Woman World Web

August 26th, 2009 by Peter Brown

Moms will agree that waiting to meet their baby is that hardest part of being pregnant. You have to wait nine long months with no guaranteed day of labor to mark on the calendar. Physicians have never been able to and may never be able to give moms an exact date of when labor will happen or what causes it to happen. All they can tell you is that labor will happen when your body is “ready”. This is usually anytime after your baby has reached a gestational age of 37 weeks. To get your body ready, doctors will tell you the first thing you need to do is relax. To ease stress moms can try simple such as warm (not too hot) baths with gentle aromatherapy, relaxing belly or professional pre-natal massages, or reading books on pregnancy and childbirth. You can also try meditating in a quiet room or setting up your baby’s nursery.

These techniques will help get your body ready, physically and mentally, to try other techniques of inducing labor at home. Your physician will strongly suggest you practice caution with at-home methods of inducing labor and to only attempt these techniques if you have reached at least 37 weeks in your pregnancy.

Physical Stimulation Sex is a very popular and easy method of inducing labor at home. While many women are uncomfortable with the idea of having sex so late in pregnancy, others are willing to try it because of its high likelihood of success.. A man’s semen contains hormones called prostaglandins, which help the cervix thin and soften. The longer the semen is in contact with the cervix the better because it will help the cervix dilate and become ready for active labor. Another advantage to sexual intercourse is the possibility of uterine contractions when the woman experiences an orgasm.

Another activity some women may not be too comfortable with is nipple stimulation. This technique causes the release of a hormone called oxytocin which can cause uterine contractions. Rubbing your nipples between your fingers for at least 15 minutes each several times a day helps trigger the release of oxytocin. Use this method with caution as it is known to bring on very strong, painful contractions in some women. This method is usually only recommended if your due date has been reached or passed.

Walking is probably the easiest and most recommended method of inducing labor at home. Low impact exercise like walking does not over-work your body but allows for just enough pressure on the cervix. Walking also helps rock the pelvis and allows the baby to reposition and get ready to enter the birth canal.

Diet Changes, Herbs, and Oils Eating spicy food can also help to naturally induce labor. The strong herbs and spices in most spicy food help stimulate the bowels which can in turn stimulate the uterus to contract. It is also rumored that certain tropical fruits, such as pineapple, contain enzymes that are believed to trigger mild uterine contractions.

Evening primrose oil and castor oil are natural oils that can also be used to naturally and safely induce labor. Medical studies have yet to prove the actual effectiveness of these oils but many women can attest to their results. Mixing a dose of castor oil with another liquid or food makes it easier to drink and digest. This oil is said to help stimulate the bowels and uterus. Primrose oil is found in gel caps that can be taken orally or inserted vaginally for greater effect on cervix softening and thinning.

An herbal specialist or midwife can provide you with plant roots called cohash. Those that have tried this method claim that blue and black cohash aid in inducing labor at home, though there are few medical studies that prove their effectiveness.