You are past your nine month due date and know it’s time to bring your child into this world, but your body needs a little jump-start. Try some of these accessible, non-interventional methods of inducing labor at home, but make sure you consult your midwife or doctor if you have any questions about these natural remedies. You might want to try these safe tips for naturally inducing labor before the time comes for medical intervention.
At the hospital, doctors might induce labor with the help of different medicines or through the artificial rupture of the membranes. Before you reach the point where medical intervention of this sort is required and after you have reached full-term, you could try to following natural pregnancy tricks.
Try Making Another Baby
You may not be ready to start having your next child, but sex might actually cause your first child to arrive on time. Sex releases hormone-like substances called prostaglandins, which are similar to the medications doctors use to induce labor medically. Of course, like many of these natural inducing techniques, there is no guarantee that having sex will cause your labor to suddenly start. However, there is no harm in trying .
Exercise
Walking, stretching, or even dancing, will encourage the baby to move down into your pelvis, and this new pressure might convince your cervix it’s time for labor. Of course, be mindful not to exercise too much, over exerting yourself and tiring yourself out before your big day.
Acupressure
This alternative medicine technique involves putting pressure on specific trigger points to stimulate activity around your uterus. To induce labor, you, or your partner, should focus applied pressure in the webbing between your thumb and index finger or the inside of the leg about four-finger widths above the anklebone. Alternatively, you can contact a reflexologist, Chinese doctor or other alternative medicine practitioner you trust to offer more comprehensive treatment.
Pineapple
Yes, believe it or not eating delicious tropical fruit is another way to try and induce labor naturally. Pineapple, mango and papaya all contain an enzyme called bromelain. This enzyme is believed to be able to soften the cervix, thus inducing labor naturally. In addition, it helps stimulate digestion, which can also trigger contractions.
Nipple Stimulation
It might sound silly, but stimulating your nipples is another way to induce labor. Massaging nipples may cause your body to release the hormone oxytocin, which starts contractions.
Raspberry Leaf
You are probably more familiar with raspberries than you are with its leaves, but the leaf of a raspberry may also induce labor at home. The leaf’s properties might have antioxidant effects that can cause muscles to contract or relax and might kick-start your labor. Try enjoying a tea of raspberry leaves and see if that gets you any closer to your delivery!
Whether these techniques work or not, trying them out while using moderation and consulting a professional in case of doubt can give you a feeling that you can at least try and help yourself get labor underway and encourage your little baby to make his or her way into the world.
Good luck!
