List of Things We Have Tried

[callistra]

1) Tinned Pineapple.
2) Fresh Pineapple. (Apparently it's the bromide or some sort of enzyme in pineapple, so it has to be fresh to help the labour start. Something. I read about that at about 3 in the morning, so it's a bit hazy.)
3) Curry. (We went with LLBatt a week or two ago.)
4) Spicy Food - well, there was lunch today. And I have bought some fresh chilis for tonight's and tomorrow's meals..
5) Sex
6) Nipple stimulation (apparently 10 - 15 minutes each side. For a while.)
7) Long walks.
8) There's an "accupressure" point between the thumb and forfinger. Bit dubious, but at 3 in the morning you try anything. :-) There's another one on the bottom of my feet which I can't get to for obvious reasons and one inside the ankle and one inside the pelvis somewhere.
9) Squats
10) Bumpy drives.
11) Chocolate. (Hey, why not?) :-)
12) Lots and lots of standing.
13) Internal Examination by Dr.
14) Hot showers. (I don't do baths. At least, not very often. Spa would be nice but I don't think that's the thing we're looking for here.)

I think that covers everything we've tried so far. But most of it has been in the past few days. Sometimes things respond fast, sometimes they don't, and basically, the baby will come when s/he wants to come, regardless of how much chili and chocolate we eat.

I will admit, I have NOT tried jumping up and down. *giggle*

Ooo, and I'm tempted by having Matt and Lucretiae cook for me again... except I really just want to hide under a rock...
:-) I was going to ask Sheldon but that would require him to respond to emails occasionally. Or exist. Or something. :-)

Comments

[chaosmanor.livejournal.com]

Laurton mowed the lawn using a handmower when she was overdue. The neighbours rang me at work to tell me.

It didn't work, if that helps, and she held out until she was 21 days overdue before agreeing to an induction.

[chaosmanor.livejournal.com]

OOOHHH! Just remembered, when I was fiddling around in early labour with Vic, I walked the dog for ages, and at the park I swung on the swings, and that made me have contractions! Thinking back, it was probably about using my stomach muscles and flexing my pelvis, but it certainly made the weak contractions stronger and harder.

[callistra.livejournal.com]

That's one we haven't tried, and you are the second person to suggest it...or I read it somewhere (same thing)

Perhaps we will have to give it a go tomorrow...hmmmmm.
:-)

[divaflip.livejournal.com]

try raspberry leaf tea. you aren't allowed to have it in the first trimester as it induces miscarriage. but I guess you are well and truly past the risk of that now ;-)

you could also try a massage blend with almond oil and rose essential oil (*not* a fragrant oil). rose oil helps with contractions during labour, so it might help stimulate everything.

or look up any of the essential oils that you can't take during pregnancy due to miscarriage risk. they are the ones that are good for regulating the cycle - clary sage, roman chamomile, jasmine, juniper, ginger, cinnamon, myrrh, rosemary, peppermint. Pick two or three you like the scent of, and put a blend of *maximum* ten drops per 20 mls of sweet almond oil. These all have emmenagogue properties, and should never be used undiluted.

massage into abdomen, lower back, and even burn a blend of them in an oil burner. by the time you are breathing and absorbing them through the skin, there might be some results.

[callistra.livejournal.com]

Raspberry leaf tea I am supposed to have been drinking for the last month or so, culminating in three or so cups a day at this point, so I think I might be a bit beyond that one.

:-)
I don't really want to go down the essential oil or herbal path because I'm not qualified, and I don't have any one over here I trust to talk to about it.

I could go and visit my naturopath, but I haven't seen her in years and she's 40/50 minutes drive away. I don't want to go that far away right now!

[divaflip.livejournal.com]

the aromatherapy 'bible' is called The Fragrant Pharmacy, by Valerie Ann Warwood.

there is a whole chapter on giving pregnancy / birth, which I tend to photocopy and hand out as required :) I haven't heard any negative reactions so far, and it might even help.

[lucretiae.livejournal.com]

We understand that you are hermitting right now, but if you change your mind let me know :-) Matt is going down the farm at some point in time this weekend but I'm free both days.

[callistra.livejournal.com]

I would love for you to cook for us.
When will you both be free?
:-)
I can handle you two at once, but more than one or two people gets weird on my ass.
:-)

[meljane.livejournal.com]

How about going to watch a Comedy Routine at the Hyde Park Hotel at 8pm ,11th of August,$15 .

Little John needs an audience and the audience gets to vote on his performance and others and who knows you may laugh so much you go into labour ;).

[meljane.livejournal.com]

A pagan friend who has been doing a natural therapies course suggested the rasberry leaf tea (which I know you are taking already) and she suggested look at this website http://www.naturalchildbirth.org/natural/resources/interventions/interventions15.htm

[callistra.livejournal.com]

Raspberry leaf tea is one thing I haven't been taking, you're supposed to drink a few cups a day, and ramp it up. Seemed like too much hard work for me!!
:-)

[meljane.livejournal.com]

Whoops I must have read wrong*blushes* , that'll teach me to read with out my spectacles for too long , although I'll never look as good as Anya in glasses

semi-freddo

[fe2h2o.livejournal.com]

Shay is convinced that this was what led to Puggle's arrival:-) Even if it _doesn't_ work for you, you'd still have had semi-freddo - and that's never a bad thing:-)

Re: semi-freddo

[callistra.livejournal.com]

But so much woooorrrrrkkkkkk
:-)
Maybe on Sunday if nothign else has happened...
:-)

Re: semi-freddo

[babalon-93.livejournal.com]

what is semi-freddo?

Re: semi-freddo

[callistra.livejournal.com]

It means "semi-frozen" and is kind of like icecream.

Shay's recipe is here:
http://www.earthyself.com/earthyself.com/recipes.html#pralinesemifreddo

Shay brought it to a pot luck at Mynxii's house, and that night after the semi freddo Fe went into labour. Hence the suggestion here...
:-)

[meljane.livejournal.com]

Ken still seems to think you are going to go into labour two days after inducement is threatened ,please prove him wrong , I hate it when he is right :) .

[callistra.livejournal.com]

LOL
Well, I'm hoping for tomorrow.
:-)

[llbatt.livejournal.com]

My midwife suggested this : Pick a day, and a time. Write the time on a calender. Stare at it for a few minutes. Then say to yourself 21 times (apparently a magical habit forming nubmer) I'm going into labour on (date) at (time). Repeat every time you get fed up or at least twice a day.

I did do it (I chose 30th November at 7am), but then got fed up with the whole pregnancy pain thing and demanded an induction anyway.

Raspberry leaf tablets are still an option. They're stronger than the tea but still totally safe.

[callistra.livejournal.com]

Interesting.
:-)

[babalon-93.livejournal.com]

I suggest masturbation to orgasm.

This seems to help regulate periods, helps with headaches and is great for muscle tone. And anyway, if it doesn't work it's still worth doing :)

And if that doesn't work perhaps a combination is the key, maybe try it together with a few other things on the list, perhaps nipple stimulation and a bath (but probably not the curry), or maybe combine with the chocolate and the swing... :)

[callistra.livejournal.com]

I believe in the powers of masturbation. Also a great way to ease headaches and relieve stress and tension. A lot of times, it's the only way I can get to sleep!

:-)

Sometimes, it also seems to calm down the baby when s/he's having a kickfest. Mmmmmm chocolate curry...?
Tee hee hee.

[babalon-93.livejournal.com]

chocolate curry does actually sound kinda good :)

I believe in the powers of masturbation.
Yes. I intend to include it as a regular part of my uterus and pelvic muscle training program :) for health reasons, honest :)