Hi Lucy, I totally sympathise with you as I was the same with my lo as my hubby is a teacher and my little boy was due at the end of December so I wanted him to be born on time or early so my hubby would be on his school hols!
To be honest despite everyone saying I would def have him early as my bump dropped very low at around 35 weeks, including my midwife who told me to take it easy because she didn't want him arriving just yet, he was still 4 days late!
I tried everything, fresh pineapple, all the hot spicy food you can think of, bumpy car rides, long walks every day etc etc. I started taking rasberry leaf tablets from 37 weeks which I think helped to shorten the 2nd stage of labour (it was my first and only took 4 hours!) but it didn't do anything to bring labour on.
Ultimately the baby won't be here until they are ready, and despite me feeling huge and like I was going to give birth to a baby elephant my little boy only weighed 7lb 4oz so I was quite pleased he hadn't come weeks earlier.
Personally I think the things people say worked for them haven't really it is just that was when baby was going to make an appearance anyway.
I really wouldn't recomend the castor oil either. I know some women have used it and it has worked for them but it can make you really ill and it really isn't a good way to be when you are in labour!
Think the best advice I can give is to relax as much as you can, have some nice walks to keep yourself mobile (I also found this helped me to sleep better at night) and remember that no-one has gone through a 9 month pregnancy and not given birth!
Good luck! xx
