Most of the expecting women are tired and impatient near their due date to meet their baby. They eagerly try to induce labor naturally which should not have any side effect like by doing exercise, having sex, having spicy food, etc. But there is no solid proof of their efficiency. Some say that they are effective while others say that they are not. It may also vary from person to person. So always CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR BEFORE TRYING any of these methods. Your doctor will guide you, which natural way you can try or which can’t for you as per your current situation. Now look at the list of some of the natural ways that most women try to induce labor which are as follows:
MOVEMENT HELPS: When you are near your due date, movement like little aerobics or walk may help to start labor. During movement, gravity may help to drop your baby more in your pelvis, which puts pressure on the cervix and helps your cervix to dilate. Even if this doesn’t help to induce labor, exercise is anyhow benefitting you by reducing stress, uplifting mood and making you happy. Remember not to do it in excess.
NIPPLE STIMULATION: Nipple stimulation is considered as one of the effective methods to induce labor naturally. Actually when you/your partner stimulate the nipple, a hormone called oxytocin is induced in your body which is responsible for contractions i.e. it helps to make contractions stronger and hence results in inducing labor. Even after delivery, breastfeeding helps to contract/shrink uterus and helps it to get back to its original size.
INTIMACY: Yes! You read it right, sex is safe in last few weeks of a healthy pregnancy and is an effective way to induce labor. While having sex, your orgasm helps to induce oxytocin hormone in your body that helps to start contractions. One of the other reason for this is, your partner’s semen produce prostaglandins hormone in your body that helps to start contractions and dilate the cervix. But after your water breaks, sex should be avoided because it may increase chances of infection.
HOT AND SPICY FOOD: Hot and spicy foods are also said to induce labor. When you have something spicy or Chinese food, it produces prostaglandins in your body when it digests, which helps to open up the cervix. But if someone already has heartburn, digestion issue and are not used-to with hot and spicy food, then one should not try this way. It may cause acidity, bloating, or stomach upset.
CASTOR OIL: Drink just a little bit of Castor oil (like about 1-2 ounces) near your due date helps to release prostaglandins in your body, which is responsible for contractions and ripening of the cervix. For some women it works really well while for other’s it doesn’t have any affect. Even if you want to try it, make sure to not have too much of it. Have it under your doctor’s supervision, because in some cases it may cause diarrhea.
DATES: Eating dates as such doesn’t help induce labor, it helps to improve your natural labor process. As in, if you ate dates regularly in the last month of pregnancy, then chances are high that you’ll get labor on its own and most probably you wont need labor induction for labor. As dates are high in fiber, so it’s recommended to have little on a regular basis else it may cause cramps and digestive issue. And dates are also good for fatigue and constipation.
PINEAPPLE: Pineapple is also considered by some to induce labor. Actually it is said that bromelain enzyme is present in pineapple, which is responsible to soften the cervix and may help start labor. But there is no confirmation of this theory. You can have it if you are a pineapple lover, there is no harm. But sometimes it may cause acidity, so confirm it with your doctor before opting for this.
ACUPRESSURE AND ACUPUNCTURE: Some suggest that acupressure and acupuncture help to start labor, but as such no studies confirm the effectiveness of acupressure and acupuncture to induce labor. But it works great to relieve pain and discomfort during pregnancy. The main reason why it works for some women is, it helps you to ease the pain and relax, due to which your body start producing oxytocin on its own and may help labor. Even though, if you want to try this, do get it done from an expert after seeking advice from your doctor.
TRY HERBS: Some herbs like red raspberry tea, cotton root tea, primrose oil, etc. prove good to tone your uterus i.e. helps in softening and dilating the cervix which then helps to start labor naturally. For some it is not very effective, even though you can try it for hydration. But don’t forget to consult your doctor before having any specific herb or oil. Because everything is not meant for everyone.
MEMBRANE STRIPPING: When your doctor inserts their gloved finger in your vagina to separate the amniotic sac from the wall of the uterus, then this process is called membrane stripping. This movement of finger helps to release prostaglandins in your body that makes your cervix softer and thinner. It’s mostly done one week before your due date. It is a very effective method to induce labor on its own but is very uncomfortable and may cause bleeding, cramps, and some other complications. It’s best to ask your doctor the pros and cons of this method (as per your current pregnancy status) before making up your mind for this method.
TRY TO RELAX: Till now, as you all know it well that oxytocin hormone helps to start labor. Stress is the biggest enemy for oxytocin, as when your stress levels rise, it’ll automatically start depleting oxytocin from your body. So it’s very important to stay positive, calm, and relax in the last month of pregnancy. The more relaxed you feel, the more your body prepares for labor on it’s own. You can try deep breathing, yoga, massage, proper sleep to keep yourself relaxed and happy.
Unless it’s not required, try to keep calm and get your labor start on its own. Else you can talk to your doctor first before trying any of the methods to induce labor either it’s natural or it’s artificial induction.