Labour!!!

[kim.1.]

Hi i am due in 3 weeks with my 2nd baby. with my 1st i was overdue and she was 8lb 6oz so a good size considering i was a uk size 8 before i got pregnant! but i really dont wanna go overdue again as this baby was measuring 2 weeks ahead of dates at all my scan even at my 3d/4d scan the guy said to me he will be over 9lbs if he is overdue!! obviously this was only a guess but he has been measuring bigger than wot i am!!! so any safe advice on how to start labour off if i look like i am going overdue coz i really dont want 2!!! (hope that doesnt sound selfish but i am struggling now and got 3 weeks left!!)

thanks kim x

 

[bubbabinks]

You need to speak to your doctor or Midwife and see if there is a safe option for starting you off.

 

[sarahnailz]

Hi

I also have 2 Children my youngest only 6 months. I started drinking raspberry leaf tea which helps to tone the uterus. Eating fresh pineapple can also do it. I think the whole hot curry thing is a myth but worth a try. And if all else fails a nice romantic evening in bed !!!!! (lol) that helps to ripen the cervix ready for dilation its got the same properties as :Love:the pessaries they use for induction. I hope that helps. But you have to check with the midwife first because the longer the baby is inside growing, the better your baby will be when born. I know its frustrating and seems like you have been pregnant forever, but hang on in there and he will come when good and ready.

Good Luck with labour and birth and look foward to hearing some news soon
xxxx

 

[kim.1.]

was you overdue or on time? someone told me raspberry tea leaf isnt safe but was they talking rubbish?
hopefully when i finally go into labour it will be over quick as my labour was only classed as 3 1/2 hours!!

 

[sarahnailz]

the tea is safe. I was told by my midwife. But only after 37 weeks. just don't drink too much!!!!! have a look at Pregnancy, baby and toddler health information at BabyCentre UK there are loads of chat rooms and information on there. I was early on both my kids and ended up with c sections both times. Also my friend who is due in 4 weeks has been sniffing clary sage. She swears by it.
Good luck xx

 

[kim.1.]

how much is too much tea? y u have c section (if you dont mind me askin?)
also anything good 4 stretchmarks i have been using almond oil n havent got too many but will try anything not too get many!! xx

 

[loubee]

hi ya,
i drank rasberry leaf tea during my second pregnancy (only at the end though) and i had a silent labour, i swear it was the tea cos had very painfull labour first time round. i asked my midwife though, maybe ask yours. i drank about 3 cups a day and got it from health shop. would definatley ask your midwife first though cos things change all the time bout what u can and cant do and all that.
But it tastes not nice!!!

 

[Gelly]

What!!!!!!! I would NEVER drink raspberry leaf during pregnancy - over due or not!

Ask a dog breeder - after a whelping b*tch has delivered her litter of puppies, they give her Rasberry Leaf to ensure that her body RELEASES ALL afterbirth - ie Placenta!

OMG. Please don't drink that stuff.

Your baby will come when it's ready.
I've had 2 kids myself and both were overdue (10 days and 12 days) and trust me, I was suffering!

But you have to trust that nature knows best.... let it take it's course.
Good luck xx

 

[loubee]

animals arent really the same as people though are they?
and if it was that strong they would use it to enduce you!!!:|

 

[Gelly]

animals arent really the same as people though are they?
and if it was that strong they would use it to enduce you!!!:|

Hmmm..... but humans are told not to drink it during pregnancy because it can induce premature labour!

 

[melanie390]

Hi ive heard from the GP that a romantic evening can help but there again if u have a healthy pregnancy they just say baby will come when baby is ready, but if ur anything like i was i had to have both mine at 37 weeks cos i suffered pre-eclampsia through both my pregnancies, and to help get rid of stretch marks i used johnsons baby oil as soon as i found out i was pregnant i used to rub the oil in my belly and round my bust every day until my pregancy ended i hardly have any now just a cpl of silvery lines round the bust area which are hardly noticeable good luck with ur labour let us know when ur little one arrives take care mel

 

[Retired]

Hi, Kim, can only tell you of my daughter's recent pregnancy. It is her first baby and she is now 8 weeks old. In my family we have hereditary large babies, my daughter was 9lbs 6ozs and her baby was 10lbs. During her pregnancy she was measuring 2-3 weeks larger for dates and had a couple of growth scans. On the final one at 38 weeks she was told that her baby was already measuring just under 10lbs so was induced at 39 weeks and 5 days - yep, she was 10lbs! A forceps birth but my daughter was not put off. For a first baby when people think of forceps it seems horrendous, but she had an epidural just prior to the birth and she said it was fantastic. Three pushes, three pulls and baby was out. She is fabulous! So, if you are worried, perhaps you could ask your midwife for a growth scan and they may induce you before your due date. They don't like delivering large babies that go overdue because they can carry on putting on weight and the shoulders are sometimes difficult to get out. Hope I've not scared you. BTW, if you can birth an 8lbs 6ozs baby, a 9lbs baby will be fine especially as it's your second. Oh, and my daughter was back in her jeans at 3 weeks! Breastfeeding is wonderful for that!

 

[sarahnailz]

Hi again

I had my second c section because my waters broke too early and I caught an infection. It was actually a slow leak over several weeks. I had a CTG and it showed that his heart rate was too fast a sign of distress because of infection so they decided to do a section there and then. I had planned a natural birth second time around but I was just glad he was born healthy. He went to the special baby care unit SCBU for a few days because he had an excess of amniotic fluid on his lungs and was grunting. Then he had feeding problems he was too immature to suck so I had to tube feed him for a week. I introduced a dummy against the midwives recommendation and he began to suckle and I took him home. But I have to say, two are plenty and I have no wish for any more!!!!!!

I can't remember how much raspberry leaf tea is too much! have a look on the baby centre website. Its run by midwives.
Raspberry leaf tea is not strong enough to induce labour in itself. It just tones the uterus.
Oh and I remembered another natural induction method that is meant to work. Gently tweaking your nipples makes you produce the hormone responsible for induction of labour. But that only works if the baby is truly ready to makes his appearance.
What ever you try, enjoy it!!!!!!

xxxx

 

[Bebeautiful]

Hi there,
first of all good luck for the fourth coming birth of our baby, when I was pregnant with my daughter, I was given different advise from friends and well wishers and I one advise that I deciede to take was the one that I was allergic to, my advise would be to wait and let the professionals deal with it. Let nature take its course. :hug:

 

[diddle]

I took the raspberry leaf capsules too!! Also to aid with the stretching and stop you tearing massage your perineum with some oil twice a day or more if you can. I wish someone had told me this!!!!

 

[Angelaznailz]

My sister was told by a midwife to take raspberry leaf tea - not to induce labour, but when labour does naturally start, it speeds it up and it's over and done with quicker as the uterus muscles work better at expelling the baby. It seems to work as my sister had a quick labour and recommended it to all her friends who've had similar results.

 

[kim.1.]

Well i had Brooke (my little girl) with only gas n air, no stitches and she was 8lb 6oz. but the thing is i have already exprssed my concerns about a bigger baby etc to my midwife and she doesnt seem bothered all she says is oh well it will be a bigger baby than average but nothing about a scan which i would like she says they are confident of my due date but how can they be when me and my partner havent got a clue?!!! can u demand a scan?

glad to hear your daughter had a gorgeous baby whats she called her? xx

 

[Retired]

Hi, Kim,

When are you due to see your consultant? If you are really worried he would put your mind at rest. Every hospital and GP should have a Patients' Charter. Try and get a copy and read up about your rights. It was lovely to hear you had no stitches and only gas and air! That's an achievement in itself. Perhaps they are thinking that you won't have any problems because of the birth with your first baby. Anyhow, I would look into things. It's not worth getting stressed about and every woman should have the birth they want.

BTW, my daughter called her daughter Emilia. (Second name Kate after herself - she is a Kathryn). I think it's a really pretty name and it definitely suits her. She has a doting daddy, grandfather and 3 uncles who she can already wrap around her little finger. Oh, and a doting granny! lol! Take care. Babs x

 

[kim.1.]

i dont see anyone apart from my community midwife unless i go overdue but even then it can be up to a week!!!
i am due to see her tomorrow so i will let you no what she says but i will express my feelings and also just because i had an ok birth last time i shouldnt be put too the bottom of the list or end up with a diffucult birth coz of big baby!! then i will be cross!!lol
its not like i am built for big babies tho i was only a size 8 before!! will let you no tomorrow hun xx

 

[pinkmummy]

I would request to see a consultant asap. You have the right to get the care you feel is necessary. Don't take no from your midwife. My comunity midwife was not great and I told my doc I didn't want to see her again as she'd let me down on a few things. It was a waste of my time and hers. I had my last couple of checkups at the hospital.
Unfortunately I don't have much faith in the old wives tales to induce labour (we had fun trying a few:Grope, but the hospital got me started at 38 weeks recently. Due to previous quick labours and I needed 4hours of antibiotics by IV drip as I have Group B Strep infection.
As for panicking about Rasberry leaf tea and tablets, as long as you don't take them before 36 weeks they're fine. I've taken them with all 4 of mine & have had very quick labours. They act as a uterine tonic so your contractions will actually be effective.
Good luck.