After nine months of pregnancy and waiting to meet their little one, no pregnant woman is ecstatic at the thought of being overdue.
Often, once they’re full-term, they’ll do everything they can to try and induce labour naturally.
Mumsnet user ABigWideWorld, who is 40 weeks’ pregnant, asked for advice on what other mums did to help get their baby out.
The responses didn’t disappoint.
1. Walking
“With my first, I went on a nice long walk along the beach, went into labour shortly after.”
2. Sex
“Well my waters went right after we had sex,” one mum wrote. “But it was my due date so maybe they would have gone anyway I don’t know!”
3. Certain Foods
“Two curries and sex brought it on for me,” one mum wrote.
“A whole pineapple and sex,” another commented.
4. Dancing
“I was in slow labour for two weeks. Eventually shifted the little bugger by going out dancing.”
Another mum agreed: “A party. She clearly thought she was missing something, so attempted to gatecrash. She’s now 18, and is still madly sociable and loves a good party!”
5. Activity Then Relaxation
“My last was a late one - 11 days over! On advice from a friend I went for a long walk and then had a soak in the bath before bed. The idea was activity coupled with relaxation. Went into labour that night.”
6. Foot Spa
“Foot spa, I’m sure it was. I was extremely swollen - my legs were the same diameter from ankle to thigh. My husband bought me a foot spa to see if it would help relieve the swelling. I used it at about 10pm one night, my waters went at 4.30am the next morning.”
7. Gardening (And An Argument)
“I did some hardcore gardening the day before which included a lot of crawling about. Then had a blazing row with my husband before bed and went to sleep not talking to each other. Had to wake him a couple of hours later to tell him my waters had broken!”
8. Laughing
“I was proper deep belly laughing so much at funny classic threads on Mumsnet and my waters popped! I though I had wet myself at first until realisation hit and I stood up.”
9. Christmas Pants
“I put my Christmas underpants on. I thought there’s no way I could go to hospital in my Christmas underpants in the spring. But it worked and I went into labour.”