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There are old wives tales about how to get labor started, like eating spicy food, nipple stimulation, or having lots of sex...but really - that baby will come when he/she is good and ready. And nothing you can do will change that! Sorry! Hang in there it's almost over!

BTW - DON'T TAKE CASTOR OIL! All is does is give you really bad stomach cramps and diarrhea!!

I am almost 39 weeks pregnant too and eager to have my baby as well. I don't recommend the Castor Oil or Mineral Oil, although it does work for some, it will not work unless your cervix is ready and at 1 cm it's not quite ready. You may just end up in the bathroom all day with a sore behind when it's all over. Nipple stimulation (could use an electric breast pump) has been known to work, as it releases the natural oxytocin produced by the body. Also walking and sex, since semen has prostaglandins that help to ripen the cervix. Another herbal remedy I have heard about, but not tried personally, is Evening Primrose Oil capsules. They contain prostaglandins similar to those found in semen and can help ripen the cervix, Can be inserted vaginally and allowed to dissolve near the cervix or taken orally. I am sure more information on this method is available somewhere on the internet. Good luck.

When I was about 37 weeks pregnant I was 3 1/2 centimeters dilated and 90% effaced and thought that if I didn't give birth in the very very near future I was going to die. It was mid August, it was as hot as ever and I got so swollen that there was not a shoe in my closet that would fit my fat feet! In a panic I started doing research on line about the different methods used to induce labor. I first tried this tea that is supposed to increase contractions, that did nothing. I tried sex, still nothing. I then came across some information about castor oil. I was indeed intrigued. In somewhat of a panic, I drove around at 11 o clock at night and went to three differnent stores until I found it. Against my husbands advise, I took the caster oil with root beer, as the recipe had said and took a hot bath, which the recipe told me to do as well. I went to bed and sure enough, I woke up with some pretty painful cramps. I thought that it was my stomach, since castor oil is a laxative, but about 8 hours later I was in the hospital getting ready to give birth to my first child. I was in labor for about 16 hours total. When my son finally came, they would not let me see him. I didn't understand what was wrong, but the doctor told me that he was having some difficulty breathing and they took him away. I didn't get to hold him for about another 3 hours after he was born. Needless to say, I felt incredibly guilty that I had rushed mother nature. I blamed myself for his condition. I kept thinking that maybe if I had just waited, my baby might not have had such a rough start. I'm not trying to scare you out of trying home remedies, but before you do something as drastic as I did, consider this. Is it really so bad to wait a few more weeks. Is it worth it to risk the well being of your baby. My doctor told me it would be safe for me to go into labor at any time. I took this to mean that I could do something to make "any time" be now. I will not do that ever again. Good luck, may your birth be a joyous one!

I kept using this yahoo thing when I was in your situation, and I never really got the answers I needed. I wanted so badly for people to be able to tell me when it was the real thing... truth is, we can't :o)

BUT, I can tell you that for me I had been having contractions on and off for about 2 weeks until I was 39 weeks. When I hit 39 weeks I lost my mucous plug a little at a time. Finally I was about 2cm dilated, but contractions had stopped. So my husband and I decided to have sex to see what that would do...

That night I ended up having really bad contractions all night long and we thought it could be the real thing so I went in to the hospital. Well, turns out I was only 3cm at that point and they told me to go back home and wait. The next day we decided to have sex again, to see what would happen.

Well, that night I had really bad contractions all night long. They were close together and consistent. I had an OBGYN appt. that morning, so we went and she said I was 4cm dilated and 90%effaced, but that it would probably be a few more days.

I told her she was nuts, the contractions hurt so bad and I knew it would be soon! Well sure enough, I stayed home all day with really bad contractions, wondering how it couldn't be real yet...

We finally decided to go to the hospital when the contractions were 3 mins apart, and I was 6cm. Not sure if it was the sex or what, but they finally let me in.

I say just pay attention to your body, but not too much. When your contractions get so bad that you can't imagine it not being labor, you're body is probably working on pushing that baby out.

Either way it will be soon, and trust me, as bad as pregnancy is... you will miss it! So enjoy this last week. I wish I could experience my last week just one more time! I miss it! But this baby is way better!

GOOD LUCK! and congrats!

I did the casteroil thing with my last pregnancy but I didnt realize I was in labor until was about to give birth... The casteroil made me feel like I had to have a bad bowel movement, because its like a laxitive, and the contractions felt different but equally as painful as regular contractions...

I suggest either just waiting until your body is ready or try walking. Walking is usually a good way for a pregnant woman to go into labor.

Good luck!

I have tried everything as well, Pressure points on my feet and ankles, sex, walking, drank caster oil, drank wine, tried yoga none of it ever worked for me. That baby will come out when he or she is ready!

The Castor oil did bring on contractions, but more like poop cramps,.. and wow that was worse then being over due!!!!

The sex is probably the best thing to do, seeing that sperm can help thin the cervix and orgasm can relax the vagina.

And lets face it your not going to be getting the time or privacy for sex again for a while!

My first daughter died at 26 weeks' gestation. Her death became linked to Down's syndrome. There are no precise solutions as to why no one detected this. no longer something became incorrect with your son. He only had an accident that could desire to no longer have been prevented mutually as nevertheless ensuring he became born functionally mature. I bear in mind no longer something from Kyrie's January delivery till just about June of 2002. It became agonizing. I bear in mind weeping so confusing that my husband would not take me everywhere. I do bear in mind desirous to die. What helped me became counseling. My counselor enable me yell, scream, cry, and tell an identical tale returned and returned and over. And whilst Adia became born the subsequent 365 days, it became worse in a trend, through fact everybody appeared to think of the discomfort became long previous only through fact Adia were born. There are some very solid books available. i found getting pregnant returned became a blended blessing (the two Kyrie and Adia might have shared a birthdate if Kyrie had no longer been so early.) through fact each and every thing happened with them the two on an identical time-physique - they the two kicked for the 1st time on Halloween, working example. She's the sweetest keepsake feasible of that terrible discomfort, even with the undeniable fact that it nevertheless hurts. and she or he isn't her sister in any respect.

Starting Labor with Natural Labor Stimulation Techniques

Some women are successful at using natural labor stimulation techniques to begin their labor. Generally these women are already showing signs of their body preparing for labor such as frequent Braxton-Hicks contractions, cervical softening and pelvic stretching.

One of the most commonly used methods for starting labor naturally are sexual intercourse, increased activity levels (such as going for walks), oral doses of castor oil, nipple stimulation and herbal preparations of blue or black cohosh.

I took castor oil with my second son and then went walking for awhile by the time I got to the hospital it was time to push him out. So that is my suggestion even though yes it will give you stomach cramps because it is a laxative.

If you can do it comfortably, have an orgasm. Orgasms cause your uterus to contract, this could do the trick to kick off labor. Don't be in such a hurry, you could end up being late so don't get too excited. You could always try the old castor oil trick too.