All of my babies have been overdue. The least overdue was 5 days, the most 16 days.
Much like Kricket I only tried to self induce when I just got fed up. I’ve tried:
Castor oil w/ scrambled eggs
EPO
Fleets enemas
Sex and lots of it
Walked 2 miles a day
Exercise
Really hot curries
Nipple stimulation
Some seemed to work, some didn’t. The only technique that worked without fail was for my midwife or OB to strip my membranes. This should not be attempted by anyone other than a professional! It’s like a Pelvic with attitude. If you are at all dilated, the OB will try to place a finger or two into your uterus and separate the Amniotic sac from the Uterine wall. Trust me, it feels like it sounds. But, I always gave birth within 24- 48 hrs.
Just my $0.02 and Good Luck!
The cytotek thing is from inserting the pill. They’re actually starting to study taking the pill orally, in 1/4 dose increments, and it seems (so far) to have less chance of hyperstimulation of contrations, and presumably less chance therefore of rupture.
I do know a woman (online) who lost her uterus because of a cytotek induction. She is 24, and this was her first child - they’d hoped to have a large family, and she is now permanently infertile because the OB community is willing to overlook the warnings for the sake of a $2 induction. She ruptured and nearly died. Fortunately, they got the baby out in time (high forceps), and baby seems to be okay (though hard to tell if she will have long-term damage from the loss of oxygen). Granted, anecdotes aren’t statistics, but frankly, I’d rather have a failed pitocin induction and end up with a c-section, than risk a uterine rupture.
Definitely check out the Cochrane Medical Abstracts. You want induction info, they’ve got it (evidence-based medicine rocks!).