Spicy Food to Induce Labor?

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1

I am almost 39 weeks along with my 4th child and have been in false labor for 4+ weeks now. All of my other babies were born between 37-39 weeks and I acredit going into labor with having sex a lot. I'm ready to get this show on the road. Dr. said it's ok to proceed with "natural induction" methods, if I want. So far, I've tried everything except castor oil (don't think I'll try since I have a very weak stomach and will likely throw it up before I swallow it) and spicy food. I am NOT a fan of spicy food. In fact, the spicest food I eat on VERY RARE occasions, is medium salsa. haha. I do like sushi with a bit of wasabi (for taste, not heat).

Question is, has anyone had any success with eating spicy food and then going into labor? Would you advise someone like myself, who isn't used to eating spicy food, to try this method? I want baby out, but don't want to hurt myself (or stomach) in the process.

Plan for tonight: Spicy food (?) and walking the mall for 2 hours.

Plan for tomorrow if today's plan fails: Give hubby a nice wake up call, eat some pineapple, mow the lawn, do some yoga, reflexology and nipple stumulation... take a nap after winking nicely at hubby again... walk the mall for 2 hours, go swimming (or jumping up and down in the pool) some more relexology, yoga and nipple stimulation, eat some mroe pineapple... and then before bed, try to get hubby in the mood again.

2

You are hilarious! The only thing I have heard that works the best is the walking a lot and sex. I say you tell your doc to induce you and get it over with already. I am just like you, no patience at the end.

Good luck and congrats!

3

Both times my mom made me walk the mall the day before my due date. Both were born 1 day after their due date.

4

The baby is going to come when the baby is ready. Trust me ... I went nine days over with our first. Nothing convinced him it was time to come, except perhaps me scheduling an induction for the following week (two days later, I went into labor). You're only at 39 weeks, so I wouldn't stress about it yet since it's early at this point. I understand the eagerness to be done, but unfortunately this is one of those situations where it's out of your control (unless you opt for induction).

5

The night before my son was born (3 days late) I had eggplant parmesan, sex, and castor oil mixed into orange juice. Who knows which did it! I had heard about a restaurant that had like 95% induction rate with its eggplant parmesan, something about an enzyme in the eggplant. it wasn't spicy either. The castor oil scared me too, although I don't have a particularly weak stomach, but the orange juice helped it go down, and it didn't wreak bowel havoc ;)
Good luck!

6

I would keep the nap and yoga and throw out everthing else. Your body will go into labor when your baby is ready.

As for the spicy food, anything that causes stomach upset and cramping can cause uterine contractions.

7

Spicy food didnt work for my 1st pregnancy. I tried everything and she was a week over due she didnt even come when they induced I had to have a c section (well thats what I was told). My second didnt want to stay in I tried everything not to have her lol! Point of it is you can try a million things and in the end they might not work! I think doing some yoga, walking, sex and a nap are great. Why not try to relax since there is going to be a new baby around soon? I also like the pineapple however like I said nothing worked for me... My SIL got a pedi the night she went into labor, so I tried her method and nope I got some nice pampering, but no baby lol!

8

I'm Indian and we eat spicey food. Really. Spicey. Food.

If this worked, there would be a billion premature kids in India. LOL. At the very least, we'd all go into labor pretty fast, but birth patterns seem similar to here so I'm not buying it.

I'd say go for it anyway, but it sounds like it might not sit well with you, and an upset stomach on top of labor or being very pregnant doesn't sound worth it to me.

Congratulations! The last weeks are so hard. I'm sending you wishes for a safe and peaceful birth.

9

I went so far as to take shots of Tabasco sauce. It didn't put me into labor, but oddly it did cure my heartburn. Good luck!

10

I so know how you feel! Those later days of pregnancy are tough! Especially in the summer. I would try Evening Primrose oil (you can take it in a caplet form: 500 mg three times daily. You can also open the capsules and rub the oil directly on the cervix. It contains prostaglandin precursors, and prostaglandins are know to ripen the cervix. Black currant oil works the same way. Blue and Black Cohosh are also very effective. You can get these at a health food store.

11

If you are not a spicy food eater the last thing you would want is a raging upset stomach or even worse-lower gi upset. :(

Feel fortunate that you are to the point that you'd even consider getting things moving and enjoy these last days with baby completely and totally protected by you. Being one that delivers premature and has to work hard to keep my little ones in the oven, I'd give anything to make it to 39 weeks!

12

I wouldn't over do it. Go ahead and wink at your hubby all you want since he can do most of the work, and you hopefully should get some nipple stimulation that way too. I hear if you go the nipple route you need to do it for a while (like and hour or so) and then labor will onset rapidly after that. But that is just what I read during my pregnancy. Sleep and relax too then go for a long walk, but no more than that. Last thing you want is to be exhausted before labor starts.

13

LOL......maybe you should just stick with winking at the hubby to get him in the mood!

14

I was so sick of being pregnant and was overdue. While I was walking around shopping, a sales lady advised to eat spicy Chinese food. I did exactly that and that night went into labor and had a baby. Spicy Chinese food worked for me. Good luck.

15

I ate spicy Indian food when I hit 40 weeks and no baby. Well, Baby came 3 days later. I don't really think the food gets the credit.

16

Okay, so first of all... I would not overdo it. At all. You still have to go through labor, so don't wear you body out.

Second... I really don't think you should try inducing labor on your own until after your due date. I know you are ready to be done, but if you try and naturally induce yourself too soon, you might have a longer labor. Patience, patience, patience. :) SO.. that being said... I will give this to you if you wait a little bit longer. :) :) :)

Red Raspberry Tea or capsules 2-3 times a day

When you start to feel contractions:
Acupressure Points
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3gYUBhlMIo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3a0wDNQeYx8&NR=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnEcLSHTI0s&NR=1

-Hypnosis. Hypnobabies also has a cd called "Come OUT Baby."

http://www.hypnobabies.com/mylink.php?id=4058
- Sage is a cleansing herb. You can burn dried sage (let it smoke) sometimes it stimulate the uterus, a lot of women use it during their cycle.

This is from a book called Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year.
In the section for Unripe Cervix:
Before labor can begin your cervix must ripen. Your fingers can tell you if your cervix is ripe. An unripe cervix feels like the tip of your nose, as it ripens it gets softer, more tongue like. If it is necessary to initiate labor and the cervix is not ripe, these two herbs, together or as simples, will usually hasten the ripening.
*Evening Primrose oil, 3 capsules daily for up to a week, may ripen the cervix
*Black Cohosh Tincture, 10 drops under the tongue hourly, will have a noticeable effect on the cervix in 3-4 hours. Continue until the cervix is fully ripe and soft.
*Nipple Stimulation, very effective for ripening the cervix and initiating labor. Roll the nipple between your thumb and forefinger. You may need to continue for many hours to establish regular labor, just be careful to not make yourself sore.

In the section Initiating Labor:
Listed are in order of increasing strength. With the exception of castor oil (some disagreement on that) these herbs will not be effective unless the cervix is ripe.
Visualizations. Imagine that your uterus is contracting.
*Homeopathic Caulophyllum 200x, is reported as a good labor initiator. The dose can be repeated every 1/2 hour to 2 hours.
*Stimulate the uterus. Rub/massage the belly softly and persistently, with or without oil.. Make an infusion of blue cohosh and use it as an enema. Have an orgasm. Nipple stimulation. All are safe and effective ways to encourage uterine contractions.
* Castor oil, is used internally and externally to stimulate the uterus, soften the cervix, and initiate labor. Rub castor oil on the belly and cover with hot towel if cervix is ripe and labor seems near. Or use it as a simulative purgative. The concoction varies from midwife to midwife, but some form of this dose is used often: Two ounces Castor oil, two ounces orange juice, followed by a hot shower. After an hour the dose is repeated and an enema given. The dose is repeated a third time one hour later and another hot shower enjoyed. Labor will begin 3-5 hours after the last dose if all is well.
* Blue cohosh tincture, 3-8 drops in a glass of warm water or tea, is very effective in starting labor. Repeat every half hour for several hours until contractions are regular. If labor is not under way in four hours, use a dropperful of the tincture under the tongue every hour for up to four more hours or until contractions are strong and consistent.

Good luck!

17

General Tso's chicken did it for me & my sister-in-law both! I had it for lunch and by 4PM my water broke & it was on...................................good luck!

18

The doctor told my mom when she was pregnant with me to do alot of walking. She went for a walk with her sister and she went into labor half way back. My neighbor rode by and picked her up and took her home. And here I am!!! LOL