People that have reached their ideal point of pregnancy and beyond it without going into labor can become a bit antsy. This may need a bit all natural help. We have some natural suggestions to speed things up or help induce labor. Practitioners believe that by your 42 week you should consider inducing labor artificially. Some providers will suggest this in your 41 weeks, especially if your cervix is already open. Inducing labor is only performed if the it is the best choice for both the mother and baby.
Women that are mostly overdue are advised to induce labor to prevent the placenta from aging too much. Placentas that are aging can deprive the unborn child oxygen and nutrients. A big sign that the placenta is aging or is not working is when there is a significant decrease in amniotic fluid. This will cause the baby to be less active and move less. During this time, it is best to get the baby out as soon as possible.
There are different ways to naturally induce labor. Ones that you can easily do at home. Read on to find out which way can work best for you.
Intercourse
It may seem like a huge task to be having intercourse when you are in your 40th week of pregnancy and more. However, sex is said to be one of the best natural ways to induce labor. Sperm contain the hormone prostaglandins that can help dilate the cervix – allowing it to become thinner and ready for delivery. This is also a great way to relieve some tension and strengthen the body for labor. Though, a lot of the position becomes unavailable to you due to your belly. So, stick to ones that are comfortable. One of the best position is in you all four. However, there are some cases where women experience that having sex caused labor to happen a lot later than it should have.
Walking
One of the easiest ways to induce labor is through walking. This is said to help draw the baby towards the pelvis. The motion of swaying of the hips and gravity can help induce labor. The pressure from your baby can help make the cervix ready for labor or help you further if you are already experiencing contractions. If walking isn’t doing too much for your labor, it can at least strengthen your body and help with delivery. Walking can be incredibly uncomfortable for some people, but a few minutes a day can surely help. Though, on the day of delivery avoid walking too much since you will be needing a lot of energy.
Massage
Did you know that oxytocin can help induce labor? This hormone can help bring about contractions for labor. You can increase your oxytocin levels by simply relaxing and getting a massage. Some massage therapist swears on the power a good massage can do to help jump start labor, especially when the mother is well past their due date. If you are not that much into massages there are other natural ways to help induce labor such as meditation, light yoga and cuddling with your partner. Basically, anything that can help you relax can help increase your oxytocin levels. This is why often labors occur at night when the body is relaxed. So, if you are stressing out about going into labor – you might be hindering it from happening. Take a deep breath and do some stress relieving activity. People that have more of a stress free mind or more likely to go into labor faster and easier.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is known as a traditional treatment to treat different ailments. This art form uses pressure points in the body. You can use this to help stimulate your uterine and help the cervix be ready for labor. However, a lot of acupuncture practitioners believe that no matter how many times you get this procedure if the baby is not yet ready to come – it is useless. If you really are impatient you can try it out.
Spicy Food
There has been a lot of debate if eating spicy food is safe and can help induce labor. Some people believe that spicy food irritates the intestines, that causes your uterus to contract. However, there is no proven fact that eating spicy food can induce labor. However, giving it a try won’t be too much of a hassle unless you are prone to acidity and heartburn.
There are cases where inducing labor way before its due date causes the mother to have a cesarean delivery. However, this is a much better option than leaving the baby in utero that isn’t thriving. Even if induction fails in normal vaginal birth, you can still deliver the baby via cesarean. If your baby and your body is cooperating, most of the time induction works perfectly. There are ways where doctors can help induce labor, but it’s a good way to start it all natural first. Before performing any of these, get your practitioners for signal and opinion.
