How to go into Labor 101

Before I share the labor and delivery story of my little man, Dalton (the most precious boy ever), I want to share some tips on how to go into labor. What worked and didn't work for me :). Now I jest, but it ended up that God's timing is his timing. He planned this little boy to come on April 3rd long before I even imagined him. I had to keep reminding myself that as I waited for him to come. Looking back I'm so thankful I had the week of staycation from work because I was getting a little on edge each time an intern asked me a question they have asked at least four times before. It was the anticipation of it all... "is it tonight?"- every night Jack and I would wonder. So I wanted to go into labor naturally at all possible, aka not induced, so my doctor gave me 41 weeks without testing. I started to put into place my natural remedies suggested.

1. Raspberry Leaf Tea-Drank it every morning for two weeks. Unless it built up for the two weeks then hit, nothin.

2. Pineapple, eggplant, cumin, spicy foods- I ate spicy foods and pineapple. Neither worked. Although I ate pineapple two days before, so maybe? No, I don't think so.

3. Castor Oil-Now this will send you into contraction mode. I took this a little too early, I wasn't even 40 weeks yet but the weekend was over and I was beginning to go into my vacation time. This was one week before I had Dalton. I had contractions from 8 until 6 the next morning and they stopped. Jack and I got in some good practice for the real thing. I had back labor and d train all night. Then nada. So unless baby is ready, it's not gonna work. Plus, it tastes horrible.

4. Sex-Sorry, it is one of the ways. You already know we do it because of my predicament. It may have contributed. Ah hem.

5. Curb walking-I did this every day for two weeks. The day of I did the stairs at Belle Meade Park. Highly possible this helps. I'd say go for it, it does hurt!

6. Lawn Mower-The nurse practitioner I work with and I joked we will now prescribe to girls overdue the "LM" method. That's lawn mower. I'm not joking. A girl I work with was over due and her mom was about to mow. She got the idea to mow for her on her riding lawn mower. She went into labor the next day.

So it's day 3 after due date and I clean the refrigerator, Jack is working outside a lot, and I get the bright idea to mow my friend Katherine and Brett's lawn. I called her to see and it was fate. She replied, "are you serious?" She said she had just gotten done telling Brett they needed to mow the lawn. 5 hours later, I started labor. Here is the evidence. I'm sure the neighbors got a kick out of seeing me mow the lawn, bouncin' around all over the place. It was quite the sight.