After hours of trawling the Internet, talking to friends with babies, and a chat with the midwife I'd pretty much heard every natural method of bringing on labour. Unfortunately what seemed to have worked for most people was not particularly palatable to me. Sex was advised by 2 friends, the midwife and countless forums and websites on the topic. Something to do with the semen ripening the cervix, or some hormone released by the female orgasm.
Perhaps I'm abnormal, but I didn't relish the idea of having sex with a woman who was 9 months pregnant. A couple of my mates couldn't understand the problem, but there were a host of physical and mental issues I just couldn't handle. The main two were the proximity of our baby, and my lack of desire for the pregnant female body. Don't get me wrong, I thought she looked great and didn't have a problem with her changed body shape. I even thought I'd miss the bump when the baby was eventually born. I just didn't find it sexually appealing.
There was also this mucus plug thing I'd heard about, and the thought of waters breaking. What if it did bring on labour, did I want to be in a maternity ward after just having had 'relations' with my partner? Luckily for me Clare felt exactly the same way, she was prepared to do it, but had as little desire as I had. We did discuss the plan of me getting some dutch courage from a drink or two but the unanimous decision was that we look into alternatives.
Another front runner was raspberry leaf tea. We tried a couple of supermarkets but they didn't stock it. There was also brown sugar and water, this came up a lot on forums but hadn't seemed to work for anyone. There was also 'nipple stimulation' well Clare was terrified of lactating, by the look on her face when I mentioned it I knew we wouldn't be trying it. Apparently from the forums and information we looked at it's worth a try.
Another big front runner was 'Castor oil' or a mixture of Castor oil and orange juice. People seem to have mixed feelings about the safety of this method. Some saying it was perfectly safe, and some saying that it should not be used under any circumstances. We decided not to try it.
Blue Cohosh, and Black Cohosh came up regularly also. We had never heard of it, and as we couldn't even locate some raspberry leaf tea we thought there was no chance of getting hold of Cohosh.
2 Midwives had mentioned pineapple, some forums said you had to eat a whole pineapple for it to work. Well I was pretty confident I could get hold of a pineapple, Clare would never eat a whole one so I decided to juice a couple. Some places said that juicing would destroy the active chemical, I figured that if she had the juice of 2 fresh pineapples very soon after they were juiced that she would be getting any supposed benefit of eating a whole pineapple.
I sliced the pineapples up, juiced them and poured Clare a pint. Every so often when she wasn't looking I topped it up a little bit. So eventually she must have drank almost 2 pints of pineapple juice. Along with the membrane sweep, I'm hoping this will start to tip the balance and we will soon be bringing our baby home.
UPDATE FROM MUM:
I went into labour two days after taking the pineapple juice.
You can buy red raspberry leaf in capsule at a health food store. It does the same thing. It helps ripen and efface the cervix. Probably too late to help you but there.
I know what your lady is going through. I have been surfing the net all day, looking for ways to hurry the process along. I am going to try the pinapple thing too. Hopefully it may work.
Hi
Am in same situation, got hold of raspberry leaf pills and have been taken them by the handful for four days and drinking parsley as suggested by my doctor, I did eat some pineapple yesterday but didn't realise you had to eat so much so will go back today and try to eat more. Bet when babies do arrive we will all be wishing for the place we are in now, of a bit of peace and a nights sleep.
can I eat pinneapples in a can? or do they have to be fresh?
I'm no medical expert, but most of the information we looked at said it had to be fresh, and you had to eat a lot of it. We read that even juicing it would reduce the effectiveness of it, but Clare couldn't eat a whole pineapple so we juiced a couple.
All the best for the birth, I'm sure you will be holding your baby in your arms soon.
hi my midwife told me that alpine tea brings on labour it gives u a good clean out to i havent tryed it yet myself cause am only 37weeks but i wish i wa ready to have him now!
plz help me am 37wks pregnant ave tryed sex and caster oil 2 induce my labour but nothing seems 2 be happning can u give me anymore ideas email me plz x
it is great!
Hi I am 14 days over and thought i was in labour last night, alas not and keep wating for it o happen. It was defiatley differnt and quite powerful but as i say i keep wating. Have tried pineapple, reflexology, sex and had 2 sweeps. Tonight may be the night, i hope Susan :)
My due date is today and nothing seems to be happening. Have two other children and really just want this darling out so i can be "normal" again and get on with life. This is the worst waiting game of all! I have tried everything, except this pineapple thing. Am going to go and stimulate my nipples some more now and hope for the best. Anything to pass the time...
I went a week over my due date and nothing seemed to work for me. I had tried everything. Herbal tea and spicy food was coming out of my ears. Someone had told me to try Cod Liver oil and orange juice. Only in a small cup about the same amount of each. Doesn't taste in any way pleasant but i think everyone will agree when your past your due date you will try anything. The next day my waters broke.
I know you're ready to get your baby out, but you have to wait until he or she is ready to come out themselves.
Only 5% of babies are born on their due date, and due dates are only an estimate based on averages.
"if it's not broken, don't fix it"
tahts alright for u to say seeing u r a man and dont have to hell of going over due its very uncomfortable lol xx
I had a whole pineapple for breakfast! I believe there is a homeopathic preparation called caulophylum that is very safe to use as it will have no effect unless your baby is ready. You have to get it prescribed by a Homeopath. My gynae wants to induce me if the baby hasn't arrived by next Monday - I'm hoping that won't be necessary so I'm going to have another pineapple for lunch!!
mpush
i am an expecting mom, i must tell you i'm on my way now to buy two pineapples. i'm going to eat them both now. i hope i'm not overdoing it.
have done everything and then Luke arrived 2 days late @ 9lb 15 1/2oz! did the fresh pineapple, spicy curry, accupuncture, sex, scary movies and borag oil in capsule - taken orally and also smeared on cervix entrance, and raspberry tea (but that last 1 doesn't start labour, it strenthens the utereas tho)
Has to be, on average, 7 pineapples, they have to be fresh and not juiced, or tinned.
One day over at the moment. So I'm looking it up, but only looking at referenced stuff with research behind it. Best bet seems to be increasing oxytocin levels, as that is the hormone that kicks the whole thing off. Baby sends a boost to the pregnant woman's brain and off you go. Adreniline being the opposite, guess that's one reason not to get stressed, or anxious... So it's either nipple stimulation, orgasm or general feelings of happiness (weepy films...), or a mixture of all three... Sounds like an environment ready for baby doesn't it... ?
I must say, I would be really offended if my partner went off me sexually. He finds my bump sexy and although im the one who doesnt really want sex at this point in the pregnancy (im due tomorrow) I still would be annoyed if he didnt want sex.
I bought the pineapple tablets with just the enzyme Bromelaine in it, ate the entire box but nothing happened. I think you baby comes when shes ready (I have tried absolutely everything) walking helps alot as drops the baby down. The membrane sweep brought me on with my last little girl, getting one tomorrow hope it works again.
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