INDUCING LABOUR WHEN IT'S NEEDED

Many times women go past the due date without having any signs tha Labour is close and they will so need to either wait and wait or try starting inducing labour naturally, medically or give birth with a Cesarean in the worse case scenario.

In rare cases (and mine is one of these) it might be ok to start trying to naturally induce labour before the due date for various reasons:

• If the baby is already fully formed and big enough (you will be sure of this through scans and checks with your gynecologist obviously);
• If the baby keeps growing further you might risk either a Cesarean or a very difficult and hard delivery;
• If you are swelling up and are experiencing Gestosis;
• If you experience other problems or your baby might be in distress.
  

I am 34(+some days) weeks pregnant and started trying natural methods as my baby is very big already and i want to really avoid a Cesarean, i made sure all was allright obviously by speaking with my Gynecologist and various Obstetricians inside and outside the hospital where i plan on giving birth.
They said that using natural methods cannot harm me or the baby and if they are meant to work they will, otherwise i will just have to wait, see and hope.

The most common and heard of are these:

• Having your partner leaving his seed in you by making love (not possible for us as he needs antibiotics for a virus at the moment)
• Walking a lot (trying that but it's easier said than done, i get tired very quickly)
• Walking up and down the stairs (trying that but it's easier said than done, i get tired very quickly)
• Eating Liquorice (do not try if your blood pressure is high, mine is low so i tried that, altough the wrong kind... you need pure not candy)
• Eating chilly and spicy food (the one that burns your mouth... tried today for lunch, still nothing so far)
• Eating pineapple (i drank a whole carton of non added sugar pineapple juice and i'm wondering if it is at all similar since it hasn't worked so far...)
• Taking a certain amount of Castor Oil (Olio di Ricino) (not tried so far i'd rather leave it last given its not nice taste and effects on your bowels)
• Cleaning the floors or doing any other tiring activity (trying that but it's easier said than done, i get tired very quickly)
• Acupressure (intend to try ASAP with the help of my partner) a good few examples are given on this Youtube video

I've been having quite a lot of Braxton contractions lately and my cervix has been last declared closed but in "opening mode" by my gynecologist at the last visit so i'm hopeful to give birth sooner than later. I'm planning on an active birth plan, sitting or squatting on a "hollandaise stool" with my love behind me (don't want him traumatized by the sight of what is happening), an mp3 player, hopefully a kind obstetrician and hopefully i'll be given my baby immediately after to latch on my breast and start the bonding.

ALMOST THERE...SIGNS LABOUR IS NOT FAR

Curiosity, anxiety, excitement and so many questions...
How to understand that it's almost time for your baby to pop out?
Many are the signs that lead to the possible or mistaken labour start.
But some signs of certain labour to come are for sure pains, the loss of "the plug" (it can happen up to 3 weeks prior to labour) and the "waters" breaking.
Certain women never experience the second and third signs (sometimes the waters are broken by the ostetrician in hospital) and just go straight to the so clear pains, menstrual-like, stronger than what one can imagine, some women describe them as 100 times more powerful, not from the start obviously, they increase the closer they get.
At least it is said by many women that it is the worst part of labour because once the expulsion of the baby starts the pains decrease and the birth itself is generally less painful... surely cause one is so excited to see the baby within minutes ^_^
Sometimes, quite commonly, these pains can start weeks before labour, they are less intense than the real thing and they are called Braxtons-Hicks preparation contractions. To prepare the body to the real thing infact, they too will feel like menstrual pains but they will be very infrequent and they last approximately 30 to 45 seconds, giving your uterus-belly a tightening feeling, if you touch your belly it will feel very hard.
So far i experienced 2 B-H contractions i was fully aware of, in 2 different days, i might have had more by night without realizing i suppose.
Lately i've been getting up 3 to 4 times at night for a pee and been every half an hour more or less during the day, constipation seems to have been so far avoided also thanks to the amzing amount of movements of the baby (strong and sometimes painful one i might add) and the fact i've been drinking like a camel LOL.
I've been told at the last scan (6th May)the baby seems healthy and all ready, esitmated hight 44cm and 2.4 kg weight... 2 weeks bigger than an average baby... but the doc said it does not mean he'll be early, altough if you add i'm quite short (1.52 cm), the belly has "dropped" already and all in my feelings tells me i'm going to have this baby sooner (no risks apparently since i'm at 33 weeks going on 34)... we'll see if my instinct was right or not soon.
I wonder if I'll experience the plug loss and water breaking...