Good Afternoon,

My wife is now 38 weeks pregnant and we want to meet our little MeatBall as soon as possible. We have been looking up wives tales, and other sources that could help get things going and haven't had any luck. There was a 'lucky' Eggplant Parm recipe whose marinara sauce had the tendency to put women into labour and was met with a delicious meal but disappointed otherwise. Bumpy roads aren't a problem in Southern Alberta but largely ineffective.

We've heard that raspberry leaf tea works, but didn't with our first. Any other suggestions to try?

As Always,
Craven Morhead

Baby will come when baby is ready. I know she's tired of being pregnant, but don't rush it. You want developed lungs and a vaginal delivery, not a baby that has low oxygen saturation. You also don't want a cesarean section because you induced labor when the cervix wasn't ready.

Boy do I remember this time. Jared, my first, was 3 days later than his due date (which isn't much at all, I have friends that were 2 weeks late, one was more than that), Syd was born on her due date (not at all common), and with both I was pretty much done at around week 30, just wanted it over with.

It's normal for her to be anxious, but at 38 weeks she has 2 weeks to go, at most 4 weeks. It may seem like forever when you're pregnant, but it's really not.

For now, instead of trying to induce labor, I'd pamper her silly. Rub her back, her feet, make her a special meal, take care of the first child so she can rest, treat her to a spa day, get a baby sitter and take her out, let her sleep in, etc. Just make her life a bit easier because right now she's likely miserable.

Baby will come when baby is good and ready. Until then, enjoy this time. I was miserable at 38 weeks pregnant, but it was also an amazing time, something to cherish that I didn't cherish at the time, mainly because I couldn't even see my feet and couldn't sleep, had swollen ankles, a sore back, couldn't stop sweating (both my kids were early fall babies), and was generally miserable. I just wanted it out, way out! Get it out!

Nature takes it's course, and this can't be rushed. There's a good reason for that. Baby isn't ready, which is why baby isn't coming yet.

Congrats! :)

Craven, you know well enough that 38 weeks could easily be 36 weeks. That could increase the likelihood of decreased fetal lung development. It is never recommended to induce until at least 39 weeks. Many places are increasing that to 40 weeks unless it is a medical necessity.

She only has 2 more weeks, don't rush Mother Nature.

Going to agree with J_9 and Alty...:-) The last few weeks can be a challenge, but unless there is a medical need, best to just let things happen. At the earliest, if the due date comes and goes, here we suggest the following: nipple stimulation, acupressure points (try Hoku and Spleen 6), plenty of walking, and frequent sex. Best to avoid things that are more invasive and have the potential for problems or discomfort, such as castor oil.

I wholeheartedly agree with the pampering... maybe a pregnancy massage by a qualified practitioner.

Rule of thumb...

Chubby cheeks take 40 weeks ;)

I know these things can't be rushed and we're not looking for anything that would damage the child it is more of getting the process started quicker. The first pregnancy lasted 41 weeks before she was induced and it was a silent labour. We're just hoping this one comes earlier. It is has been rough, too rough, on her.

Can she walk walk walk, even if it's just to the mailbox and back 20 times a day? I'm no expert and I never gave birth. Just know that walking, if no edema etc, is what friends have been told to do.

The only healthy thing, for her and baby, is time. Using these "home remedies" increases her risk of having a cesarean section. Her cervix must be ready for labor to be effective.

41 weeks could also be 39 weeks. Remember gestational dating is an inexact science.

Inducing labor, which is what you are trying to do, with a Bishop Score of less than 6 carries an increased risk of C/S.

I totally understand where you are coming from, but you really can't rush this. You can try every intervention in the world, but if her body isn't ready, if baby isn't ready, it's either not going to work or she will end up in surgery.

I had to look up the bishop scale. I didn't realize that existed. We're just in the holding pattern and waiting.

Rather than give you suggestions for induction, I'm going to give you suggestions for finding just a little bit of relief when you feel like you've been invaded by an alien (one you love, but still... your body just isn't your own anymore) and you're blown up like a balloon and everything is just miserable.

Warm baths (NOT hot--you don't want to elevate baby's temp)--I would take one before bed, and just the feeling of the water around me was soothing. Of course, hubby had to pull me out of the tub when I was done, but it felt awesome when I was in the tub. If you have a nearby indoor wading pool that's kept fairly warm, sitting in a couple feet of water feels great too.

Foot rubs - I cannot emphasize this one enough. I couldn't SEE my feet, I was sick of slip on shoes, and I'm glad I was THAT pregnant in a warm October because putting socks on by myself was just impossible. My feet HURT. Having my hubby rub some foot cream that smelled really good (we had some cucumber eucalyptus stuff that I have not been able to find anywhere since then) really helped me to relax. We'd do it while watching movies or listening to soft music. Hand rubs help too, if her body feels swollen.

More sleep. With lots of pillows. If you can take over all of her excuses to not lay down (or get friends/family to help out), and get her to just lay and rest (on my side with a pillow under my belly was best for me), even if she doesn't sleep. It really helped to just drowse, with my mind and body quiet for just a little while.

Lan was posterior, so back rubs were both helpful and very uncomfortable at the same time. Ask her if it would help... and rub the UPPER back. Troy kept trying to focus on my lower back, which DID ache, but it was so much more helpful to get my neck and shoulders and upper back--they were carrying a lot too!

And--unless she has been told no by her doctor--her favorite foods and drinks. I had gestational diabetes, so I wasn't allowed a lot of what I wanted, but it helped to suck on ice (for whatever reason).

Good luck!

Synnen, Thanks that really helps.

The current state of affairs is 38 weeks with severe pelvic girdle pain. She can't really get into or out of the tub easily so warm showers are about all she can have and that usually sends her into a morning sickness fit. She spends most of the time with her legs elevated and lying down when she can. I make her whatever she wants but we're limited based on what she can eat. No gestational diabetes but still have vomiting because of her GERD and heartburn so a lot of what we eat isn't based upon what she wants but what is least horrible to thrown up. Note: Leafy greens turn into HORRIBLENESS upon entrance to the stomach. Worst thing to throw up.

I do the feet and back when I can, but I try mostly to give her a chance to relax when I get home. It just breaks my heart to see her like this.

I feel for you Craven, guys are pretty helpless because all we can do is just be there and provide love support, and whatever comfort we can. It will be worth it when she delivers, and shockingly, all that pain, and worry won't top them from wanting another one just like the other one (or YOU!).

Women are tougher than they look ain't they? Weaker sex my A$$! :O

Good Luck Buddy!

Eek. That is horrible. I don't think I really helped much at all :( I understand why you want to hurry things along--but it's so much safer for both mom and baby to wait until her body says it's time.

I feel for her so much, though--those last few weeks of pregnancy last longer than the entire rest of the pregnancy put together.

Do ice packs (or, as I used, a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a dish towel) on the back of her neck help with the nausea at all?

Elevating her feet now and then is great, but be careful to avoid too much actual reclining, which is thought to encourage baby towards being posterior. It's possible that she is experiencing a bit of SPD (symphysis pubis dysfunction)... very common, painful; not fun. When she does move about, getting in and out of bed, or the car for example, remind her to keep her legs together, avoiding too much separation.

Also for back and hip pain, you could also try some counter pressure with the heels of your hands, off the spine, on her lower back/hip area, with a steady pressure applied. She can let you know if you hit the spot or need to move your hands higher or lower. Some women prefer a double hip squeeze... heels of your hands placed near her outer hips in back and gently pressing inward as your hands cup her hip area with slight pressure towards the front. Think of it as though you are gently rounding her hips away from her back bone opening the space in her lower back. (thankfully there are some video clips online as seeing it is far better than trying to explain it! )

I know it can be upsetting and frustrating if you feel that you can't help as you would like to, but the emotional support and helping with some of the physical discomforts, as was said, goes a very long way in helping her.

Hopefully she will follow the adage of subsequent children going a bit faster as her body has been through it before... doesn't always happen, but one can hope!

Right now it isn't really nausea. Her version of GERD causes her to produce far too much stomach acid so her heartburn is really bad. It makes every sensitive, there doesn't seem to be a rhyme or reason to it. Just kind of blows up. We've got the most powerful anti-nausea right now, Zofran, but pisspoor antacids. Her normal antacids are like an elite navy seal team, but the ones she's on because she's pregnant are like the three stooges enlist. Not much helps her right now.

I am trying as much as I can, but with her compressed disc it gets really hard and really tender in that area. I think they called it PGP, Pelvic Girdle Pain, but it sounds like they're almost the same thing. It's been like that for a while, and not much actually makes her feel better. I will look up those videos. We're both hoping that our little Meatball goes a little earlier then our Daughter.

I remember those days and I sympathize with her.

Has as she tried ginger? Don't lay flat. She may have to sleeping a recliner if you have one. Milk helped with my heartburn. Maalox is another good regnancy approved reliever. Oh, and Zofran isn't that great, I don't like giving itto my patients, they rarely get relief. Do you have phenergan (promethazine) there? I know it tends to make one sleepy but it's a he11 of a lot more effective than Zofran.

Oh, and if she has to lay down, tell her to lay on her left side as it delays gastric emptying, thus decreases the heartburn.

Was going to suggest the ginger and the milk, both helped with my heartburn during pregnancy, and the heartburn I've been experiencing lately. Much better than any medications.

I feel for her, and you. Have you talked to her OB about delivering early? If baby is fully cooked and she's in this much discomfort, the doctor may induce early. It really depends on baby though, and your doctor.

And the hospital Alty. We won't induce before 39 weeks unless baby or mommy is in trouble. It doesn't matter if the doc wants to induce or not. It's the policy of most hospitals now not to induce before 39 weeks. Luckily, Mrs, Craven only has one week left to make it to 39 weeks.

With that said, if the Bishop Score is low, and they induce, they are setting her up for a c-section. There is a lot that goes into play when deciding to induce than just the mother's discomfort.