After waiting impatiently for all three of my children to arrive I can safely say I tried more than a few tricks to bring on labour, some working, others not so much.
Most of these are in fact old wives’ tales, but when you’re past your due date you’ll give anything a go…..
Sex
For some people the sheer thought of sex so late in pregnancy brings them out in a cold sweat, but if you can manage the pure mechanics of it, apparently there are properties in semen that break down the cervix wall and help dilation, softening, or ripening, the neck of your womb (cervix), ready for it to open when labour starts. The semen itself contains a high number of prostaglandins, which are chemicals that relax your tissue.
Apparently an orgasm will also stimulate the womb (uterus) into action and nipple stimulation (mimic-ing that of a baby suckling) produces a oxytocin hormone that can trick your body into having contractions….oh err.
Many mums swear by this method but there is no medical evidence to support this. It’s also worth remembering that this is only safe if your waters haven’t broken as once they have broken, having sex may increase the risk of infection. It’s also safer not to have sex if you are experiencing vaginal bleeding or have a low-lying placenta (placenta praevia).
Walking
I tired to walk as much as possible during my pregnancies as this alone can help the baby’s head move down into the pelvis and engage (Not Anabelle though, but this is a story for another time!). As you walk the pressure of the baby’s head on your cervix stimulates the release of oxytocin (the hormone to trigger your contractions)
Obviously if you’re not used to walking don’t go on a massive power walk, just gentle strolls around the block with your partner after dinner and being upright will hopefully encourage your baby to move down to your cervix.
Curry
I was always being told to have a hot curry. I think it’s the spices in the food that stimulate the tummy and in turn the (womb) uterus. If anything it’s just a great excuse to have a night off from cooking, put your feet up and send out for a takeaway.
Pineapple
To wash down your curry you should try a little pineapple juice, followed by fresh pineapple for dessert. It contains the enzyme bromelain, which again is thought to soften your cervix and bring on labour, and if it doesn’t do that it may just stimulate your tummy to help things get going.
I believe you have to eat quite a large amount of pineapple (fresh not canned) to produce the bromelian enzyme, but there is of course the adverse effect of giving yourself tummy upset or worse still diarrhoea and lets face it nobody wants that moments before they are about to give birth.
Hypnosis
Reaching and then passing my due date made me feel incredibly anxious and stressed, I was so over pregnancy and was physically and mentally ready to become a mummy. This feeling could have been the cause in my delay, as it probably prevented me from producing oxytocin, the hormone needed to start labour and help it progress.
The theory behind hypnosis is that it very much creates a calm and tranquil environment, blocking out all those jittery feelings. So don’t be afraid to pop on a hypnosis CD, sit back, relax and take your mind off being overdue.
Acupuncture
My sister-in-law gave acupuncture a go and delivered the next day. It involves the insertion of needles into specific points of the body, stimulating your body’s energy to act on a specific organ function or system.
Although this was successful for my sister in law, a lot of mums say you have to go for a few sessions for it to work. If anything it’s a nice way to get out of the house, relax and pamper yourself before baby arrives.
I had to have an induced labour with my first born as he was 11 days over due, showing no signs of appearing, even though I’d given all the above a go and not to be too graphic and over share, but my second and third children both 5 days over due literally arrived hours after, well…you know.
Did any of the above methods work for you? Do you think you’ll give any of them a go? Have you got any other tricks or myths you’ve heard to bring on labour?
My mum did reflexology on my feet before I was induced and during induction. No idea if it did anything! As I was having the girls early she didn’t want to do too much just in case. My friend is an obs consultant and she said the only thing that does actually work is sex! Sorry ladies! X
Oh yes I’ve head this Lottie, apparently there are certain pressure points on your feet….. xx
I walked daily and spent a lot of time bouncing on my birthing ball, so much so that I didn’t realise I was having contractions until my waters broke later that night. So busy bouncing I thought nothing of the ‘period pains’ I was feeling!!!
Ha that’s brilliant Katherine, love it when a mama-to-be is oblivious to her contractions. It was probably all the upright action and pressure on your cervix that ripened the wall. Well done you xxx
I went a week overdue with Tess, and was ready to try anything to get her out. I did marathon walks, ate LOTS of curry (oh no, how hard!) and Mr H and I even managed to sneak upstairs for a quickie while the other kids were engrossed in Minecraft. I think if anything it was the sex that helped – we did the deed on Saturday afternoon, and at 5.55 on Sunday morning my waters went.
She’s a whole week old now!
Ahh congratulations Sara, I bet she’s absolutely perfect. I think there is definitely a lot to be said for a bit of action bringing on labour. It worked for us too xxx
It was a huge walk and a round of mini golf that bought on labour for me although Hector arrived eight days early so I wasn’t exactly trying to bring on labour…I couldn’t bear the thought of any bedroom action at that point in my pregnancy though. Everything was just too uncomfortable…
I’m SO jealous of your surprise early arrival Lolly, it always pained me being overdue, every extra day felt like an extra week! It definitely takes some careful planning & manoeuvring to get in to a comfortable position, but was definitely worth it to have labour start so soon after xxx
Pineapple only works if you eat the core of the pineapple as that is where the enzyme is found and you have to eat 8 of them!
I’m practicing hypnobirthing and as such I’m going to try my best in trusting that my baby knows the best time for them to be born and not interfere (apart from maybe the first option for fun!). I’m also not setting too much store in the ‘due date’ or the idea of being ‘over due’ – 85% of babies are ‘late’! In France they use 41 weeks for the maternity calculation instead of our 40 so less babies are ‘late’ there. Being relaxed and calm about the situation is most likely to bring on a natural labor
Amen, Bryony. I loved hypnobirthing and refused induction with my second (we were both perfectly healthy and we did lots or research plus had a v supportive midwife), she was born in water with labour recorded at 1hr20, 15 days past edd. I hope you have a really brilliant experience, you sound like your head is in exactly the right place.
You’re completely right Bryony, baby definitely does know when they’re ready and who knows even if we hadn’t had sex if labour would have started naturally anyway. Like you say all good fun though 😉 xxx
My midwives have always said sex, sex and more sex. And I’m a good girl who does as she’s told, so… ? My poor husband. 10 days post EDD with our first, FIFTEEN with our second and the twins were 2 days ‘early’ but after 39+5 with twins it did not feel early, thankyouverymuch. Less with the twins, but certainly with the girls, we were at it all the time – I’m exhausted just thinking about it! And they still hung on til the bitter end. Ah well, it was fun if nothing else.
WOW Maoibh, 39+5 with twins is amazing, so pleased you had a support midwife who allowed you to carry so long. xxx
Our support team with the twins was incredible, though to be fair no one expected me to go that long. Both babies were head down with Baby A locked and loaded at 34w…where he stayed. For what felt like forevvvvver! And he’s still a lazy wee dote nine months later ?
Did you find it easier to be ‘late’ with your 2nd and 3rd, Lorna? I certainly was more relaxed after having one born past edd, figured I must just cook them for slightly longer…
You obviously make a very good home for your little ones 😉
I definitely found it a lot easier to be late with Joseph & Anabelle Maoibh, I think after having Elliott late, I just assumed like you my babies like to cook a little longer and in the end I was elated to experience spontaneous labour rather than an induced labour however long it took xxx
I’m not sure if anything I did accounted for Annabelle arriving at 38+1 but from around 32 weeks, I’d been eating a pineapple a week and then bouncing on my exercise ball and munching a handful of dried dates everyday. I’d read somewhere the dates could reduce the chance of going overdue – not sure if this is scientifically proven! A few days before Annabelle arrived, we took the dog on a big hilly walk and then the day before my waters broke I went shopping. This worked for my mum when she was expecting me (I arrived at 38 weeks too) and worked for me! I guess you never know if anything truly works but it’s worth a try!
It’s always fun trying these things out isn’t it Naomi. I hadn’t heard about dates reducing your chance to go overdue, I would have loved to have tested this theory with one of my pregnancies xxx
These are fun to read – and I’m sure the husband will love the more sex option when we get to it!
After an unexpected hospital stay due to a possibly (way too) early arrival last week, I’m quite happy right now for sproglet to keep cooking past his due date – although of course I might well change my mind once I’m 41 weeks in July 🙂
Strangely partner’s always seem to be onboard with this option Maike 😉
Oh no, I hope you’re ok, that must have been a worry for you. Sending big hugs and RMF are always here if you need us xxx
I was so fed up and impatient I was trying to get my labour going from the second I was full term! My poor husband was on a regime of walking and sex and curry, exhausted!
But I really do think acupressure/acupuncture did the business and as my mum is an acupuncturist I had all sorts of goodies, moxa patches, rollers, pressure pointers. The best thing was a DVD of acupressure for labour by a lady called Debra Betts. If you google her she used to be a midwife but is now an acupuncturist. Her website is full of free advice and it’s all very straightforward and sensible- no mumbo jumbo.
That said, next time round I don’t think I will be so desperate- will be cherishing the last few days as a family of 3.
It’s so funny I always say to my friends enjoy the last few days as a twosome or family of three before another little one joins you and to some extent I follow my own advise, but I think I just like to test the theories and see if they work xxx
I went four days over. I tried everything as I was so uncomfortable and for some reason thought I would be early. Sex was pretty comical and did nothing. I went for a three mile hilly walk (in hot summer weather) and my bump dropped a lot, the next day I was exhausted and lay on the sofa watching the notebook and then went into labour that evening. Who knows if the walk worked or if it was Ryan Gosling getting me hot under the collar?
Anna this is so funny, I was watching The Notebook when my waters went with Anabelle! Although I appreciate Ryan is good looking, he’s not at the top of my list, but I do love a soppy story xxx
Love all of these and reading everyone’s experiences. I went 6 days over with my little boy and I honestly think the thing that got my labour started was having friends round the night before and actually forgetting about the fact that I was 5 days overdue. Although I wouldn’t recommend staying up until 2am and going into labour at 5am!!!
Oh gosh Louise you must have been utterly exhausted, what a star. There’s nothing quite like a night with the girls & a good giggle to take your mind off things xxx
I was 7 days part my due date and was meant to be induced the next day due to very little amniotic fluid. So I had a hot bath and a glass of red wine the evening before and contractions started a few hours later that night. Unfortunately after 19 hours of contractions I had to have a C-Section since the cervix didn’t dilate and my boy’s head didn’t come lower. So after all I keep wondering whether my boy knew, he couldn’t come out and that’s why I was overdue… It doesn’t matter though, since he is healthy and I am ok now too.
Ah glad you’re all ok and everything turn out right in the end. Babies are definitely cleverer than we give them credit for xxx
I’ve only just caught up on this post, because the 25th was when I started to go into labour! I don’t think anything particularly worked for me, I had tried a few of these but in the end just accepting that whenever it was going to happen was ok rather than trying to rush things (I was 8 days overdue) seemed to help me feel more settled and then I went into labour! Little one arrived the next day! X
Wow congratulations Lucy, lot’s of love to you all xxx