Holy moly, any day now! As far as "labor-inducing tips" I have none! My daughter was born one week late and I never had a single contraction before they induced me and put me on pitocin! Good luck and hope all goes well! Will be praying!!

Have heard success stories with castor oil but only if you define success SIMPLY as ending up with a baby. Side effects NOT recommended. Could try nipple stimulation?? Even just applying lanolin to them as you get out of the shower could help (and it helps prepare those guys for the rough couple of weeks ahead!)

But honestly, yeah - She will come when she is ready! When it's time! I hope you are able to enjoy these last few days as best you can! I am 7 mos along and waking at 4am each day. I know it's not fun!!

Dear Hazel - Not only is your mommy ready for you to be here but so are all us of bloggers. We want to see your sweet face and tell your mommy and daddy how cute you are and tell Oliver what a great big brother he is.. So please come soon, we are getting eager as well!

Raechel - I remember the not sleeping part and just crying because I was so frustrated and all I wanted to do was SLEEP. I have been thinking about you a lot and can not wait to meet your amazing little girl :) Stay Strong!

With our third I was having contractions that would start around 2 or 3 in the morning and fizzle out by sunrise. After about three or four days of this I called my midwife, frusterated, wondering if I was doing something wrong. She told me to act like they weren't happening, like I wasnt due.

Easier said then done, but I tried my best a little over 24 hours later my baby boy was born!

So it sounds like Ryan and Rebecca are doing the right things by distracting you LOL. My advice would be to get up at 3am and go about your morning, then just nap when you get tired. God is preparing your body for a newborn :)

Can't wait to see pictures of her! If she looks anything like your first two, she will be beautiful :)

Oh, I remember the sleeping towards the end is just awful!

At our favorite italian restaurant, they told me that pregnant women come in to eat the eggplant parmesan to induce labor, but I never tried it!... then there is always the "making love" wives tale, but I know I wasn't feeling too lovey dovey at 40 weeks =)

Can't wait to meet little Hazel, and you all are in my prayers!!

Lily

I am new to your blog but thought I would stop and comment to wish you all the best as you anxiously await the arrival of sweet Hazel. When I was pregnant with my third I bought Castor Oil but was never brave enough to try it! I had images of being rushed to the hospital in full blown labor...but with diarrhea! yikes! I decided to wait it out :) Happy due date!!!

with all 3 of my pregnancies my labor inducing trick worked. I would walk about a mile or two then take a really long and hot bath. I went into labor within 24 hours after. Can't wait to see little Hazel. By the way, I LOVE her name.

I did everything when I was pregnant with Madeline. Castor oil, EPO, RRLT, lots of quality time with the hubby, spicy food, miles and miles of walking.

She was still 8 days "late"! But I agree with your midwife, if she's not ready to come, it won't make her, so I don't really feel like there is any harm in any of that. Especially if it keeps you from going insane!

The one thing I did before I went into labor (and it's very likely it's completely coincidental) was curb walking. One foot on the curb and one foot off. Looks ridiculous, but it's supposed to drop the baby lower in your pelvis.

I really hope she decides to come soon!

Hi Raechel!
I've been reading your blog for awhile now, but haven't left any comments, but I thought I'd offer my 2 cents towards castor oil. I tried it with my first pregnancy when I was just past my due date by about 2 days. It did cause diarrhea (sorry tmi) but it did cause my water to break and I did get a baby out of it :) I tried it with baby #2 about a week before my due date and all I got was diarrhea and a baby...two weeks later! LOL!
So I basically have only a 50% success rate. Anyway, I want you to know I am praying for you and I'm looking forward to "meeting" your sweet baby girl soon!

I don't have any great tips...my boys all just came when they were good and ready...usually right up to 40+ weeks!

I am praying for you though and hope that we might meet miss Hazel very soon!

I was due on 3/11, and am STILL pregnant! I've tried all of the old wives tales (except for the castor oil - no thanks!) and nothing has helped so far. Hope it happens for you soon!!

With my fourth baby, I was desperate...I had my dr. strip my membranes, then drank castor oill the next morning...NASTY! I threw it up after an hour and all it gave me was the instestinal effects...yuck...but, the morning after THAT (48 hours after having membranes stripped), I went into labor. They say it takes about 48 hours to work. Not sure if your midwife does that or if you are interested, but that is what worked for me.

I was induced at 10 days over with 1st and with 2nd had 2 stretch and sweeps and that sure did the trick- only 5 days over and not induced!! I can't wait to see sweet Hazel, your family is in my thoughts!

oh man - this is the hardest part - I will say prayers!!!!!!!!!! Keep eating spicy foods and walking and spend some "quality" time with your husband. :) (I think I told mine he had to take one for the team at this point in order to speed things along!)

Holly

I've been reading for awhile but never commented! I was where you are just three short months ago before my second daughter was born. I had her a week late and I was.going.crazy! It seems such a long wait while you're in it. I really didn't want to be induced...I just wanted her to come out now :) My 1st daughter came early. It may be a coincidence but the night before both labors I took a long walk w/ hills. But with my 2nd, she stripped my membranes and labor followed within a day or so.
You all seem like the sweetest family. And I am so glad for you that you will experience the joy of adding to your family. It's brought me so much joy having 2 :) Best wishes and prayers to you :)

I took castor oil with Eli and it didn't bring him out....I was very uncomfortable.
I did go to a chiropractor (on my due date) and within 30 minutes, was in serious labor. We were at the Franklin Chop House and I could barely wait for them to put my salad in a to-go box! We will never know if it was a simple coincidence or if it really brought on labor-either way, I was glad to finally be done being pregnant and have my little boy in my arms. We are praying for all four of you!

Well...when I was pregnant, nothing worked (but, Skyler wasn't descending and I ended up needing a C-section anyways). But, my mom rode on a bike down a bumpy hill (yes, at 9 mo preggo) and I was born the next day. I even tried that too when I was preggo! I bet I looked funny because I was definately huge.

I have heard that raspberry leaf tea will help. You have to drink a pot of it, 10-12 cups, for it to help. Evening primrose oil on your cervix helps soften it up.

I had Indian food the night before my water broke with Luke. My lovely Indian neighbor said they don't have any wives tales about spicy food, but it is a yummy outing at least!

I've had three babies and none of them were able to be coaxed out. Believe me I tried. My midwife even showed my hubster how to do a membrane sweep (how's that for TMI) and she encouraged us to do one every day. So we did, for two weeks. My third was born two weeks after my due date (first two were induced and I wasn't about to do that again) so the evening before I was to be induced I emailed everyone I knew that would pray and asked them to be warriors in prayer for me and my labour production skills. It worked because I woke up at 530 am with small contractions and baby Chip came out at 7 am...we had an appt for 9.

But seriously, castor oil and a trillion other natural forms of induction never worked for me. In fact with the other inductions I didn't start labouring until they artificially ruptured my water. (baby 3's water broke as I was pushing)

weird. But I'm praying for and thinking about you and Hazel.

Good Morning Raechel,

I have no tips because although I have heard a lot of them, I never tried them. I've had 3 labor experiences and they were all different. I carried my second child two weeks past my due date and was so ready for him to be born. Thinking of you, your family and baby Hazel as you wait patiently for her precious arrival.

Ask your midwife to strip your membranes!
I did and I had my son the next day!
GOOD LUCK! ;-)

hope it happens soon and that you are both healthy and happy!

Glad you are still doing well, even if you are huge (which I'm sure you're NOT!). You've been ADORABLE this whole pregnancy!

Oh, I've been anxiously awaiting. Well, not as anxious as YOU have been awaiting... :)
The 14th is (was?) my birthday. The 24th is my oldest's birthday (he'll be four), and the 25th is the day of my C-section for my third. Crazy month!
Can't WAIT to hear your birth story and see pics!! Praying for a wonderful experience. :)

well, we've talked before. :) You know my #1 suggestion. ;)

But, what worked with the boys were the stretch and sweeps done by the OB. With both boys, I had an appointment where I had that done. I went into labor that evening.

But, I had horribly long labors. I'm hoping that your body does it all now, so you don't have to put in many hours while in active labor. :)

I tried EVERY SINGLE THING! When I finally gave up trying and succombed to the scheduling of an induction, my sweet little love was born the very next day! No induction necessary...just a little relaxation and turning my anxiety over to my Father!

She will come in her own sweet time...try to enjoy the last few days/hours of her wiggles and stretches INSIDE while you anticipate her wiggles and stretches in your arms. And remember...at most it can be only a few more days...and you've come nine whole MONTHS! :)

Oh, soo been there! I've got 4 7 & under, and my last 3 came 4 days after their due dates (at least I know how long they need to "bake" :) first was induced due to pre-e). I tried nearly everything, except for castor oil because there is some research out there that shows baby may have a higher chance of passing meconium in utero...I'm a childbirth educator...and I just didn't want to risk it. Sex and walking- someone mentioned curb walking, that's great!- are what they say is most effective. Also, nipple stimulation- breast pump?- can help. But I tried all that, plus spicy foods, the labor cake, acupressure, seeing a chiro....praying!! My neighbor has 4 as well, and reminded me that baby is easier to care for in utero-- but they're just so much more fun out! And that was a dad who said that, so :/. I had contractions for weeks as well, with my 3rd from 16 weeks on! That only got stronger as the due date approached, and I remember from weeks 33-37 I had consistent 5 min. apart all night long, every night...only to STOP at 37 weeks. Yeah, he was a stinker :) The great thing was, labors with those 3 were all 4-5 hours, and like 1-2 pushes, and I have big babies, 9 pounders. All natural, and the last 2 were even home births.

Anyway, I enjoy your blog; I love crafty things, and I've found a few things I'd like to try from you (rag rug...) And I've been quilting since my oldest was 1...I'm hoping this little one comes very soon for you! Funny, I know 2 other people who have baby Hazels. Well, they're about 1 or so. ;)

c

C'mon Hazel! Come meet your family and show us readers your beautiful face:)
Prayin' for ya!

The absolute funniest thing somebody told me was the old wives tale of to lay an ironing board against the couch and then somehow you are supposed to get on it and be upside down. NO... i didn't try it, NO i wouldn't recommend it, but YES it's great for a laugh and to try to imagine how you will get a 40+ week pregnant lady to do that!

And more seriously, I was 41 with each kiddo! Frustrating, but arrived healthy as could be!

My sister went to the chiropractor with her last two babies and had them both in less than 24 hrs.

If you decide to try the ironing board trick, PLEASE Take lots of pictures or video (you might just win $10,000 AFV)

Happy Laboring!