Does anything REALLY work to help induce labor?

[angela418]

I am 38 weeks and 2 days today.  I am due on June 12 and today at my doctor appointment we scheduled me to be induced on June 16 if the baby doesn't come before-hand on her own.  My son was also induced 4 days after his due date and all went like it should with that one.  However, I really would like to experience natural labor and am hoping my body will progress a little faster this time.  I am 2 1/2 cm dilated as of today which is up from 2 cm a week ago.  

Do any of the recommendations/wives tales actually work in speeding up labor symptoms - such as eating certain foods: spicy foods, pineapple, raspberry leaf tea, etc or doing certain activities: walking, squats, sex, etc.?  Has anything actually worked for anyone?  I asked my doctor and she didn't give me much hope - she said we could try a membrane sweep (which I declined because I had it done with my son and was still induced) and she said that sex can help - though that didn't help with my son either.  

So, does anyone have any suggestions or is it just luck that certain foods/activities actually seem to help things along?

[angela418]

Thanks gals!  I have come to the general consensus that walking seems to be the best overall "helper" with going into labor or getting water to break.  I have heard it several times before and my friend told me the same thing today.  She thinks that is why her water broke.  If it wasn't so stinkin' hot down here in southern Louisiana, I'd be inclined to walk around the neighborhood a lot more.  Well, maybe I'll just have to go to the mall everyday and walk inside - might get to be expensive, though, haha!

[alaysha]

I pretty much tried everything to make me go into labor and nothing worked. I was 3 cm and 90% effaced and I eat a whole pineapple in one sitting, ate the most spicy food I could find, I drank red raspberry tea religiously and used evening primerose oil on my cervix. I had sex daily and went one daily mile + long walks. I room the bumpiest car rides and bounced on a yoga ball. I made my husband rub the backs of my feet and give me a full body massage. Nothing worked. at 38 weeks I ended up getting a membrane sweep and had my daughter within 36 hours. I would say try the sweep again. Just because it didn't work with your son doesn't mean it wont work this time around.

[coffeebuzzedliz]

There is no scientific way to get your body to go into labor, except the obvious of your Dr. giving you meds. to start it. There are a lot of wives tales and do they work......some say they do and some say they don't. What I know for my one pregnancy is that I did A LOT of walking the 3 days before my water broke. I ended up needing my labor induced since it wasn't kicking in on its own but my water brokee so they wanted me to have my daughter within 4 hours. I tried the sex thing around the same time, maybe it worked? I had my membranes swept, maybe it worked? I walked a lot which I think worked because it got my body really moving, and I think helped her to drop more. GOOD LUCK!!

[StephanieMH8]

I am pregnant and have been told by several friends that the sex really did work for them...be careful with that though,

[Clysta]

Unless your body is actually ready for labour and baby is as well, then no--nothing will put you in labour. I know for me, I'm almost 100% positive it was the walking I had done. 3 days before I went into labour I went camping with my parents, sisters and her baby. I walked non-stop that day, and started to get really crampy. A trip to the ER later that night showed I was dilated 1cm. 2 days later I went into labour and after 24+ hours of labour I had her. I'm a firm believer in walking, walking, walking.