Old Wives Tales

[randomsasha]

Out of curiosity, does anyone know of any old wives tales on how to start off labour?

P.S I'm a week overdue, but this is just curiosity, as my mum came up with a load of things she did which I found very strange!

[tigilou]

going fast in your car over speed bumps, hot curry, lots of sex, drinking vasaline (which i really would not try). lots of walking thats all i can think of nothing worked for me but i took my best mate clubbing on her due date after a hard night dancing she went into labour the next day. Good luck anyway i wish you all the best let us know how it goes

[Liza B]

my friend swears by castor oil, she has just had baby number 5 and used it with all of hers and it seemed to work. Not sometime I would try though. My daughter tried jumping on the tramopline (didn't work), she also was told to try raspberry tea, no use either, they seem to come when they want, not when we want.

Good luck hope all goes well

[Kay]

I was given an OBE to induce labour 34 years ago. This was an "Oil,Bath and Enema". Castor oil followed by the enema then a hot bath. It brought my labour on but it was'nt very pleasant. Thankfully I did'nt need anymore OBE's for my other 3 sproggs:-)

[Oneeyedvic]

From helath food shops - raspberry leaf tablets

[biscuitboy]

"when the apple is ready it will fall off the tree" - that's what my nan used to say, let nature take it's course & good luck

[meltoadhall]

sex really can work the semen has a chemical that softens the cervix. have fun!!!

[lady_p_gold]

I have heard that swallowing semen can start labour ..... your husband may be quite keen to try that one !

[bex401]

I tried the castor oil method,as it had worked well for my best mates 3,all i got was bad stomach ache & many trips to the toilet & labour did not follow!!!I had to be induced in the end with the gel applied around your cervix & although I had heard lots of horror stories about being induced,I thought it was ok,as these things go!!

Good Luck!!

[Poglet]

My neighbour painted her garden fence and hey ho, few hours later, was in labour with black metallic paint on her belly which obviously she couldn't see as it was on the undergirth! Patience is a virtue tho luv. Just wait and it will happen in its own time. I had a "sweep" with my second, most painful experience in my life and my first was an epidural caesar! The best things come to those who wait..... Good Luck and put a BIG post once you are done!!! Pog x p.s. do you want me to knit some bootees????

[randomsasha]

Thanks for all the replies. Just to let you know theres still no baby lol. This is my second pregnancy, my first being with twins who got to full term so I'm not in any hurry lol. Was just curious, and would never think of drinking castor oil (the thought even makes me feel ill lol). I did have a curry for dinner tonight just to see if it would work and all its done so far is give me heart burn lol.

[Bohne]

According to a friend, her sister did it with caster oil.
She was about a week overdue with twins.

[clairelb]

Eating lots of pineapple is another one - it works in the same way as taking/drinking raspberry leaf, by toning your uterus. Having sex is the most medically accurate one as the chemicals in sperm are the same as those used during induction (although those in induction are synthetic). Other things I've heard of include nipple tweaking - sets some hormone going, dancing - it gets baby's head in a good position, going over bumps in the car...

I'm hoping as there's no post today that maybe the curry worked!! If so let us know. I've just over 2 weeks to go and would love to hear if anything worked!!

Good luck!

[Sparkles3]

My first came 2 weeks early - totally unexpectedly. I had spent the previous day walking round the shops with my mum for 8 hours, had a curry in the evening and went over speed bumps on no fewer than 3 separate occasions - I wasn't trying to induce labour but maybe it does work!!

[randomsasha]

still no baby lol. had a hot bath last night (which just turned me bright red lol). I'll try the pineapple because there are no local health food shops for rasbperry leaf tablets/tea and i dont fancy going too far as I dont drive. I'll maybe try a few more things and let you know how it goes. My mum is convinced that I havent gone into labour before now because Chico was at number one lol. I hate the song and she thinks I was subconciously telling the baby not to come out lol

P.S I'm still no desperate enough to try castor oil yet lol

[mimififi]

washing a really big laminate/hardwood flooron your hands and knees and then polishing it too. approximately 3 hours later, you should be in active labour.

It worked for 2 of mine (one labour of which was a mere 12 minutes), either that or it is a remarkable coincidence.

good luck, hopefully by the time this is posted, you won't be reading it anyway!

[shellby512]

hi there dont worry about being over i was exactly 3 weeks late with my second daughter, and i tried all the old wives tales hot baths gardening pineapple etc including the caster oil( it was vile) and it didn't work i had been into hospital on the date i was due then the week later then later, now i'm not certain but they said because i was too far over and no sign of babys head engaging they booked my in for the friday afternoon for a section(now weather it was shock or not ) i went into labour on my own that afternoon.25 minutes later a baby girl 6lbs. Good luck

[little coojy]

try massaging in circle movements between your thumb and finger i was told this by my midwife when i was 1 week over due with my 2nd i went into labour that night, might of been coincedence but it happened for me give it a go. i refused the caster oil to after seeing my over due sisterinlaw running to the bathroom all night and still no baby. or you could ask your midwife to give you a strech and sweep that usually gets things moving.. good luck.

[little coojy]

hi havnt seen any posts from you in a while have you produced yet?

[randomsasha]

I did indeed lol. A little boy, 9lb 7oz. In the end I had to be started off with gel. I went from 0 - 10 cm in 2 hours and didnt have anything but gas and air in the last 20 minutes!

[little coojy]

CONGRATULATIONS to you and your family, hope he's not keeping you up in the night to much xxx