• Is there such natural ways to induce labor?
  • Have you passed your due date for delivery and nothing happen yet?
  • Are the contractions stopped, and you are worried about your baby?
  • Have your doctor told you that if you don’t go into labor soon, he/she will induce labor?

Medically there is no such thing to naturally induce labor. In fact, many doctors induce labor artificially with medications such as oxytocin or prostaglandin. However, there are some common methods that many women have tried as a helping hand to induce labor which are considered natural because there are not such drugs or medical intervention. Nevertheless, no method is guaranteed to work.

As you are approaching the end of your pregnancy, around week 39 and 40, you can try natural labor induction, but before trying, talk to your doctor, I am sure he/she will guide you to decide what to do. Some doctors get positive reviews on trying natural ways to induce labor.

But, if your doctor suggests you start inducing labor, it is better to obey; he/she must have medical reasons to do that.

What are some medical reasons for inducing labor?

Overdue Pregnancy: If your pregnancy has passed due, more than 42 weeks, the placenta may not be providing enough nutrients and oxygen, so your baby can be at risk. However, for many doctors it is a routing to induce labor at 40 weeks. Good or bad, you do not want to risk your baby, right? That’s why, it is helpful to give a hand and try natural ways for inducing labor.

Natural Ways To Induce LaborPregnancy Complications: Complications may arise at a later stage of pregnancy, for example: preeclampsia (a condition of high BP, water retention, and protein in the urine that reduces the flow of blood to the placenta), gestational diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, or bleeding during pregnancy

Pregnancy Infections: There is a bacterial infection in the uterus called Chorioamnionitis that is most often associated with prolonged labor.

Water Breaking During Pregnancy: When the amniotic sac is ruptured is a sign that your baby is ready to be born, but if does not start labor in about 24-48 hours, then your doctor has to induce labor.

What are natural ways to induce labor?

You will find on the internet around 40 ways to induce labor naturally. However, here you will find the most common and simple ways.

I insist that the birth of your baby is a natural process and these methods will only be a helping hand. If your intention is to help labor to start, there is no guarantee that these methods work before 38 weeks of pregnancy.

Acupressure: This technique consists of pressure points and helps to strengthen your contractions. What are these pressure points?

  • The top of your hand in the webbing between your thumb and index finger
  • Above the ankle, about four finger space
  • Halfway between the dimple in the buttocks and the spine

Most common natural ways to induce labor: In my opinion, these are the most natural ways for inducing labor:

  • Sex: Having sex has positive reviews from doctors to help labor. Curiously, the way you got pregnant, may be the way to help your baby to be born. Having sex causes the release of prostaglandins, which is similar to the drugs for inducing labor.
  • Nipple stimulation: It stimulate the hormone oxytocin which naturally cause contractions. Some women claim that they got very strong contractions. You can try it while having sex with your partner.
  • Walking: Walking helps to push your baby down and the pressure pushes the cervix to open up more, which can eventually lead to contractions and labor.

Evening primrose oil: The evening primrose oil helps to ripens and softens your cervix. Ripening of the cervix can help the baby’s head engages in the pelvis, which can help with dilation. Evening primrose oil comes in small capsules.

Raspberry leaf: You must know perfectly the raspberry fruit, but you may not be familiar with the raspberry leaf tea, right? It is believed that this tea is good for strengthens the uterus and hopefully shorten the labor.

Eggplant Parmesan: This is a recipe that contains oregano and basil that may stimulate contractions. The funny thing is that there is a restaurant in Georgia named Scalini’s Italian restaurant, and has a lots of pictures of babies lining their walls. These pictures are there because many babies were born shortly after their mothers ate at the restaurant, Can you believe it?

Some moms claim other natural ways to induce labor such as:

  • Spicy Food
  • Thyme Tea
  • Golden seal
  • Chinese Food

Final Thoughts:

This is my honest opinion about natural ways to induce labor:

It’s amazing how our body can hold and develop a baby for nine months, right? Then, giving birth is also part of those nine natural months.

All babies in the world should be born naturally. However, our body is a kind of machine that may fail, so a helping hand like a natural way to induce labor, may be needed to work properly again.

Remember!
These natural methods to induce labor are only one way to help our body to react and do its job naturally.