carolswift
female - 27 years, United States
Blog / Hey Moms: Ways To Induce Your Labor
Monday, 2 November 2009 at 12:07
Most Common Ways to Induce Labor Yourself
Practice Relaxation - Staying stressed out is very hard on a pregnant woman. By carrying this extra stress - even if it's just working too hard - you might be slowing your baby from coming out. Anything you do that will encourage relaxation can lead bring on contractions and keep you focused.
Physical Movement - Labor requires that the baby be in a proper position. In some cases, simply doing light physical activity such as jogging or yoga is enough to get the unborn child to descend.
Food Remedies - Many women are adamant that eating a spicy plate of Mexican or Thai food kick-started their labor. Some research also suggests that various enzymes in pineapples or mangoes lead to the ripening of your cervix. This could bring on labor. For those who like to eat, this is one of the fun ways to induce labor!
Use Acupressure - Similar to acupuncture (but easier!), acupressure is the manipulation of specific pressure points on your body. It's a long-standing Chinese practice, and recent medical studies prove it can induce labor. Acupressure can be done at home.
Nipple Stimulation - As mentioned before, when doctors learn how to start labor, they often use the drug called pitocin since it often begins contractions in pregnant women. What they won't tell you though is that this drug is actually a manufactured version of the hormone oxytocin - a hormone your body makes daily. To cause the release of this hormone into your body, many women rub their nipples. This will often bring on elevated levels of oxytocin in their body which might induce labor.
All women are wanting what's best for their child. If you have problems or think something is very wrong, please talk to your doctor or midwife about your concerns. Before discussing the many ways to induce labor, keep in mind if your baby is not ready to be born, labor induction is generally not recommended. For example, trying to induce labor before 39 weeks is not recommended.
