Self-inducing labor

I'm 39 weeks pregnant with my first son and I'm so anxious to meet him(as most moms are). 8 days ago I had a pelvic exam done and I was 1cm dilated and 80% effaced, and my little man was well-engaged into the pelvis. I've had REALLY achy hips, particularly at night time, which my OB explained was thanks to the body's natural hormone 'relaxin.' I lost my mucous plug that night after the appointment, and my LO has slowed down in movement a LOT. I've also had some epic BH contractions, too. I know the time's getting closer as the days go by, and there's no way that I want a medically-induced labor or an epidural; but I was wondering, if I were to do all the said "self-inducing strategies" (eating pineapple & spicy food, walking the mall, getting a pedicure, sex, nipple stimulation, etc.), do you think that could work in my favor at this point?

Only if your body is ready.

Nope, it won't. Your body will only go into labor if it's ready, or medically induced. Once you actually start labor, those things can help it progress faster though.

Sex, walking, walking up and down stairs helped me.

I walked for hours, walked up and down stairs, had sex the next morning and my water broke that night.

Probably not. Labor won't start unless your baby and body is ready. But I will say this, I went into labor 2 hours after I had sex. But I think that was more of a coincidence.

With my third, I had sex and kind of immediately went into labor. But my body was ready, and had actually tried to go into preterm labor 2 or 3 times before that. I had stopped taking the terbutaline, and was walking more after being told I didn't have to stay on bed rest, so the sex just REALLY kickstarted labor.

I did and ate those things regularly through my pregnancy and even when I was 4cm dilated it never affected me a all. I don't think those things work. Your body will do what it needs to when it's ready. GL!

I don't think any inducing works unless they break your water. AT least for me nothing worked.. I was in the hospital hooked to pitocin set on the max they could give me, eating pineapples, chipotle peppers, bouncing on the ball, walking up and down the halls for over a WEEK and it didn't do a damn thing. Broke my water and she was born 9 hours later.

Couldn't hurt to try. However, like everyone else has said, NONE of those things will work until your body is really ready.

Good luck though, mama!  

Quoting Super Mommy!:" I did and ate those things regularly through my pregnancy and even when I was 4cm dilated it never affected ... [snip!] ... dilated it never affected me a all. I don't think those things work. Your body will do what it needs to when it's ready. GL!"

This. I never understand why people think any of these actually start labor. You do all of them throughout your pregnancy (well, most women do) and nothing happens, but once you hit 37/38 weeks, they become magic labor-inducers!! Yeah, no.

Nothing will start your labor short of medical inductions. Once you are in labor, walking can help move things along, but will do NOTHING unless you are IN LABOR. If you actually want to have a natural labor, your best bet is to let your body go into labor naturally.

Thanks, everyone!   I know that nothing will work if my body/baby aren't ready, but just wanna hear what might've done some good for other mama's who were ripe and ready(: I might just try it, to see if it does anything for me

Walk more have sex.cuz u never know when ur body is ready rite now it might not be..but in the next few hours it could be r even the next few day r even a weeks..ur body can change at any point and time ..so y not do those things u never know when labor can happen.some yea they walk n walk n bam they r in labor but felt just fine n so sign of labor while walking the hole time then it hits r for some it wont..it don't hurt to try them..good luck

Sex, sex, sex, and lots more sex! If you tire your SO out, then bust out the vibrator. That's what helped me I think!

at 3 cm dilated 90% effaced walking helped me along
keep in mind i had been walking for days on end in the malls
then i walked the one block to the store at 39weeks 6 days 9 pm felt funny said to hubby i think that was too much 6 hours later i was 5 cm 5 hours after that i was holding my beautiful boy |
it tends to be the more fit u are through a pregnancy the easier ur labour is(not always )

im 5 cm since 38 weeks, 90 effaced and +1 station and still no baby, they will come when ready i found out,lol