40 + 5 & no baby yet....

Well then. 

Here I am, 5 days past my due date. 

Still very much pregnant.

No major signs of labor yet.

I've had some contractions here and there...in fact, last night I was just sure I was going to wake up in labor, I went to bed in so much pain. But no. I woke up feeling fine.

Speaking of labor, right now Keith is in the kitchen making me 'red raspberry leaf' tea. The neighbor, who had a baby 6 weeks ago, gave some to us as it's rumored to be a 'natural' labor induction method. I just googled it (seriously people, what on God's green earth would we do without professor google?) and apparently it 'should be in every pregnant woman's kitchen'. This article says so, so it must be true. How have I not heard of this earlier? Well, all I can say is, if it's gross, I'm not drinking it. 

Update, 10 seconds later: It's good! With sweetener, of course. I'll drink three cups and Liam is sure to be born on 10-11-12 after all!

Hmm, now what other 'natural labor induction' methods are there?

Well, first of all, there are only a few that the actual doctor told us might work. Sex and walking are two that I remember her mentioning. 

There is actually a chemical in sperm (prostaglandin) that is the same chemical in a drug doctors give women to help soften the cervix. 

So. Yeah. Let's just say, ladies, that husbands all over the world are suddenly more than willing to lend a hand and do whatever they can to be helpful. 

Also, can I just say for the record how much someone 40+ weeks does not feel like walking? I mean, I'll do it, and I have, trust me, but not with much enthusiasm or vigor. Plus, who wants to go into labor exhausted? 

I plan on being well rested when I go into labor. Fresh out of the shower, with a new face of makeup. I also plan on not sweating or messing up my hairdo when I'm in labor. 

Would you like to hear my plans on how my newborn baby won't have any diaper blowouts, and will never be fussy or irritable?

Here are some other labor induction methods that I've heard of, though from what I've read, none of them are medically-proven. According to WebMD, whattoexpect.com, etc., if your body isn't ready to go into labor anyway, none of them will work. (I mean, obviously).

Castor Oil. (this is one I will absolutely not, under any circumstances, be trying) I've heard of drinking castor oil to bring on labor before. What I did not know until recently was that castor oil is a laxative. Uhhmmm....yeah, ok, trying to push out a baby while simultaneously being stricken with a bad case of the runs sounds pretty gruesome to me. 

Cohosh? What the heck is that?!  

Evening Primrose Oil. Said to help the cervix thin and dilate. You can take it in capsule, or actually just rub it right onto your cervix. (Because I rub my cervix all the time, don't you??)

Spicy Food. Definitely got called out as a myth by one of my midwives. But I like spicy food, so I'll keep eating it.

Nipple Stimulation.. ? Yes. Indeed. It has been said that nipple stimulation releases oxytocin, which brings on contractions. It's also been said that nipple stimulation can cause contractions to be extra long & extra painful contractions. No and No.

Anywho, needless to say, there aren't many methods I'm trying or am willing to try. I am really hoping that this little dude decides very soon to just come on his own!!

I will say that I really, really don't want to have to be induced at the hospital. Obviously there's only so long we can wait, so if it comes to that I'll do what I have to, but it's not even close to being my favorite option. Mostly, I don't like the idea of having to get a pitocin drip at all.  

 

'The use of pitocin does not, however, duplicate the natural progression of labor. Pit induced labors have longer, harder and more painful uterine contractions....'

http://www.birthresourcenetwork.org/resources/54-pitocin-the-whole-story-

 

Ugh. Sounds awful. And then of course, there are risks of induction to baby as well, most of which I really don't like reading about. I'm not a worrier-type, and I'm honestly not really that worried about it, (everything in life comes with risks, right?) it's just not ideal in my mind.

Tomorrow I have an appointment and I'm going to have my membranes stripped.

I know a few people who've gone into labor soon after having this done...even one girl who's water broke as they were doing it!

So....fingers crossed!!