Inducing Labor Naturally: Is It Possible?
Pregnancy is a wonderful journey, but it can be challenging as well. By the time women get to their 39th week, most are ready to be done with it. Roughly 60% of women will give birth on or before their due date, but it can happen that due dates pass by with no sign of your little one making an appearance.
If you’d rather not induce your labor using medicine, what other options are available to you? That’s what we’re going to be looking at today. Read on for a comprehensive guide to inducing labor naturally.
Table of Contents
Nipple Stimulation
Stimulating your nipples will trigger the release of a hormone called oxytocin in your body. Oxytocin stimulates uterine contractions in labor and childbirth. The drug that doctors use to induce labor—pitocin—is actually a synthetic replica of this hormone.
For this method to work, stimulate one of your nipples by massaging it for five minutes, then take a 15-minute break and begin on the other nipple. You can do this a couple of times a day until you go into labor.
Walking
Anecdotal evidence suggests that going for a long walk can be an effective way to naturally induce labor. It’s thought walking may help draw the baby further down into your pelvis.
If you want to enhance this method even further, you can try curb walking. This is when you walk along a curb with one foot off the curb and one foot off the curb. There are some people that swear by curb walking to induce labor.
Eating Dates
There have been many studies carried out that show eating dates to be one of the best natural ways to induce labor. Research shows dates can help with the softening of the cervix that needs to happen for labor to commence.
It’s recommended you eat between four and six dates per day—every day—beginning ain your 37th week of pregnancy. While dates may help to jump-start labor, there’s even more evidence to suggest that it can help make labor easier and shorter.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is the ancient Chinese practice of inserting needles into certain points of the body to produce various physiological changes. Many people use acupuncture as a means to naturally induce labor.
If you want to try acupuncture or acupressure to induce your labor, you’ll need to start seeing your acupuncture therapist a few weeks before your due date. Most doctors agree that acupuncture is completely safe for pregnant women. If you want to try acupuncture or acupressure to induce your labor, you’ll need to start seeing your acupuncture therapist a few weeks before your due date. Most doctors agree that acupuncture is completely safe for pregnant women.
Inducing Labor Naturally: What You Need to Know
If you, like many women, are looking for ways of inducing labor naturally, it’s important you always consult with your doctor before trying any methods. Though late-term pregnancy can be uncomfortable, your priority has to be your health and the health of your baby.
If you’re looking for more health tips and pregnancy-related guides, we’ve got all that and more. Check out the rest of our site now.