If you’re approaching your due date and wondering if you’ll need to induce labor, relax. Only 5 percent of babies are born on their due date. A better term to use would be a “guess date” since, well, it’s really just a guess.
Some women safely deliver babies in their 42nd week, others repeatedly deliver early, and still others fall somewhere in between. That’s why it’s so important to have a supportive labour team who won’t force labor induction unless it’s a true medical necessity.
But if you’ve reached full term or you’re approaching post term, you may be wondering when your baby will be born and if there’s anything you can do to help jumpstart labor naturally. While the below labor induction techniques have been reviewed by a certified midwife, make sure to consult your own healthcare provider before trying any of these techniques.
Tip 1: Sex
Many women have success with natural labor induction by having sex. That’s because semen contains prostaglandins, the same hormone-like compounds that are found in cervical ripening medications such as Cervidil.
The key to having sex work for natural induction is to do it a lot. With this natural labor induction method, “3 times is the charm.” Three ejaculations is supposed to contain the same amount of prostaglandins as Cervidil. Semen contains prostaglandins, which helps the cervix to dilate and for contractions to occur.
While it may be more sex than you want to have while 40+ weeks pregnant, it certainly beats the alternatives of Pitocin, which can lead to more painful contractions and even ruptured membranes or fetal distress.
Tip 2: Nipple Stimulation
Nipple stimulation can really work for labor induction or to boost a stalled or slow labor. You want to stimulate the whole breast, not just the nipples. Try a slow rhythmic massage of the breast behind the areola. You can do this yourself or have your partner assist.
Tip 3: Evening Primrose Oil
Evening primrose oil contains prostaglandins that help ripen the cervix for labor. However, there are limited studies on the effectiveness and safety of evening primrose oil. Evening primrose oil may actually prolong labor by a few hours longer when applied vaginally. It may also cause early rupture of membranes, meaning that your water breaks before contractions start.
Though many moms swear it speeds up labor, it may have some risks and should be considered a last resort.
Tip 4: Castor Oil
Castor oil gets the intestines to start contracting, which can stimulate the uterus to contract. But much like evening primrose oil, this method should also be used with caution and only with the approval of your midwife or doctor.
Although many mamas have used this old wives tale with great success and no other interventions, the intestinal contractions cause terrible diarrhea. At best, this can be uncomfortable; at worst, it can cause dehydration. If you and your birth team decide to try this method, be sure to drink at least 16 ounces of coconut water to support hydration and healthy electrolyte levels.
Read more about using castor oil to induce labor, plus get some great recipes to try, in this post.
Tip 5: Raspberry Leaf Tea
Raspberry leaf tea is a great way to tone your uterus during pregnancy, but it can also help induce labor. Because of its stimulating effects, most midwives don’t recommend drinking until your second trimester. For labor induction, increase your dose of this tea to help kickstart labor.
To make a double-brew, bring 1 quart of filtered water to a boil. Add 1 cup of loose raspberry leaf tea and let it simmer for 20-30 minutes. Drink throughout the day for natural labor induction.
Tip 6: Eating Dates
Studies show that eating dates during pregnancy help women have higher cervical dilation, intact membranes, and more spontaneous labours when it comes time to deliver. The use of oxytocin was significantly lower in women who consumed dates, and the average length of first stage labor was shorter in women who consumed dates. As the study concludes, “Date consumption during the last 4 weeks before labor significantly reduced the need for induction and augmentation of labour, and produced more favorable, but non-significant, deliveries.” There are some delicious date and coconut ball recipes out there, so find something that works for you and give it a try!
Tip 7: Membranes Sweep
Membrane sweeping or stretch and sweep as it is more commonly known by, is a medical procedure where your midwife or doctor separates the amniotic sac from the cervix, releasing prostaglandins that may jumpstart labor. An estimated 1 out of 8 women will go into labor within 48 hours after the procedure. However, there is risk that the procedure will rupture your membranes or break your waters immediately or within a few days. This can be problematic if your contractions do not start shortly thereafter. You may also experience vaginal spotting or cramping afterward.
So, hopefully you have found this helpful and have these tips to use as natural tools for inducing you labour! There are of course other things, like, exercise, eating a hot curry, pineapple, acupuncture, guided relaxation and so on, that can also be used as tools to naturally bring on labour but at the end of the day, your baby will come when he/she is ready to be born.
Love, Thrive Mama x
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