Is it a good idea to try natural remedies to start labour?

[i.love]

I am scheduled to be induced at 39 weeks, and would love to go into labour naturally before then. So I was reading about ways to bring on labour naturally before then.

Firstly, I didn't really like any of the methods much - from what I read they are all not proven and might have side effects. But mainly my question is - is it a good idea to try to trick your body to go into labour anyway?

In theory it's the baby that should decide when s/he is ready to come out. Is it a good idea to try to trick your body into thinking that the baby is ready, when he might not be?...

I'm a bit confused. I would love a natural birth, but is it really natural, if caused by eating lots of pineapple or spicy food or whatever to make you start contracting? Or is it also a type of gentle induction?

 

[Orion]

I think a lot of people try the tips for starting labour once their due date starts to get close.

I'm not sure I'd eat several pineapples a day for a week, but I'd eat spicy food, go for a long walk etc. I've heard the most reliable one is having sex.

And I don't see much difference between you trying to start your labour and being induced.

 

[littlemonkey]

Personally I wouldn't bother because regardless of what you do baby ain't coming out if they don't want to! My son didn't even want to come out after an induction at 41 weeks and they had to cut him out! The vbac midwife I saw told me that being active and regular exercise is the best thing to get things moving of their own accord and anything else is pretty pointless!

 

[Durhamchance]

I agree with Littlemonkey, you can try everything, but if baby isn't ready nothing will shift it!

 

[i.love]

Well yes I agree but up to a point. After all inductions definitely do work, even at earlier stages sometimes, right? And sometimes a synthetic version of oxytocin is used for medical induction, so that's the same stuff you are trying to get into your system by having sex, long walks or doing nipple stimulation. So if oxytocin works for medical inductions, then it might also work when received through other means ('natural remedies'). But would I really want to start things this way? Not sure...

 

[i.love]

Orion if there is not much difference, then I don't think I'll bother. The whole idea for me is to avoid being induced....

 

[Nonabean]

My midwife says sex is like a bang on the end of the ketchup bottle. xx

 

[Chazabell]

ha ha ha Nonabean xxx

 

[TashaWink]

Clary sage oil (I think?) massage the belly and have it in a bath.
pressure points (midwives do this so there must be something in it)

I agree that natural remedies only work if baby is ready but as you're booked in for an induction and want to go naturally what's the harm...

 

[littlemonkey]

Well yes I agree but up to a point. After all inductions definitely do work, even at earlier stages sometimes, right? And sometimes a synthetic version of oxytocin is used for medical induction, so that's the same stuff you are trying to get into your system by having sex, long walks or doing nipple stimulation. So if oxytocin works for medical inductions, then it might also work when received through other means ('natural remedies'). But would I really want to start things this way? Not sure...

It's whether or not you'd be getting the right amount needed to actually make a jot of difference. Personally for me it would just be a placebo. If it makes you feel better, do it. But you could spend your time money and effort and still need an induction anyway.

Is there a medical reason you're being induced early, because you can either decline or delay it until your due date at least if you're that eager to avoid it. After my induction experience last time, I decided straight away I would never be having one ever again. So I understand your desire to avoid one completely!

 

[Louise2013]

I got to ten days overdue and was desperate to avoid induction (was the size of a whale and had SPD) but had no sign of anything happening. I had been having some homeopathy so I put a few drops of clary sage oil in a burner (first time I had used it as it mustn't be used before your due date I believe) in the bathroom and had a bubble bath as it is a mild uterine stimulant. An hour later I was in labour and the contractions were utterly horrendous, they came on too quickly and were three minutes apart and raging almost immediately. I till didn't deliver for another two-three days but the contractions never abated. I have no idea if the two were genuinely linked but I will never be doing that again and just be waiting for baby to decide when he/she is ready this time! Good luck xxx

 

[Durhamchance]

It's amazing how the different remedies can effect people so differently. I used clary sage oil in the bath, in a burner and mixed into aqueous cream as a body lotion and it did nothing at all for me!

 

[i.love]

Littlemonkey yes I have obstetric cholestasis it's already pretty surprising that they are letting me go to 39 weeks, in many cases they induce at 37 weeks with OC I mean I can probably still say no, but it's scary not to listen to the doctors when they tell me about different risks associated with OC.

You are probably right about the amounts though.

 

[i.love]

I got to ten days overdue and was desperate to avoid induction (was the size of a whale and had SPD) but had no sign of anything happening. I had been having some homeopathy so I put a few drops of clary sage oil in a burner (first time I had used it as it mustn't be used before your due date I believe) in the bathroom and had a bubble bath as it is a mild uterine stimulant. An hour later I was in labour and the contractions were utterly horrendous, they came on too quickly and were three minutes apart and raging almost immediately. I till didn't deliver for another two-three days but the contractions never abated. I have no idea if the two were genuinely linked but I will never be doing that again and just be waiting for baby to decide when he/she is ready this time! Good luck xxx

Eek scary! I don't fancy 2-3 days of horrendous contractions!!

 

[littlemonkey]

Littlemonkey yes I have obstetric cholestasis it's already pretty surprising that they are letting me go to 39 weeks, in many cases they induce at 37 weeks with OC I mean I can probably still say no, but it's scary not to listen to the doctors when they tell me about different risks associated with OC.

You are probably right about the amounts though.

Yes if there is a reason for it then it's definitely worth listening to them. The advantage of waiting until 39 weeks is that the induction stands a better chance of working and needing less intervention.

 

[littlemonkey]

I got to ten days overdue and was desperate to avoid induction (was the size of a whale and had SPD) but had no sign of anything happening. I had been having some homeopathy so I put a few drops of clary sage oil in a burner (first time I had used it as it mustn't be used before your due date I believe) in the bathroom and had a bubble bath as it is a mild uterine stimulant. An hour later I was in labour and the contractions were utterly horrendous, they came on too quickly and were three minutes apart and raging almost immediately. I till didn't deliver for another two-three days but the contractions never abated. I have no idea if the two were genuinely linked but I will never be doing that again and just be waiting for baby to decide when he/she is ready this time! Good luck xxx

This is what happened to me with my induction, too strong contractions on the hormone drip. At least the drip could be turned down and eventually off in my case! It's really scary!

 

[i.love]

I was also induced last time at 40+1 (same reason - OC, but it was only diagnosed at 40 weeks). They gave me some gel and things also started happening way too quickly! Contractions were very strong, but they kept saying that I still have all night ahead and things are just starting, until I begged them to have a look and they were surprised to see that I was 10 cm! They thought I was just putting on a show with all the moaning and screaming, when in fact I really was in a lot of pain!

Wouldn't want for things to happen like this again really don't want to be induced...