When to start..?

[xkikix]

Hi Mums,

I'll be 34 weeks preggo on tuesday so i'm starting to think about getting my body "ready" for labour.. I really struggle waddling up the stairs and stuff so am praying I dont go overdue! So... When did you start doing all the stuff they say can bring on labour? I mean spicy curry, sexy time, pineapple etc?

I've started drinking 2 cups of rapberry leaf tea a day this week, is that enough? Any other tips/advice?

Thanks xx

 

[Xena]

I don't think you're meant to have raspberry leaf tea until a bit later - 37 weeks maybe.

37 weeks is when you're considered full term, so I wouldn't try to get labour going before then if I were you. You want to avoid going into premature labour.

 

[xkikix]

Thanks for your reply xena! I will stop drinking it then as premature labour is defo not what I want!

 

[LucyBee]

Yup, you definitely want to hang on a bit before you start trying to bring on labour. Any earlier than 37 weeks and your baby is considered pre-term which means steroid injections for lungs and possible stay in neo-natal. Hang on in there!
What you could do is start practising relaxation techniques and prepare your birth plan. That should keep you busy! Lucyx

 

[Charlie:-)]

You can start drinking raspberry leaf tea from 32 weeks starting with 1 cup a day building up to 4 cups a day.

Raspberry leaf tea doesn't bring on labour just googled and found this for more info

http://www.askbaby.com/raspberry-leaf-tea.htm

Hope that helps.

 

[Xena]

fair enough, yes it seems you can have it from 32 weeks. Actual labour inducing efforts though are best left until 37+ weeks

 

[Sherlock]

I'm drinking one cup of raspberry leaf tea a day and building up to 4 cups at 37 weeks.

I'm also doing my exercises (there are quite a few to help prepare for labour and to encourage LO into a good birthing position) on my birthing ball. Plus breathing exercises.

I'm also still walking for an hour a day.

These things are more intended to help labour not to bring it on.

 

[xkikix]

Ok, Thanks for all your responces.. Good job I asked, it is so confusing..!

So 1 Cup of raspberry leaf a day, and all other efforts to be put off til 37 weeks.

 

[Cupcake]

I dont believe any of it works ...goodluck however x

I agree! I was drinking 9 cups of RL tea, BD lots, bouncing on my bosu ball and eating pinapple loads from 38 weeks and I still went 6 days over my due date!!

Best of luck for when the time comes though, not too long now. x

 

[Xena]

I dont believe any of it works ...goodluck however x

honestly neither do I

 

[Linda]

i tried everything but none of it worked for me, i still went 12 days over

 

[fothers]

nothing works- I tried it all and went 6 days over.

I had a really nice labour though and think the fact that I walked as much as I could and kept active helped. I also only ever sat on the birth ball or on a hard chair rather than the sofa.

good luck

ps- rasberry leaf tablets from 36w onwards may be better (and easier to take) than the tea. Holland and Barrett sell them

 

[trixipaws]

i took raspberry leaf pills from 35 weeks, but not to bring on labour- thats not what they do apparently- they tone up your uterus to make second stage easier. i think they helped, as melissa was my first baby and i was only pushing for less than an hour. iv hears of some women who are at it for 5 hours!

i didnt start tryna bring on labour until 39 weeks, coz the weather was warm and i was hot and bothered being so massive. i researched it on the internet, and im afraid all the methods- bar two- are myths. pineapple, curry, both myths!

the ones which hav science behind them that actually work are oxytocin and prostaglandins. u can get oxytocin naturally from nipple stimulation and orgasms- and natural prostaglandins are found in semen.

i couldnt get the prostaglandins, my boyf wouldnt come near me, he said asking him to help get a baby out of my tummy was a turn-off! lol he even refused BJs (i read in one article it absorbs really well thru the gut- not sure if thats true but was willing to try lol)
i made the oxytocin myself, iykwim and that worked- i was in labour the next day!

i gave birth on my due date btw.

 

[Sherlock]

i took raspberry leaf pills from 35 weeks, but not to bring on labour- thats not what they do apparently- they tone up your uterus to make second stage easier.

the ones which hav science behind them that actually work are oxytocin and prostaglandins. u can get oxytocin naturally from nipple stimulation and orgasms- and natural prostaglandins are found in semen.

Thats what I understand raspberry leaf tea as doing also. Not a labour inducer but helps the uterus when in labour.

And my Mw told our ante natal class about the oxytocin and prostaglandins being good for bringing on labour. 6 times a day apparently to make it really count though My OH will think all his Christmas' have come at once if I test out that theory nearer the time

 

[leighannex]

i wasnt overally bothered about trying to bring on labour as i feel they dont help, as i baby will come when he/she is all ready to make the apperance, i started to drink rasberry tea at about 36/37week
(still drinking it now its lovely) think i was having aroun 4 cups a day by the time i got 2 my due date, i had sex loads 2weeks before due date did nothing, i had curry on my due date did nothing lol always going over bumpy roads as their disgraceful here, bouncing on my ball just helped to encourage amber and she was fully engaged 2 weeks before i had her.
i was 4 days late, & i believe it happened because she was ready

(as for the rasberry tea only pushing for 10mins first baby and popped right out)

 

[Redshoes]

'In a study carried out in Sydney, Australia, 192 first-time mums were given at random either a 1.2g raspberry leaf tablet or a placebo twice a day from 32 weeks of pregnancy. The herb had no harmful effects on mother or baby, and those women who had taken raspberry leaf tablets were found to have a shorter second stage of labour and a lower rate of forceps delivery (19.3% versus 30.4%). However, far more research is needed to confirm these results.'

http://www.babycentre.co.uk/pregnancy/l ... ourexpert/

Just wanted to add that And say that the tablet form will be more effective than the actual teabag too, though I know they are nice, I love fruit teas myself. Though if you have had early bleeding or a previous miscarriage, you should discuss taking them with your MW beforehand

I don't believe anything brings on labour early except induction, baby's come when they want I would suggest relaxing and keeping your spirits up, spoil yourself and practise those breathing exercises very best wishes