Natural Induction? Help!

[JulieBaby]

My XBIL's girlfriend is 40 weeks pregnant, and with no end in sight. She just had an OB visit today and her doctor told her that baby is till high up and her cervix is completely closed.

Its a miracle that he has let her go for this long (considering OB's here will push an induction at 38 weeks if youre a fingertip dialated). He told her that if her visit next week she has not changed that he will induce her. She is very worried about the possibility of the induction ending in a c-section, as baby is very high up.

Is there anything she can do to get baby to move further down? Any natural techniques for induction?

Im no doctor but I think that if she could just get that baby to mover further down she'd have a better chance of avoiding an induction/c-section.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[KerryS]

Sex and nipple stimulation are the only things I would recommend.

Anything else is invasive enough that it would be unsafe unless under the direct supervision and monitoring by her healthcare provider.

[xobehs]

Intercourse.

[Born_a_Diva]

I agree with Kerry. If she doesn't want an induction, she can always change to a midwife! I was induced 2x and was 41wks both times...I also had a midwife but they had no control over the induction as they both worked for an ob. I was very high 1 cm dilated and 0cm the 2nd time and had no signs of labor. I was able to delivery vaginally but it made for a looooooooong and painful back labor. I so wanted to have an all-natural birth!

[Meredith]

What would her OB do if she refused an induction? They can't force it on her.

Would a nice walk every day be an option for her? I third the sex recommendation.

[Babyblue]

sex nipple stimulation and some nice walks.

btw no ob can force a women to be induced. just like no one can force you to have a csection, they can threaten to drop a women from their practice if she does not comply with the demands, but they also must refer the women to another dr I believe.


I would also have your sil bring up to her dr that due dates are just estimates, not exact guesses. and she could actualy be under due if the last menstrul pd was not correct. thus putting her baby in real danger if induced too early.

[KerryS]

At our hospital, we've had a few women who have scheduled inductions and then just not shown up.

[madelsmama]

JulieBaby, aren't you out of the country? Mexico? ETA: I see it's Puerto Rico!

I was high, tight, and fingertip with dd2 less than 24 hrs. before she was born. Tell her to hang in there; the baby will come!

[The_Market]

Fetal positioning might help bring the baby down. Spinningbabies.com (http://www.spinningbabies.com/)has great info on that.

This is also a great article:
Management of Post Term Pregnancy (http://www.lamaze.org/Research/WhenResearchisFlawed/PosttermPregnancyCochrane/tabid/173/Default.aspx)

Finally, this is a very helpful website:
When To Start Labor (http://www.birthingnaturally.net/birthplan/options/start.html)

[kohlby]

If her body isn't ready, then nothing will work. I tried almost everything with DS - well, everything I was comfortable with. However, at 42 weeks, even the pitocin didn't work like it should. So nothing was going to.

On a positive note, I was not dilated AT ALL with DD on a Monday - not even a fingertip, and she was my second so I expected to be. I went into labor on my own Tuesday night. (She was born at 41 weeks, which was the next day). It can happen rather quickly.

*DS was actually very low and in position. Yet DD was up higher - even when I went into labor on my own.

[The_Market]

Update?

[trylyn5]

Market, I always learn so much from the links you provide!

[MommytoLuke]

Sex. I highly recommend it.

[cc1003]

She could pump to increase nipple stimulation.

Sex, or I would be comfortable with acupuncture. Maybe she could get a professional foot massage to get those pressure points as well.