I remember *very* well because I was 2-3cm dilated at my first 36 week internal with my first baby (who turned 8 last Friday). My OB buttured me I'd never make it to my due date. I wound up induced with pit at 41w4d. I'd have declined that induction and waited a few more days if I'd known then what I know now--I wasn't uncomfortable and the baby wasn't in any kind of distress, but thanks to my OB's predictions, I felt overdue by the time I reached my due date, let alone 11 days past that! And this is one reason that I think internal exams are potentially dangerous: they don't yield any useful information but they can set up expectant moms for all sorts of expectations that are more likely than not to go unfulfilled!
No, not really. The contractions you get as a result of your water breaking are a lot less likely to cause uterine hyperstimulation than those from something like pitocin because they're still "natural". Introducing a chemical stimulant bears risks, but waters breaking spontaneously either during labor or just prior to it is quite common, so it's really not something that's likely to bring on extra risk. Amniotomy *does* tend to intensify labor and-or bring it on, and it does seem to work for a fair percentage of multips as a non-chemical method of induction (sure worked like a charm for me with #3).
The reason breaking your waters deliberately during love would be bad is mostly because of the issue I mentioned (it'll put you "on the clock"), but also because it probably increases the risk of introducing an infection to the interior of the uterus. It's really not a good idea to be putting anything that's not pretty likely to be sterile or nearly sterile into the privates after the waters break--frequent privatesl exams should really be discouraged more than they are. It's not like the risk from privatesl exams is gigantic, so it's probably not gigantic from love, either, but it's something it's better to avoid than seek out, if you see what I mean.
Sounds like a plan to me. Really, there's not a whole lot to be DONE about this whole thing except wait until something happens. (And even then, you're
FWIW, my girl was the one who came before spontaneously 5 days before her EDD, and that whole pregnancy was the least like the other two. I have to say that all my *labors* were pretty similar, though, in terms of where I felt the contractions (mostly low and in front, which is contrary to what the books say!) and how intensely painful they were. The main difference between them was that my labor with her lasted much, much longer than the other two (28+ hours total, with about 6-7 hours active, as opposed to 8 hours from start to finish for #1 with pitocin and 3h50m start to finish for #3 after amniotomy). Odd as it might seem, though, that second labor was really the *easiest* for me to cope with, because I was home until about the last two hours or so. Plus, I had a *fantastic* endorphin rush when it was over--better than any drugs on the planet, I'm quite sure. I was really bummed when I didn't get that rush with #3, but I figure it was because labor was too short for the endorphins to build up.
Goodness, I have no idea. Maybe a drug store, though? Really, castor oil *does* seem to help induce labor in a lot of women, though it's not quite as reliable as something like pitocin. Worst case scenario, if it doesn't start labor, is that you have a very uncomfortable case of the runs. It might be worth it to try it if the alternative is a repeat c-section!
Yeah, RRL tea is a uterine tonic, which means it helps get the uterus "in shape" for labor so that contraction activity is better coordinated and more effective. At least, that's the theory, anyway. Whether or not it actually works hasn't been properly studied, AFAIC. But it certainly can't hurt. It won't induce labor, though.
It's a good possibility.
I was able to get into my regular swimming suit at full term with #2, but if you can't get into regular one, I'd try for shorts-bikini bottoms and a t-shirt with a bra underneath so I could swing it. Really, there's nothing like the relief you get from floating in water (and a kiddie pool likely won't be deep enough to really give you that relief).
Good luck and take it easy! -- Be well, Barbara
