It’s no secret that my body likes to cook babies a little extra longer than the average female. I was kinda prepared for it with all babies as my family typically goes a little longer, but did secretly cross my fingers that each time would be different.
Going past dates can be a crazy emotional journey. First you have the anticlimax and disappointment that the baby didn’t come, then comes the very emotional tears & the ‘why has my body failed me’ (these can last for a couple days), then comes the nothingness and surrendering to the fact that you are going to be pregnant forever. It’s quite a numb feeling. I mean, I was so pregnant, couldn’t get any more pregnant than me, but it was almost like I was no longer pregnant because this was just how I was going to be this way forever.
First baby was 13 days past his due date which we decided to induce and only required the gel then my body took over. My second was 8 days over and had spontaneous labour. And third I was spontaneous labour at 43+1 (if you go by hospital records it was 42+5, but I managed to fudge my dates a little because I knew I would need more room to relieve the pressure at the other end from the OB’s).
Now before you start the ‘I’m surprised they LET/ALLOWED you to go that far’ comments – you are quite right. The hospitals policy is to recommend induction once 10 days over, but no one comes with handcuffs to arrest you if you decline. My baby was perfect in their (we did all the appropriate checks at 42 weeks), I trusted my body completely to do what it needed to do to minimise the need for further interventions and I was able to work along side the hospital staff who were happy to ‘conservatively manage’ my pregnancy with monitoring. Long story short, I had an amazing third birth after a spontaneous 2.5 hour labour with zero complications/interventions for me or baby.
BUT the point of this conversation was I wanted to share the crazy suggestions from friends and health professionals about ‘natural ways’ to induce labour. We all know the usual comments… but for some reason nothing was off limits this time.
Yes I had friends suggest fresh pineapple, hot curry, walking stairs, sex, clary sage oil…. Blah blah blah, but let’s get to the juicy ones.
1. So first up my midwife gives me the three things that have evidence to induce labour. She mentioned Accupunture, Nipple stimulation & ‘Ejaculatory Sex’. Admittedly the last did make me blush – yes even thou we all know that’s how I got here. I just don’t think I have actually herd someone verbalise ‘ejaculatory’ to me before. Because just poking around isn’t good enough!?!
2. Rightio – so I get a lovely acupuncturist who came to my home. Gave me an amazing massage and acupuncture treatment. We saw her about 4 times over the course of my babies lateness. I was chatting to her about induction and she straight face says to me ‘Have you tried clitoral stimulation?’. Um hold up lady, I just met you and I actually don’t know how to answer you right now.
3. So I start giggling these comedy of suggestions with my doula. She proceeds to explain that the hormone in semen is what can stimulate the cervix, however there is very little in it, so it ‘is best taken orally’. Cue fits of laughter and begging her not to tell my husband
4. So here I am sitting in the park at 42+6 and bump into a midwife friend and again telling her about the comedy of suggestions. She then says to me that semen has so little of hormone required you would literally need about 1 litre of semen either internally or orally to do the trick… cue horrendous visions of my literally drown in semen at 10 months pregnant
I would love to hear any other other juicy ‘adivce’ you have been given! Please share in the comments
I am of course a pre/postnatal fitness expert – not a midwife or obestrician so this is just funny story about my experience. Remember all induction (natural or chemical) has its risks and you should speak with your health care provider about all your options and choose what is best for you, your baby & your body
Philippa Bowman
Pre/Postnatal Fitness Expert
Founder of Nurtured Fitness
