"The 7 things people told me would bring on labour. TIP: Only one of them worked."

By BERN MORLEY

I was 41 weeks pregnant and, like most women by this stage, I was completely OVER it. I just wanted that baby out already and yet nothing I was doing seemed to be working.

This was my third baby and previously, I had almost been like clockwork. A week before my due date my other children had made it very clear that they wanted out. This one, however, was more stubborn. A trait that would follow him into the world and further on into childhood.

Of course there was plenty of well-meaning advice from friends, ideas about how I should get things “started”. Only one of which would actually work.

Here’s the advice:

1. Sex:

Oh YEAH, just what you feel like doing right? You’re the size of a Rhino (at least I was) and let’s face it, haven’t been able to visually locate your own vagina in quite some time and therefore, certainly don’t expect your partner to take a shot at it. Yet, apparently this works. What got you into this in the first place, may very well be the same thing that gets you out of it.

2. Eat Spicy food.

Sure, who doesn’t love a bit of chicken korma? Except that what goes in surely must come out and errmm, without putting too fine a point on it, explosive diarrhea is not something you necessarily want to add to your ‘birth plan’.

3. Walking:

Well this, I can tell you DOES work. The night before I gave birth, I, because I am clearly a genius, attended an early Christmas street party. Our house was down the bottom of a steep hill, the party at the top of that hill. So by the time I had gone back and retrieved bug spray, jumpers, scooters and traversed that hill 5 or so times, I can only think that this is the reason that I woke up 3 hours later in full-blown labour. That or you know, it was just my time to have a baby.

4. Acupuncture:

Apparently this method has been used for thousands of years to induce labour although it’s not effective 100% all of the time. Also, if you’re not a fan of needles, this probably won’t be for you. Please note this method should never be considered without the express consent of your doctor.

5. Nipple Stimulation:

This is believed to simulate the same motion as a suckling newborn and in turn, release oxytocin, the powerful hormone that is produced during childbirth. So fiddling with ones nipples when pregnant produces oxcytocin and also, undoubtedly, produces happiness within your partner. Which is great because once that baby comes out, let me tell you, they won’t be getting within 50 feet of those suckers. Even looking at them will cause you to wince so while they’ve got the chance, they should definitely tweak away.

6. Moving:

No, not moving house, just generally moving about, not laying down because a baby responds to many things and it especially responds to gravity and let’s face it, space is running out inside of that self-made capsule so the more you remind them of this, the more they may decide that it’s time to blow that pop stand.

7. Raspberry Leaf (Tea or tablets)

Raspberry Leaf is a uterine tonic, which also has added benefits after the birth for breast milk production. It can be taken earlier in pregnancy (I always started around the 30 week mark and wholeheartedly believe that this is why my contractions worked the way they did). But should you be at the 40 week mark, no harm at all can come from having a few cups of raspberry leaf tea while waiting for your baby to make their grand entrance.

There are of course, more clinical ways to get things going (a membrane sweep for example) but the above there are ones you can try at home to get things moving.

One thing is for sure, no matter how that baby comes into the world, it will most definitely arrive. Good luck.

Do you have any other tips on how to increase your chances of naturally going into labour? Please share.