Labor Day: Jump starting Labor Methods to Try

 Labor Day: Jump Starting Labor Methods to Try



You are given forty weeks to grow a human during pregnancy, but what do you do when those weeks pass by and the baby has not made an appearance yet? You're feeling huge, sore and tired of being pregnant but baby and body seem content to just keep going so you are stuck still waiting. In honor of Labor Day I have compiled a list of some popular ways to try to start labor at home naturally and get the show on the road once the time is right.


The most important thing to remember is to trust in your body and your baby. This is your first introduction to parenting: it never goes as planned and you should not force your body or your baby to do anything they are not ready to do. That being said there are many ways to encourage things to move along these are generally natural and low risk to try. Some popular methods include: Evening Primrose Oil, eating dates, Raspberry Leaf Tea, nipple stimulation, massage, physical activity, and sexual intercourse.


Evening Primrose Oil, Raspberry Leaf Tea and Dates

Some of the most popular methods of trying to induce labor is to take evening primrose oil, drinking raspberry leaf tea and/ or eating dates. These methods are worth a try as long as you clear them with your doctor because they can carry risks for certain people (such as gestational diabetes being a contraindication for dates and being on a medication for bleeding like warfarin being a contraindication for evening primrose oil). There are many different methods to use for each one based on individual experiences and old world knowledge. These natural methods have been touted to shorten labor, ripen the cervix and even help prepare the body for labor as well as possibly helping to start labor when it is time but only if the body is ready for labor.  For an example of how to use these methods click this Central Park Midwifery link.


Nipple Stimulation

Using nipple stimulation helps to encourage uterine contractions by releasing the same hormones responsible for those contractions during labor. This has therefore been purported to help stimulate those contractions to start labor when it is time. Research has shown to cause contractions of the uterus but the regularity of them can be hit or miss at best and depends on the length of time and method of stimulation used. In short, while it can be used to help encourage labor especially after it has already begun the ability to start labor is limited and unlikely unless your body is ready to go into labor. That being said, it is a low risk method to try if you want to try to encourage your body to get a move on in those last days of pregnancy.


Massage

Prenatal massages are amazing for birthing people from very early on. They can relax muscles and help alleviate fatigue and even reduce swelling in joints, hands and feet. Massages can help the body prepare for labor and encourage labor to be shorter and more productive contractions possible. During pregnancy there are certain areas of the body that massage therapists avoid putting direct pressure on in order to not activate preterm labor, so it stands to reason they can help induce labor when the time is right. During a massage oxytocin is released and acupressure points can be pressed to help induce labor. Some therapists swear by this as a way to induce labor when birthing persons are overdue. Overall its a fairly low risk option to try with the benefits of massage being amazing for pregnant people even if it does not start labor for them. Read this National Library of Medicine article to learn more about the benefits of massage during pregnancy.


Physical/ Sexual Activity

The most researched and seemingly reliable way to induce labor is physical and/or sexual activity. Whether it is going for a walk, bouncing on a birthing ball, having sexual intercourse or just achieving an orgasm by yourself the ability for these things to help start labor is well researched and effective. Folk wisdom and science agree that these methods are effective, fairly safe and definitely help the body prepare for labor even in cases where it does not specifically start labor. Just make sure that your doctor has cleared you for the activities and that you make sure to be safe while doing them. Hydrate hydrate hydrate and do not overdo it. A well rested pregnant person is a person ready for labor's trials. 


Conclusion

Trying natural methods to induce labor can be relatively safe and effective if done correctly and within the limits of capability for your individual situation. The most important thing you can do to get labor going is relax and rest to allow your body to do its thing, but encouraging it when the time is right can help it go by faster and make labor more likely and easy once it gets going. Just remember, your body has wisdom you cannot fathom and no one stays pregnant forever. Take a breath and enjoy those last moments while you can, you've got this!

Stay strong. Stay healthy. Keep fighting for yourself, you’re worth it.

From: Ame Hinman at Hinman Healing


Further Reading and What Started Labor:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4210668/



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