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What have you tried???

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Category: Pregnant
Forum Name: Pregnancy
Forum Description: Pregnant! Wanting to chat to other mums-to-be (or dads-to-be)? Share your thoughts, experiences, and ideas... This is that place!
URL: https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=5206
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Topic: What have you tried???
Posted By: mummy_becks
Subject: What have you tried???
Date Posted: 11 January 2007 at 7:17pm

To help the cause with labour??

Anyone had anything that has actually worked. I'm up for trying almost anything (i'm not doing castor oil - thats just wrong).

So far i've started the EPO - taking it with water 2 tablets twice a day at the moment till the bathroom is all sorted then may look at inside me. I got my raseberry leaf tea today so trying that tonight.

Any other ideas?



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I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived!



Replies:
Posted By: fattartsrock
Date Posted: 11 January 2007 at 7:19pm
What is EPO? I wan to have my baby before the 1st of feb now, as per my post inthe baby bump section...

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The Honest Un PC Parent of 2, usually stuck in the naughty corner! :P


Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 11 January 2007 at 7:28pm
Evening primrose oil. I got some capsules so they can disolve up in you as well. They are to help the with your cervix.

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I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived!


Posted By: fattartsrock
Date Posted: 11 January 2007 at 7:38pm
ok will do, and the raspberry tea as well

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The Honest Un PC Parent of 2, usually stuck in the naughty corner! :P


Posted By: kebakat
Date Posted: 11 January 2007 at 7:47pm
Sex is meant to work


Posted By: kell
Date Posted: 11 January 2007 at 8:00pm
My friend who is a mw swears by soaking a tampon in EPO and putting that up for the night, doing it for as many nights as you need.


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Kayla Rose is now 4!
James Sydney is nearly 2!


Posted By: fattartsrock
Date Posted: 11 January 2007 at 8:09pm
Am so not doing sex. this might be TMI, and correct me if I'm wrong, but if it is just the orgasm that is meant to start it, then I will do that on my own...if it isn't, I might have to submit...

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The Honest Un PC Parent of 2, usually stuck in the naughty corner! :P


Posted By: kell
Date Posted: 11 January 2007 at 8:14pm
hehehehe no its the sperm that starts it.
That could be achieved without sex too if you have access to a baster lol

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Kayla Rose is now 4!
James Sydney is nearly 2!


Posted By: fattartsrock
Date Posted: 11 January 2007 at 8:23pm
aaahhh bugger, I thought as much, actually.

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The Honest Un PC Parent of 2, usually stuck in the naughty corner! :P


Posted By: nikkitheknitter
Date Posted: 11 January 2007 at 8:35pm
Ah Annie... I'm sure the big O helps... it gets your muscles contracting and that often brings on Braxton Hicks... which can start the rest.

And I've heard a million ladies on here say that it takes a whole bucket worth of sperm to get enough of the hormone needed to start labour. So you needn't put yourself through it yet!


Posted By: yummymummy
Date Posted: 11 January 2007 at 8:49pm
I read a while back a study of the effect of a religious fast (just a few days) on prem birth - it seems not eating is a good way to get baby out. I also read somewhere that enzymes found in un-ripe mangoes and licorice can trigger labour too. And also overstrenuous physical activity but I can't see myself doing that. I'm going to try an un-ripe mango and licorice fast once I get to week 36 though...

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http://lilypie.com">      http://lilypie.com">


Posted By: kell
Date Posted: 11 January 2007 at 8:57pm
Interesting....is it licorice or licorice root? do you remember? as I think I read the root was very powerful and thats why you dont drink the tea while pregnant but can eat it as a sweet?

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Kayla Rose is now 4!
James Sydney is nearly 2!


Posted By: my2angels
Date Posted: 11 January 2007 at 9:04pm
A bumpy car ride worked for my friend recently and unloading a trailor load of dirt worked for me with Kobe, although it wasnt planned. Sex if you can stomach it which i couldnt. Hot spicy curry though no sure why thats suppose to work. Trying to relax. Everyone says keep active and bring on labour but its generally when you finally relax that it happens, hense the reason a lot of woman go into labour at night because they are most relaxed.


Posted By: yummymummy
Date Posted: 11 January 2007 at 9:13pm
I'm not sure kell, but I think it's an enzyme in the licorice so guess both would work - although a licorice tea might help the fast more than a huge amount of licorice sweets. I'm going to have a lot of the tea and some of the sweets just in case

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http://lilypie.com">      http://lilypie.com">


Posted By: jack_&_charli
Date Posted: 11 January 2007 at 9:24pm
don't do the sex thing if it's only to bring on labour........i did and it didn't work! charli didn't arrive til a week later.....had the big O and everything

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http://www.alternatickers.com">
http://lilypie.com">


Posted By: kell
Date Posted: 11 January 2007 at 9:24pm
Good thinking bat man

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Kayla Rose is now 4!
James Sydney is nearly 2!


Posted By: busymum
Date Posted: 11 January 2007 at 9:47pm
Sex brought on a show for me with #1 (came the following morning) but then it was still 3 days before I started having contractions.

The only thing I know has worked for me is stretch and sweep, and I bet your mw isn't keen to do that for you yet.... but crikey did I read correctly that she delivered 3 babies the other night and had another woman in labour the next day? What's her schedule like?!

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Posted By: fattartsrock
Date Posted: 11 January 2007 at 9:49pm
oh god i will not be fasting either. have out on almost 3kg in last 2 weeks!!!!!!

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The Honest Un PC Parent of 2, usually stuck in the naughty corner! :P


Posted By: busymum
Date Posted: 11 January 2007 at 10:12pm
And I've been hungry as a horse these last couple of weeks! Even to the point of shaking at 12pm on the dot

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Posted By: fattartsrock
Date Posted: 11 January 2007 at 10:22pm
ha ha, i have been on a bake a rama and eating the results, and am having trouble when I am doing nothing NOT THINING ABOUT EATING!!!!

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The Honest Un PC Parent of 2, usually stuck in the naughty corner! :P


Posted By: Jennz
Date Posted: 12 January 2007 at 3:18am
I tried everything! From one week before my DD we were having sex every day, sometimes twice (I was just so desperate to get her out!) I ate this weird eggplant dish I had heard could help, Raspberry leaf, hot curry, lots of walking and bumpy car rides and even castor oil. Things like licorice, castor oil, curry etc apparently work but making your stomach/bowels basically have a hissy fit and that can sometimes trigger contractions. All of these things may help trigger something but only if your body is ready anyway- people may say they worked for them but in all likelihood they would have gone into labour just after then anyway. When I had the castor oil I had an awful night of stomach cramps and horrid BMs for nothing. She was coming when she was ready and there was nothing I could do about it!

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Jen, Charlotte 7 & Kate 3



Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 12 January 2007 at 8:39am
Yep she had 3 go into labour during the day on Wednesday and then had 3 babies that night.

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I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived!


Posted By: kebakat
Date Posted: 12 January 2007 at 9:05am
Yup Becks is right, poor Janet. Cause I had an appt with her yesterday and was told I'd be seeing a locum cause Janet was buggered from having 3 births the previous night. Personally don't blame her for being buggered! lol


Posted By: MyMinis
Date Posted: 12 January 2007 at 11:40am
we tried sex, and going for a drive down a bumpy road. Haleigh was born on time too

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http://lilypie.com">
http://lilypie.com">
http://tweetytweety85.bebo.com - bebo


Posted By: Bombshell
Date Posted: 12 January 2007 at 1:50pm
i still think making hair appointment etc would set it off...or planning a lunch etc...I have visions of a sign on my door on day of baby shower saying cancelled in labour!!! LOL

as for raspberry tea - our antenatal class midwife was asked about it by a second time mum and midwife was anti it due to some blood problems it can cause...trying to recall exactly what was said but think midwife referred to it can cause excess bleeding in and after labour as a result etc and the mum said yes she had those problems but with unexplained reason at time...we were told to avoid it...is this true???


Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 12 January 2007 at 2:16pm
Haven't heard anything about that. The packet I have is from a health store where it says that it is a good thing to take during late pregnancy and around the time of you period. I had high BP with my first but no issues with bleeding. I"m still drinking it.

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I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived!


Posted By: busymum
Date Posted: 12 January 2007 at 2:38pm
Would pay to check with your mw on that. All I know is don't take it too early, I think that's just because it can cause prem delivery tho

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Posted By: Paws
Date Posted: 12 January 2007 at 2:55pm
The bad news is that in the end if your body is not ready to go into labour it won't.

Raspberry leaf and EPO don't serve to bring labour on they only prepare the body to handle labour.

We had fun trying hot curries etc but in the end it took an inducement to budge Maddie. Even then inducements aren't guareented!

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http://lilypie.com">


Posted By: Redbedrock
Date Posted: 12 January 2007 at 4:27pm
Sounds like licorace might be the go.
In hindsight I was eating bags of licorace in the last months of pregnancy and Fay arrived 5 weeks early!!! Asked my midwife this morning and she was unsure but there could be a connection
Good luck
ETA she also said on another occaission that nothing would bring labour on except the right time for it to happen

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http://www.babysfirstsite.com">


Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 12 January 2007 at 4:44pm
Yeah I know nothing brings it on, but its worth a try to prepare your body. Andrew was induced and it took 2 times and a shot of pethedine before things got started. I was induced early with him.

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I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived!


Posted By: kell
Date Posted: 12 January 2007 at 6:26pm
EPO is proven to help soften the cervix, but yes your body must be ready for it to happen.
Becks im with you, with Kayla I was induced at 36 weeks on a monday, 7 lots of gel, 2 shots of pethadine, one epidural and one oxytocin pump she was born on the Thursday! If your body isnt ready, things just wont happen easily

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Kayla Rose is now 4!
James Sydney is nearly 2!


Posted By: yummymummy
Date Posted: 12 January 2007 at 6:46pm
I just googled pregnancy and licorice and found those 2 sites (and another few thousand! )

http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/156/9/803

http://www.drgreene.org/body.cfm?xyzpdqabc=0&id=21&action=detail&ref=344

Sounds interesting so I def think I'll be giving it a try but only after I hit 36 weeks - just in case it's quick working!

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http://lilypie.com">      http://lilypie.com">


Posted By: fattartsrock
Date Posted: 12 January 2007 at 7:12pm
My m/w won't be giving me a sweep before 1st of feb unless there is another problem apart from no drugs available after 1st feb. I asked her today, she basically said I'd just have to get on with it...although she mentioned that things wouldn't be as bad in terms of damage this time, as I am not as puffy and swollen as last time, so my tissue isn't either, also, Jacobs birth would have "stretched" things out... Oh well. Will just try to enjoy these last few weeks an dnot worry about it. I am going to see Saw 3 tonight with another mate of mine who is a horror flick afficionado (in fact the only other I know, we love scary gory movies)maybe that will scare me into it! lol! I had made a date with her to go and see amityvile horror the day I had Jacob, so maybe Jinx? am getting hair cut tomorrow and coloured next week, so all those things are known to encourage babies to come...

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The Honest Un PC Parent of 2, usually stuck in the naughty corner! :P


Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 12 January 2007 at 10:16pm
Is it the black stuff that you have to eat for licorice to work? I'm not a huge fan of the stuff, but i'll give anything a try.

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I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived!


Posted By: busymum
Date Posted: 12 January 2007 at 10:23pm
Annie.... let's hope your mw is right about a better prepared "exit route". But I really wouldn't have opted for watching Saw - not just before a baby or anytime for that matter

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Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 12 January 2007 at 10:24pm
No i'm not up for that movie wither. Haven't seen any of them and don't plan on seeing them either. (I'm a put of a wimp with scary movies)

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I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived!


Posted By: kell
Date Posted: 13 January 2007 at 8:16am
Originally posted by mummy_becks mummy_becks wrote:

Is it the black stuff that you have to eat for licorice to work? I'm not a huge fan of the stuff, but i'll give anything a try.


The licorice root is stronger, found in tea

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Kayla Rose is now 4!
James Sydney is nearly 2!


Posted By: yummymummy
Date Posted: 13 January 2007 at 8:24am
I'd try the tea too and maybe some of the lollies if you can find them - I think at least some of the ones you buy (at supermarkets etc) don't really have any licorice root at all in them and are just flavoured with aniseed so they won't work.
I hope it works for you as I'm planning on trying things in the last 4 weeks too. Keep us posted on what you are trying and if it works of course.

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http://lilypie.com">      http://lilypie.com">


Posted By: Rachael21
Date Posted: 13 January 2007 at 11:40am
You can get a tonic from health food shops but don't take it unless you are full term. It worked for a couple of ladies who were going to be induced.


Posted By: Two Blondinis
Date Posted: 15 January 2007 at 9:39pm
man it's funny reading this *again*. I did the pineapple and the raspberry leaf tea and the sex thing.. nothing worked, Miss Caitlin was born 4 days overdue (i.e in her own sweet time). I think the only thing that really helps is that you include the 10 days overdue (what my MW said was the max for us) and count down from there. So for the day Caitlin was born it was "6 days at the most to go"
I guess it's a glass half full way of looking at it

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http://lilypie.com">


Posted By: meow
Date Posted: 15 January 2007 at 9:43pm
I didn't try anything! I wasn't ready for her to be born yet, everyone said I would be overdue so I totally expected that I would be!

So when I started having contractions on my birthday at 39 weeks 1 day, I was not prepared! She was born the next day

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http://lilypie.com">
http://lilypie.com">


Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 16 January 2007 at 8:46am
OK what the pineapple thing? I have never heard of that one.

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I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived!


Posted By: Two Blondinis
Date Posted: 16 January 2007 at 10:36am
NOOOOOO whatever you do DON'T do the pineapple thing!

I did it, ate 2 tins of the stuff, had the worst tummy cramps (which at the time I thought was contractions) then spent the rest of the day in the toilet having issues with both ends! (sorry if TMI)

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http://lilypie.com">


Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 16 January 2007 at 10:43am
No I won't be trying that. I'm not keen on anything that is too make you clean out . I'd rather ready my body for it than do harm.

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I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived!


Posted By: busymum
Date Posted: 16 January 2007 at 2:14pm
Anyone tried the nipple stimulation thing?

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Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 16 January 2007 at 2:47pm
I thought it had to be for a LONG LONG time. Might investigate that a bit more.

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I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived!


Posted By: fattartsrock
Date Posted: 16 January 2007 at 7:45pm
Alsom Darrel Lea Licorice do a licorice root licorice, it is in the brown bag, and the writing is green...

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The Honest Un PC Parent of 2, usually stuck in the naughty corner! :P


Posted By: busymum
Date Posted: 16 January 2007 at 8:37pm
Yea Becks I think that's right, I was never keen enough to find out all the details. Just with the after pains I've been having lately when Krystiana's feeding, it reminded me lol

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Posted By: Rachael21
Date Posted: 17 January 2007 at 10:40pm
My midwife said an hour each side for the nipples I did it in the shower for about one minute and gave up lol.


Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 19 January 2007 at 10:57am
Yeah I don't think i'll be trying that then. At this stage I would love to get my hands on some of that gel they put up you when they induce you. I couldn't sleep last night (didn't help DH had gone out for drinks and the "i'll be home early" didn't happen and didn't get home till 2.30am) and once I finally got to sleep Andrew comes in and demands that I WAKE UP. I'm so hoping for a sleep this afternoon.

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I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived!


Posted By: kell
Date Posted: 19 January 2007 at 12:41pm
Had to share what I just read lol. This is from a natural only midwife and is about induction in hospital.

"The best natural way that seems to work for most mothers is to have sex!

After intercourse the woman should try to keep the semen around her cervix for as long as is comfortable. Semen contains the wonderful natural prostaglandins that help ripen the cervix. Orgasm also releases hormones to assist uterine activity.

If a woman is not able to have intercourse, nipple stimulation is also useful. This helps release oxytocin, etc. If women are birthing in hospital settings, privacy should be allowed for these activities. I would hope so!!!

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Kayla Rose is now 4!
James Sydney is nearly 2!


Posted By: busymum
Date Posted: 19 January 2007 at 12:52pm
Hahahaha sex in a hospital bed

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Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 19 January 2007 at 2:50pm
Sex in a hospital bed doesn't work. They are too small.

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I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived!


Posted By: kebakat
Date Posted: 19 January 2007 at 5:26pm
lol know from experience do ya becks?


Posted By: Maya
Date Posted: 19 January 2007 at 9:02pm
NOTHING worked for us - I was 4cm dilated, had been having contractions for 4 weeks and Sienna had been engaged since 31 weeks when the OB FINALLY consented to an induction to put me out of my misery. And believe me, I tried everything! (Except sex which by that point was physically impossible!)

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Maya Grace (28/02/03)
(02/01/06)
The Gremlins:Sienna Marie & Mercedes Kailah (14/10/06)
Lil miss:Chiara Louise Chloe (09/07/08)
Her ladyship:Rosalia Sophie Anais (18/06/12)


Posted By: mum2emj
Date Posted: 21 January 2007 at 9:20am
lol- this brings back memories! lol at sex in a hopsptial bed!!! while i was in early stages of labour at hospital after i was given the gel, things were moving VERY slowly my midwife told me and hubby to do it and she walked out of the room closed the curtains and said she would knock before she came back in- i was like ok but no thanks- she gave us heaps when she came back and we hadnt done anything- she wa a good laugh.

i tried the nipple thing but felt really stupid so stopped to but it brought on some good contractions, should of kept going. sex a week or so i was due brought on a few too... maybe we should of tried that a bit more! lol...


Posted By: yummymummy
Date Posted: 21 January 2007 at 9:27pm
I bought a pack of licorice today and had some - hope if I have some daily, maybe it will work in 3-4 weeks

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http://lilypie.com">      http://lilypie.com">


Posted By: fattartsrock
Date Posted: 22 January 2007 at 9:48am
uummm after this weekend, I would so NOT be reccomending anything that gives you a cleanout! I went to a bbq on sat night (on my own, dh babysat - another dramam all in its own, I came home at 10pm to a toddler still up and on a sugar high from daddy giving him chocolate...gggrrrr) and had eaten some suspect chicken (I had a small bit and noticed that it was a bit pink around the bone, so gave it to the dog) I also, very naughtily had some salads... naughty, I know, I should have known better, so learn off my mistakes, all! anyhow, i was woken at 4am to some awful pains, so i got up and had a shower, cramps in back, rolling pains etc, and thought "this is it" as I had the "cleanout" although I hadn't had a show I thought it was close. Anyhow, i spewed my ring out, and the pains kept coming, and 2 more showers later, and terrible pains, i rung the hospital and my m/w who told me to get my backside trackside to the hospital. Yep, I was having contractions BOUGHT ON BY FOOD POISIONING. They slowed down about 8.30 am and stopped by 1pm, but it so could have been it! I will be being VERY careful from now on, as that was the most horrible experience of my life.

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The Honest Un PC Parent of 2, usually stuck in the naughty corner! :P



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