40 Weeks Pregnant: 4cm Dilated & 50% Effaced - What Can Help?

Question
i am 39 weeks pregnant with my 4th baby and i have been dialated to 4cm and 50% effaced for a week. now the doc says my cervix is like a marshmallow and its still posterior. im not sure what that means but is there anything i can do to help the process along? ive been walking and ive even tried intercourse and nothing seems to help change my dialation. any suggestions?

Answer
You may want to ask your doctor to prescribe you some prostglandin gel. This can help the cervix ripen and also prepare your body more for labor. You may also want to stimulate your nipples (manually and/or in the shower) as well as try foods that may help along labor, such as chamomile tea, pineapple, and MILD curry (but avoid spicy foods and all peppers as ingested capsaicin increases pain in childbirth even though it is often used as a muscle pain reliever).

Please let me know if I can help you further or with anything else.

Best wishes,
Helen =)