When you get toward the end of pregnancy, everyone seems to have suggestions as to what worked for them in terms of going into labor. Just as I was leaving Van’s school, his teacher said, “you know what worked for my daughter? Walking”. It’s all in good nature and I’m in no way offended by the offerings of advice from others; rather, I know the truth – for me – is that labor starts whenever it damn well pleases. That’s because for the only two births I’ve experienced, there wasn’t a pineapple I didn’t eat, a hill I didn’t climb, or a magic wand I didn’t whimsically swirl over my head.
I tried everything; homeopathies, acupuncture, some ridiculous salad people swear by, castor oil, blue and black kohosh, sex, a breast pump to stimulate my non-milk-producing ta-tas, walking, stair climbing, ball bouncing, pleading, membrane stripping… the list goes on…
That’s not to say I’m going to sit around just waiting this time around. I mean the reality is that my days are still pretty full, but my intention is to – once again – be proactive. Not because I think it will work, but because I’m a woman, and dammit, being proactive speaks to the heart of my multitasking soul. I realize, however, that any attempt to control when this baby makes it’s exit is purely for the peace of mind of knowing I did everything in my power to offer it the warmest of invitations into the world. Because I fear induction, mostly. And secondarily because I fear the more time spent inside, the bigger this babe will get.
When I saw my OB at my 36th week appointment, my first – and only – question was “when can you strip my membranes?”. He laughed, because he’s a cocky bastard like that, gave me “the look” and said, “you know that doesn’t work, right?”. I mustered up the smallest of smiles but I really just wanted to spit on him.
Yes, I know none of it works. But, again, I’ll be damned if I didn’t say I tried everything I could.
I was researching an acupuncturist the other day and one of the reviews made me giggle. It went something like this: “Doctor so-in-so is amazing. I had tried everything and finally, at over 41 weeks pregnant, I decided to give acupuncture a try. The next day I went into labor”. Sure, the naive part of me wanted to call for the first available appointment but the logical me couldn’t help but think “lady, you’re 41 weeks pregnant… it was your baby’s time”…
Nevertheless, you better believe I have an acupuncture appointment. Not with Doctor so-in-so, but an appointment all the same. Hashtag: hope.
Each morning I’ve been making myself a cup of hot raspberry leaf tea. I don’t particularly care for it and given the 80 degree “winter” weather that’s filled the majority of the days as of late, I can’t even say I enjoy it. I’ve also been sticking these silly primrose oil tablets up my va-jay-jay every night. Evening conversations go something like this:
Willy: “Do you mind getting up to turn out the light?”
Me: “I would, but I don’t want my oil tablets to fall out”
I’m telling you guys, pregnancy turns me into a complete and utter lunatic come the end. I haven’t reached lunatic status just yet, but the anxiety and impatience and ticking-time-bomb feeling are whirling all around me and soon enough they will take over and I’ll be that toothless whack you see roaming the streets yelling at park benches.
Not because I think what worked for you will work for me, because – again – hashtag: logic, but for the pure sake of humoring me and making me feel less crazy, what kinds of things did you try in terms of at-home, natural labor induction?
Off to cut up some fresh pineapple so I can spend the rest of tomorrow bitching about the sores in my mouth and still being pregnant…
Oh, this post made me laugh. My cousin did all of these and more and her baby was 3 weeks, 3 days overdue. Baby comes when baby will. I know that, and yet, my “things I swear by” are pressure points, full moons and changes in barometric pressure 😉
I’ll write a letter to the moon asking it to be full 😉
I feared induction, too, and I tried my hardest to avoid it. So long as our kiddo was healthy and I was healthy, I was content waiting. Because… nature… he would come out eventually. I wasn’t obsessive about it, but I tried a few things to see if they would help get things going… walking (which I do every day as it is), sex, membrane stripping. Nothing worked, not in the immediate sense anyway. I had people telling me all sorts of ways to naturally induce labor (with good intentions of course) and doctors pushing an induction date, but as you said, I felt confident that labor would start whenever it damn well pleased.
Oh yes, I fear the induction conversation… which is why I purposefully made my next appointment later in the week 😉 #strategy
Haha. I just had to laugh because I know (logically) that babies are born when they are ready or whenever they damn well please. That did not stop me from feeling the same kind of crazy you reference here towards the end of both of my pregnancies though. So I’ll indulge you in my choices:
walking a lot, scrub floors on hands and knees, do this weird sideways swaying motion while on all fours and climbing stairs at the same time, bounce on an exercise ball, eat spicy foods, have sex, membrane stripping, and ride fast down bumpy dirt roads.
But dammit I don’t want to scrub floors. Ha. Okay fine… I’ll scrub floors.
Hahahaha re: the oil tablets. I’m sure women do all these things for some illusion of control, which is totally reasonable to want at the end of pregnancy. I still think it’s so odd that they don’ t know why labor starts. So strange and kind of magical.
With my second I was lying down doing some pretty aggressive belly pressing, he hadn’t been moving much (because he was huge and had no room left) but I was trying to get him to be a little more active. With a big press down on his butt my water popped. Like literally popped. It was crazy, I can so clearly remember hearing and feeling the rush of water come out of me. And 4 hours later he was born.
I just may start pushing needles through my abdomen. Ha.
Oh, this made me laugh. My first was ten days overdue, so obviously no good advice to be had there. I did try castor oil and decided that if this was what was on offer, I’d just wait, thank you very much. My second and third were born within hours of having my water broken. An intervention, to be sure, but I had been walking around fully effaced and a few cm dilated for DAYS in both cases. I guess the take away is what you already know– your body’s going to do what it’s going to do, no matter what you try.
OH yes, having my water broken really helped push things along with my first labor and is definitely something I’m down for should we need to move things along again… but ya, I think that only works if your body is ready (fully effaced and dilated). Sure beats pitocin though…
I’ve gone over with all three of my kids. My first being a looong 11 days over. So I definitely believe that baby will come when baby is ready. However, I have gone into labor all three times within hours of a successful membrane sweep. Obviously if one’s cervix is still high, etc, they don’t work. But, at least for me, I think they help things along.
My baby was 9 days overdue. And I also tried everything. Weekly accupuncture, walking, riding my bike daily, eating spicy foods, eating everything else with cinnamon, sex, a special tea my midwife gave me. Labor started naturally the night before inductionday. And I guess it started, because I finally relaxed and came to peace with the fact that it’s not in my hand to start labor. …or…as you say…it was my baby’s time! 😀
Omg Ashley you’re hilarious! You’re so close girl hang in there you are brave a strong and keep reminding yourself of that. Only time will tell