# inducing labor- help!!! **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 30, 2000, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inducing-labor-help/31368 "2000-08-30T17:40:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![E\_Bailey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bbe5ce/32.png) [@E\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2000, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inducing-labor-help/31368/1 "2000-08-30T17:40:23Z")
I am due on Friday. Although I haved loved every day of the last nine months, I am very tired of being pregnant. I would like to meet my baby. I need some labor-inducement tricks. Things I have tried: nipple stimulation, sex, oral ingestion of semen. Something I will not try: castor oil. Anyone out there with some tips??? ---
**Author:** ![dragonlady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f8ce5/32.png) [@dragonlady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dragonlady)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2000, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inducing-labor-help/31368/2 "2000-08-30T18:20:40Z")
Try long walks and/or scrubbing out the bathtub. Basically anything that will tire you out and make labor more diffcult. Several people gave me this advice. I did castor oil. One word: DON’T!!! I got the first two doses down, it was awful and made me vomit and get the runs. Maybe another dose would have made labor start, but I will never know… ---
**Author:** ![ENugent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/4af34b/32.png) [@ENugent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ENugent)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2000, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inducing-labor-help/31368/3 "2000-08-30T18:25:53Z")
One woman in my office had success with the combination of nipple stimulation and jumping up and down. It sounds weird to me, but… ---
**Author:** ![LazarusLong42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@LazarusLong42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LazarusLong42)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2000, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inducing-labor-help/31368/4 "2000-08-30T18:27:26Z")
\ While I can understand you’ve tired of being pregnant, the fact that your baby hasn’t started coming out on its own indicates that, well, it’s not ready to come out. It still needs time in the womb to finish developing correctly. If you’re due Friday, then you probably won’t have to worry much longer. 🙂 Induction of labor is one of those things that should only be done under medical supervision, and then only in situations where there’s reason for it. LL ---
**Author:** ![E\_Bailey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bbe5ce/32.png) [@E\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2000, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inducing-labor-help/31368/5 "2000-08-30T19:01:48Z")
LL- I can totally understand your attitude- I pretty much feel the same way. I do NOT want a medical inducement (pitocin), that’s for sure. I should add: I have been having contractions since last Tuesday. I am dilated 2 cm. This baby is fully cooked and ready to go. I am not willing to go to ‘drastic’ extremes, like castor oil. I was just hoping there were other ‘tricks’ people could share… ---
**Author:** ![JoeyBlades](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a87d85/32.png) [@JoeyBlades](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoeyBlades)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2000, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inducing-labor-help/31368/6 "2000-08-30T21:00:47Z")
E: > [@](#): > > oral ingestion of semen Let me guess - your S.O. told you about that one? What, specifically, is supposed to be the mechanism that triggers labor? Sheesh. The things a guy won’t tell a girl to get her to go down… ---
**Author:** ![robinh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b77776/32.png) [@robinh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robinh)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2000, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inducing-labor-help/31368/7 "2000-08-30T21:15:55Z")
First, I must point out that, as you are well within the normal range (2 weeks before or after your EDC) and there are no indications that labor must be started (no distress evident in the baby or problems with you?) trying to kickstart your labor is probably an exercise in futility. Your body knows when it wants to have this baby. You don’t really have much say. It is perfectly normal to have lots of mild contractions in the days or weeks before delivery. It is also perfectly normal to walk around partially dilated or effaced for quite some time. (I spent 2 weeks at 3cm with one of mine.) That said, as far as I know, you’ve pretty much run the gamut of natural induction methods. If nipple stimulation, walking, and sex aren’t starting anything, I’m afraid you just aren’t ready yet. I know how difficult the last days (even weeks) can be. You feel so incredibly ripe, ready to burst, anxious to meet your child. It can be frustrating. I will caution you not to overdo your activity. Exhausted mothers tend not to labor well. I speak from some experience here. I spent 4 days in prodomal labor with my son, walking miles trying to get a sluggish labor going. I was completely worn out by the time he made his appearance. I would have been much better off had I been more patient and allowed myself to rest more in preparation for his birth. My advice, therefore, is to take this opportunity to indulge yourselves. Watch movies and linger over dinner. If you have other children spend lots of one on one time with them. In other words, take these last few days to do the things you won’t be able to do for a while. Have a pedicure and a facial. Take a long, suds-filled soak. Enjoy. ---
**Author:** ![sdimbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sdimbert/32/20204_2.png) [@sdimbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sdimbert)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2000, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inducing-labor-help/31368/8 "2000-08-30T21:26:52Z")
My wife was told to try sex and Chinese food (no, not _together_). We had Chinese for dinner, then had sex. That did it! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Engineer\_Don](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e95f7d/32.png) [@Engineer\_Don](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Engineer_Don)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2000, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inducing-labor-help/31368/9 "2000-08-30T21:35:39Z")
My wife and I were told that semenial fluid helped soften the uterus, and that was supposed to help induce labor. After a few days of trying that, they ended up going with Pitocen because my wife’s blood pressure was suprisingly high and climbing, which could damage both her and the baby. Everything went fine, though. Nobody mentioned the oral ingestion of semen thing, unfortunately. Don’t rush things. I know you want to meet the baby, but PPD might hit and then you’ll miss being pregers. ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2000, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inducing-labor-help/31368/10 "2000-08-30T21:50:20Z")
I was induced twice–once because my water broke and I didn’t go into labor. (I also had a positive Strep B test, so they really didn’t want to wait.) The second time I was a week late and the baby was getting big. (When he was born, the nurse said “Congratualations, you’ve just given birth to a three-month-old.” Anyway, I second the recommendation to just wait and pamper yourself as much as you can. Is there somewhere you could go to swim? I’ve heard that helps when you just really can’t stand it anymore. Pitocin isn’t the end of the world, but it sure doesn’t make things any easier, especially the first time around. ---
**Author:** ![LazarusLong42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@LazarusLong42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LazarusLong42)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2000, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inducing-labor-help/31368/11 "2000-08-30T21:59:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by E Bailey \* > **I do NOT want a medical inducement (pitocin), that’s for sure.** Well, at least that explains where the nipple stimulation thing comes from. For those who aren’t physiology types: Pitocin (AKA oxytocin) is the chemical which induces milk production in the breast. (Cool fact: shoot a male up with enough oxytocin, and he will start producing milk. Not enough to sustain a baby, but enough to flow through milk ducts). Nipple stimulation should increase oxytocin production, as it should simulate a breast-feeding baby. And now you know 🙂 LL ---
**Author:** ![black\_rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f19dbf/32.png) [@black\_rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/black_rabbit)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2000, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inducing-labor-help/31368/12 "2000-08-30T22:12:42Z")
Alex: “The answer is: ‘Inducing Labor.’” \ Alex: “black455?” Me: “What was my boss trying to do before I laughed in her face and went back to screwing around on the SDMB?” Alex: “We have a new champion!!!” ---
**Author:** ![E\_Bailey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bbe5ce/32.png) [@E\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2000, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inducing-labor-help/31368/13 "2000-08-30T23:36:02Z")
JoeyBlades- I can’t believe it took that long for someone to say something about that! I must tell you though that my husband is actually getting tired of being a ‘sperm donor.’ Sex has almost become like it was 9 months ago: a means to an end. Anyhow- I have heard from 4 sources that there is a chemical in sperm that promotes contractions. I am trying everything! Robinh, cher3 and engineerDon: yeah, yeah, I know. But I am EXTREMELY bored, sitting around, just waiting. OBVIOUSLY I am not willing to do anything crazy to push Nature, I just wanted some ‘tricks’- which, thanks to sdimbert- looks I am eating Chinese tonight!! (hey! no lewd jokes, JoeyBlades!) ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2000, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inducing-labor-help/31368/14 "2000-08-30T23:44:10Z")
Well, good luck. If you need dinner plans for tomorrow night (and here’s hoping you won’t), I heard that there is a pizza place in, I think, San Francisco, that advertising a special pizza to induce labor. IIRC, it’s loaded with everything, especially hot garlicy sausage. Heartburn City. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2000, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inducing-labor-help/31368/15 "2000-08-31T00:51:04Z")
I know accupuncture can speed delivery and shorten labor- but I don’t know if it will help start it ---
**Author:** ![johnson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@johnson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnson)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2000, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inducing-labor-help/31368/16 "2000-08-31T03:12:15Z")
::Wondering whether it’s worth it:: > [@](#): > > oral ingestion of semen and > [@](#): > > Have a pedicure and a _facial_ Nah… ---
**Author:** ![CurtC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce73a5/32.png) [@CurtC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CurtC)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2000, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inducing-labor-help/31368/17 "2000-08-31T03:36:29Z")
My wife and I took a pre-delivery tour of the hospital about a month ago, on a Saturday, and there were no new babies for us to see. Why not? Because so many people nowadays induce, the weekdays are busy, and the weekends are slow. Our doctor said that about 80% of his deliveries are inductions. And noted that his C-section rate had gone down since he’s started doing more inductions. My wife was getting pretty uncomfortable, what with being nine months pregnant and the temperature 104 degrees every day. So we induced on Wednesday the 23rd. This delivery was so much easier than our first child, that I could hardly believe how easy it was to have a baby. So what’s my advice if you’re really ready for that baby to come out? Pitocin! ---
**Author:** ![tygre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c4cdca/32.png) [@tygre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tygre)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2000, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inducing-labor-help/31368/18 "2000-08-31T03:46:05Z")
Well, I’ve heard of two foods that are supposed to induce labor. The first is A-1 sauce and Kraft macaroni and cheese. No substitutions, and hubby or someone else has to prepare the mac and cheese for you. When it’s ready, add as much A-1 as you want and dig in. Baby should arrive soon. I’ll note I tried this with my son, more out of desperation than anything else, as he was _18_ days late and apparently content to remain in utero, even through 2 rounds of castor oil. It worked, he was born the next day. The second one is balsamic vinegar - make a salad and douse it with balsamic vinegar and oilve oil. I know someone who did this and labor started within 6 hours. Castor oil is AWFUl. God, I don’t think I’ve ever felt that bad, and I didn’t even go into labor as a result. –tygre, whose second baby kindly chose to arrive the evening before her scheduled induction, thus sparing us from that experience! ---
**Author:** ![Raptormeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/dbc845/32.png) [@Raptormeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raptormeister)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2000, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inducing-labor-help/31368/19 "2000-08-31T03:52:47Z")
Take up smoking. Most pregnant women who smoke have their babies early. Alternatively, make a booking for something that you really want to do - an expensive restaurant, a night away, a concert, something like that. Chances are you’ll go into labour just as you’re about to leave. Worked for us. ---
**Author:** ![sdimbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sdimbert/32/20204_2.png) [@sdimbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sdimbert)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2000, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inducing-labor-help/31368/20 "2000-08-31T05:54:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Raptormeister \* > \*\*Take up smoking. Most pregnant women who smoke have their babies early. > \*\* I hate to have to ask… This _is_ a joke, isn’t it? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inducing-labor-help/31368.md?page=2)