Baby - T-0 and Counting!

[MonkeyDragon]

Good luck Olaf!
My wife had her labour induced as well. In her case there was a small fluid leakage so they couldn't leave it. I wouldn't worry too much if it is induced. Also, I'm not sure but I think there is a medical reason to not let it go on too long- not sure I remember what it is though.

Hmm, nookie or thai food...Not a hard question.

I asked my mother this question once (she's a peds nurse) and she said that basically the womb is only meant to be a happy place for so long. Eventually the amniotic fluid starts to decrease and the placenta doesn't move nutrients as well. Of course there's also the fact that the more time baby has to cook, the bigger baby gets, the harder labor gets. But none of this is is going to be an issue right away. I don't know what constitutes normal delay and what is just too long.

 

[Olaf the Stout]

I asked my mother this question once (she's a peds nurse) and she said that basically the womb is only meant to be a happy place for so long. Eventually the amniotic fluid starts to decrease and the placenta doesn't move nutrients as well. Of course there's also the fact that the more time baby has to cook, the bigger baby gets, the harder labor gets. But none of this is is going to be an issue right away. I don't know what constitutes normal delay and what is just too long.

From what I learnt from birthing classes, if you leave it too long the placenta can sometimes start to provide less nutrients for the baby. This isn't really a good thing for the baby and it can start going into distress. To stop this possibility from happening they induce the birth before it gets to this stage.

I'm not sure how long after the due date this starts to happen (I imagine it can vary) but that is probably why they induce you before you get more than 10 days overdue (At least that seems to be the case in Australia).

I imagine the baby getting bigger would also be a factor though.

Olaf the Stout

 

[Olaf the Stout]

I heard spicy food works well.

My wife went into labor the day after we ate enchiladas for dinner. Maybe you need to go out for Mexican or Thai food?

Good luck!

Yeah, I heard that one too. Bumpy rides and sex are the only 2 other ways I have heard to bring on labour. I know that there is something medically true about sex, I'm not so sure about the other 2 methods though (or maybe I'm just saying that because I like that option the best! ).

Olaf the Stout

 

[Harmon]

Congrats!!! On the up and coming little one

Our daughter was five weeks early. Woke up by- "...my water just broke," from the wife. I was dressed before I was awake. We had nothing packed, nothing ready, and people coming to live with us (don't do that btw) and nothing ready for them.

Ten days in the hospital. Been in her presence for almost the entire year and a half of her life, and I would not change any of it.

Congrats once again, hope you have gotten enough sleep for the next couple of years, cause you aren't getting any after the little one shows.

 

[BV210]

Olaf,

Castor Oil. My wife and sister-in-law both used it effectively. The down side is that once administered, you will see it again. But, if your wife is as ready to get to birthin' as my wife was, the castor oil is well worth the effort.

I tried to expound on the "nookie method" to induce but was summarily shot down. "That's what got us into this situation in the first place!"

Good luck and only let her hold your non-dominate hand or else you won't be able to write for a week.

 

[Huw]

Golden rule: If you hold her hand, make sure she's only holding one finger, or you'll find out the meaning of SQUEEZE!

 

[Glyfair]

I heard spicy food works well.

A good friend of mine went into labor about an hour after leaving our regular roleplaying game. With my anecdotal evidence, gaming can help induce labor

 

[Olaf the Stout]

Golden rule: If you hold her hand, make sure she's only holding one finger, or you'll find out the meaning of SQUEEZE!

I've been told about that a few times now. I've already got the finger I won't mind being broken picked out!

Olaf the Stout

Oh, and it is now 3 days overdue and still no sign of baby yet.

 

[Eridanis]

Good luck, Olaf, and may labor be speedy!

When we were in the hospital for the birth of our third, the nurse suggested we.... ahem... engage in marital relations to speed things along. Right there in the hospital. "I'll close the door and leave you some privacy!"

Had I not been so tired, I would have considered it for the novelty... but the baby was born only about and hour and a half later, so it wasn't neded.

 

[Aurora]

Good luck Olaf and Mrs Olaf All the remedies to start labor will only work if you are within 4 days or less usually of when baby would have come on his/her own. Sex works, but only if you make her "O". Doing this causes contractions to start. People recommend spicy food because it gives some people the runs. Pretty much if there is a food that sends her running to the bathroom several times.....she should eat that. The womb is pretty much surrounded by the intestines. If a food causes the intestines to contract and send her running to the bathroom the uterus starts what are called "sympathy contractions" because of its location. *IF* baby is ready to come these sympathy contractions can turn into real ones. That is why castor oil works, but it can cause dehydration if not used properly and there is no real recommended dosage so it is usually only recommended as a last resort by midwives to try and avoid chemical induction. Trust me, induction using pitocin HURTS! My advice: make sure once she gets to the pushing stage that they turn OFF the pitocin drip if she is induced!!!!!! They didn't with me and my epidural didn't work! The pain was so horrible I couldn't even see straight. Then the nurse goes "Oh we can turn off this pitocin drip", once she did within minutes my pain went down to a still pretty damn bad but tolerable level. At least I could concentrate to get the job done after that. GOOD LUCK!