Labor Induction Tips
Have you ever thought about inducing labor naturally? If your due date is passed and ready to go into labor so that you can finally get your pregnancy over, there is a good possibility that it may have crossed your mind.
Well, even if this isn’t exactly what led you to this article, you will still discover the best way to induce your labor.
Many pregnant women who are in the final stages of pregnancy, or women who have experienced pregnancy, will tell you that the very painful stage in a woman’s life would be labor. If you ask any mother, for instance, you’ll hear the same answer that the whole duration of the pregnancy was a breeze except for the time when the baby was about to arrive. Most mothers would agree that the last few minutes before the baby comes would be the most painful time of their lives. Many pregnant women can go through labor quickly, while as a matter of fact, some pregnant women can be in labor for several hours or even days, especially those who have been induced medically in the hospital to give birth. Find more information about what is the average time to give birth here.
Ways to induce labor naturally
There are countless ways to induce labor naturally without having to go through medical labor induction. To enumerate some ways, there are visualization techniques, meditation, affirmation, labor acupressure, herbs and homeopathic remedies, aromatherapy, castor oil, evening primrose, and red raspberry teas, belly massages, nipple stimulation, intercourse and orgasm, and of course, exercise.
I do feel for you! I can remember what I felt like at 40 weeks pregnant, and it wasn’t pleasant, so if you have another two weeks on top of that then wow… you must be either going out of your mind, or you’re a total angel!
I’m pretty sure that at 40 weeks your midwife has told you to ‘give it a little longer’! Although she may have briefed you on the joys of medically inducing your labor – Ouch! Membrane sweeps and vaginal suppositories are not my ideas of a great time.
Related: EARLY SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF LABOR
Let’s look at some better ways to naturally induce labor, and make sure you read right to the end. As all good things worth waiting for, I’ve saved the best till last!
How To Induce Labor Naturally
There are many ways to try and induce labor yourself in the comfort of your own home, but the question is which of these methods have half a chance of starting those long-awaited contractions?
Well, what we need are something that will cause the cervix to ‘ripen’ (become soft and get ready for the birth) this is called prostaglandins. We also need something called oxytocin, and this is the hormone that will cause contractions. So where you can find these two significant players to help to induce labor.
Exercise
There are a few exercises you can do, such as walking, go up and down the stairs and several yoga positions. But there aren’t any exercises that have been shown to induce labor for sure.
Membrane stripping
Membrane stripping is a procedure which is made by the doctor (but there are no medications involved, where a finger is inserted through the cervical opening and swept to the left and right in a clockwise motion to separate the lower part of the membranes from the uterine wall. This process releases hormones called prostaglandins, which help the body go into labor.
Intercourse
Yes, that’s right, semen contains prostaglandins, although experts will agree that it isn’t enough to start labor. If you have an orgasm, this will release oxytocin, so go for it, but don’t get your hopes up too high on it inducing labor!
Nipple stimulation
This will cause the release of oxytocin, but the stimulus has to be carried out for hours, and if it does cause contractions, many women report the intensity and pain to be much more severe than usual.
Pineapple
There is a popular theory that says that by eating a fresh pineapple – somehow makes the bromelain from the pineapple enter to your cervix and causes the breakdown of tissue there, causing the cervix to soften and stimulating labor. But there is no evidence that supports this theory.
Evening primrose
This oil is an excellent, great source of prostaglandins. It can be taken orally from your 36th week of pregnancy, or it can be applied directly to your cervix. Not believed to induce labor, but can help with the preparations for birth.
Red raspberry leaf tea
It doesn’t contain either of the two magic ingredients. In turn, helping with the actual birth of your baby.
Acupressure to induce labor
This actually works out as one of the top tips for how to induce labor naturally! Acupressure requires physical pressure to be applied to points that run along your body’s meridian system. There are 2 or 3 main pressure points on the body that are known actually to cause contractions, and it is recommended that these pressure points are not manipulated until your pregnancy is full term. Therefore, you should check with your doctor before trying any acupressure treatments.
What are the Acupressure points to induce labor?
- Pericardium 8 point (PC8) – is located in the center of the palm and known as very useful in inducing labor.
- Spleen 6 point (SP6) – is located above the ankle, on the backside of the shinbone (lower calf).
- Bladder 60 point (BL60) – is located on the foot, in the depression between the ankle and the Achilles tendon.
- Bladder 67 point (BL67) – is located on the outside of the end of the pinky toe, near the edge of the nail.
- Large intestine 4 point (LI4) – is located on the back of the hand, deep between the webbing of your thumb and pointer finger.
In this article, I have shown you some natural ways to induce labor. The use of these techniques is safe, relaxing and in most cases highly enjoyable for you!
