Natural Ways to Induce Labor: 4 Tips to Kickstart Labor at Home

Are you looking for the quickest way to go into labor? The third (and second, and first) trimester can feel like the longest part of your pregnancy. Many parents find this to be the most uncomfortable part of their pregnancy. With your baby now fully developed, the waiting game can be tedious and you may be googling ways to naturally kickstart labor. It’s important to know that though you feel ready, your baby may not be. Unless medically necessary, inducing before 39 weeks can come with complications. It’s important to speak to your healthcare provider about any steps, natural or medical when it comes to trying to move the process along.

Risks of Inducing Before 39 Weeks:

• Important organs, like your baby’s brain, lungs and liver need time to develop. The brain develops fastest at the end of pregnancy. 
• They’re less likely to have health problems after birth, like breathing, vision and hearing problems.
• They can gain more weight in the womb.
• They can suck and swallow and stay awake long enough to eat after they’re born. 
• Increased NICU odds: Babies delivered electively at 37 weeks are significantly more likely to end up in the NICU or have serious respiratory troubles than babies born at 39 weeks or later. Babies who arrive at 38 weeks are also more likely to have complications. 

If your team and healthcare provider have green lit moving forward with trying methods of naturally inducing after going through the reasons why it is right for you and your baby (remember that every baby, parent and pregnancy is different) then you’ll be able to use natural ways to soften your cervix at home.

4 Ways to Naturally Induce Labor at Home:

Nipple stimulationYou might already be stimulating your nipples by collecting colostrum, but massaging or rolling your nipples can release oxytocin, which can cause uterine contractions. Be sure to only use your hands and not your pump!

Sex

Having sex to induce labor isn’t just a trope on TV, it can truly help move things along. Orgasms  from both male and females help ripen the cervix. It’s important not to engage in sexual activities if your water has already broken due to risk of infection.

Have a date! 

The fruit, that is. Eating between 6 to 10 dates in the final weeks of pregnancy can help ripen the cervix and shorten the first stages of labor. 

Move Your Body

Light, gentle exercise can help with blood flow and position the baby, putting pressure on the cervix. This includes walking, slow dancing, or gently bouncing on an exercise ball.

But don’t stress if you don’t go into labor right away

One of the biggest things to remember is to be patient. Even if you check all the items off the above list, it may take time for them to work, or for you to feel any contractions. Try to take the time between naturally inducing and feeling anything to ground yourself, relax even though it seems impossible and connect with your partner for the last few days before you meet your little one. 

Always remember that you are not alone and that the team at Well Supported Family by Nightingales is here to support you with suggestions and tips on how to get things moving so that we can help you settle in once you’re home.