's a funny little story...while out of state visiting family (at 8 months pregnant) we were all sitting around talking about how having sex can induce labor. Apparently my niece had tried it and it worked for her first child (not the second). We laughed at her suggestion because everyone has their own "old wives tales" about how to induce labor. Well, that night, my husband and I did have sex, not even thinking about what we had talked about that day. This was at about 1 am and I started having contractions at 3:45 am. Later that night we had a little baby boy (1 month premature)! Prior to that point I had had no false contractions or anything.

I believe that everything, including babies, comes in God's time, but this just makes you think! If you do decide to try anything, just be sure it's safe for you and the baby...I'm sure you'd make sure of that anyway.

M.

Hi my name is E. and I was supposedly late with my 2nd child. I looked on the internet and found there are quite a few things for inducing labor. I asked my midwife about things and she said sex but that wan't helping so I went to wallgreens and bought castor oil which is a laxitive. I asked a family friend about it too. I took it on sunday the 11th of sept 2005 in the afternoon and my daughter was born monday the 12th at 8:36am I started labor about 2:30-3am. I was kinda scary because I felt like I had to go to the bathroom a few times during labor but I thought it would be better than being induced because I was induced with my first child and I was hooked up to a bunch of stuff. It tastes bad, well, like oil but it worked. What I did was went to Wendy's bought a frosty and poured some of the frosty into a cup and put a tablespoon of the castor oil into it. When my daughter was born she did have a bowel movement but with a midwife they don't make it such a big deal they just cleaned her off like they normally would and that was that.

Castor oil. I drank it and by the next morning i was in labor. A friend of mine did the same thing and it owrked. Also my cousin was given castor oil in the hospital. Not sure if it's a myth but it workd for me...