How to induce labor naturally
There are many times during a pregnancy a woman starts to daydream about labor. Around 8 weeks when she is vomiting in the bathroom, 24 weeks when she is sick of not being able to breath and of feeling kick after kick after kick (after kick) and then from week 33 on when the end is in site – but not really.
About that 35th week, generally women start praying to God to please, please go into labor. Let me assure you that if you go into labor under week 37, chances are your doctor is going to stop the labor and send your butt home. Even if you manage to get one of the following natural labor methods to work, you really don’t want to put your baby at risk by having underdeveloped lungs, so this article is in no way encouraging you to test these methods out unless your in the final week or past due.
But if you are at that week 40 and desperate…here are a few ways that some women swear by to get the contractions going and the baby on its way out the vagina and into your arms.
1) Exercise: No shocker there that exercise can start to induce labor. Just walking around the block for me gives me cramps at this point. But be careful that if you choose to start walking to bring water, don’t go to far from home, and don’t over do it! They use walking up and down the halls at the hospital to get you dilating more, so I could say that this natural labor method is probably one that works if you are close enough. One of the biggest things you don’t want to do is get so exhausted and then go into labor….so keep that in mind. You do need strength.
2) Food: There are two old wives tales about labor…
- A) One is that natural pineapple or mango can put you into labor. The science behind it is that these fruits contain a proteolytic enzyme called bromelain. Bromelain is rumored to soften the cervix and make it ready for delivery. When I was reading about this, all it did was make me want to eat pineapple…so I bought some! I can assure that while it was yummy, not one contraction did it make.
- B) The other food rumor is Raspberry Leaf Tea. You can get it at a health food store and while very yummy, its also used a lot to prevent miscarriage and ease pain in the uterus when you do have contractions. I believe this one is more of a prep service for your uterus to help ease pain, but some claim that it helps induce. I drank probably 45 cups of it during my pregnancy with Charlotte and again, no labor as a result. Load it with sugar….good stuff.
3) Pressure Points: There are two main pressure points on your body that are known to pinpoint your uterus. One is the same pressure point between your first finger and thumb called the HOKU and its the point you push when you have a headache (and it works) that is in the webbing of your hand. Instructions to use are to find the point with your alternating hand thumb and forefinger and make circular motions with your thumb on the outside of your hand on that point for 10-15 seconds, while steadying your forefinger on the palm side. Ever the daredevil, I tested this one out and got a contraction. BE VERY CAREFUL. This might actually work.
The second pressure point is about 4 fingerlings above your ankle on the inside of your leg. Its supposed to strengthen weakening contractions. The best way to take advantage of pressure point ways to induce labor, are to go get a massage or an acupuncture, but do it under the permission and guidance of your doctor.
4) Nipple Stimulation: This one sounds fun, right? WRONG. If you read up on it, the entire idea is that nipple stimulation produces oxytocin, which tells your body to go into labor. You are supposed to stimulate one side at a time, but rubbing in circular motion emulating a baby sucking on your breast, for 15 minute intervals, switching sides, and break for 5 minutes in between. Some sites say stimulate for 5 minutes, not 15, but either way, 5…15…..I say get some lanolin before going this route. It sounds like a very desperate measure that will only lead to sore nipples.
5) Castor Oil: Oh, goodness..you know you are in for it if you get this far. The idea is to take 2tsp of castor oil, mix with OJ and down it like a vodka martini. Because Castor oil is a stimulant for your intestines, it can make you cramp (and crap) and therefore cause your uterus to kick in. There are mixed feelings about this all over the net, but I have two points to make. One is that it can make you very dehydrated and two it can make for a long, long night in the bathroom. I am not sure, even if you manage to produce labor, you will really want to go and alternate between having to go and having to deliver. I cant find a doctor online that approves of this.
6) Sex: This is the biggie and most doctors DO recommend this one. First, you should have an orgasm and two, it should include sperm (so basically the old solo routine wont cut it). They say the best way to get a baby out is the same way it went in. Sperm does, in fact, soften the cervix with prostaglandins and can start labor, but only if you are further down the road and your body is ready. Consider it the last step and probably the best way to go into labor…provided you can find someone to have sex with this late in the game. I do not have anyone willing to do that for me….so Ill just be over here walking around the block, while eating pineapple, drinking a glass of tea spiked with Castor Oil.
Have you ever found any of these methods worked with your labor?
~Trisha
This is my first baby minus my first miscarriage of baby #1 at just a few weeks in June. I’ll be 37 weeks in 2 days and I’m having the worst time finding a job. I graduate from 5 long years of college in 4 weeks and completely nailed the interview for a full time position for exactly what I went to school for with benefits after a 90-day probationary period and a raise after I take my licensing exam in the next few months. Only thing is if I can’t start June 1st someone else might get the position
I know this is a time to focus on my son but I’ve got to worry about us keeping a roof over our head and food on our table as well because his dad is completely unreliable. I’ve got some resources for newborn care even though I’ll hate being away from him and am going to have to pump like crazy. He is head down and positioned correctly and we haven’t had any uncommon issues through the whole pregnancy so I’m hoping if I start some of these methods and he comes by the end of next week we can start off on the right track.
Well let’s just say I give up he’ll cone when he wants which obviously isn’t now. I’ve tried everything except castor oil and won’t be trying it. Even went from the pineapple core smoothie to straight Bromelain tablets because I wasn’t drinking 7-10 pineapple cores yuck! He’ll come when he’s ready and I’ll start work when he’s ready to go to daycare as well. The world revolves around you kiddo!
Sorry, sweetie – the only thing that worked for me was sex.
I helped induce labor by eating a ton of spicy Thai food and then afterwards going on a mile long brisk walk with my husband. I was in labor within 12 hours!
Eggplant parm is one, there is even a restaurant somewhere that guarentees you will go into labor withing 24 hours of eating or you get to go back and eat free.
Labor cookies work wonders. I had a friend who was overdue and going in for an induction because she had nothign going on in the baby department, she made labor cookies and ate like an entire plate and she went into labor a few hours late.
Where is this restaurant ? im highly interested !!!!
I did castor oil as well as blue cohosh during my first pregnancy,ugh…
Evening Primrose Oil, it helps thing out the cervix to make the other things like sex, walking etc work better. You can take it as a pill or use it as a suppository later on in your pregnancy. My midwife would even rub it on people’s cervix directly to help thin it out. I have also heard of a coffee enima, but honestly wasn’t willing to go that far, lol!
I am on my 4th and have tried almost everything. (couldn’t do the castor oil either) none of it worked, all my babies had to be booted. Now I’m 39 weeks and hoping this one does it on his own but I’ve almost given up hope. My hubby offered sex to get things moving and I told him that at this point it is only an EXIT!!!
I was induced for all of mine so none of these worked for me but I think the castor oil sounds like it would make for a miserable labor if it worked.
I swear by chinese food. I went into labour with my second and third children just a few hours after eating sweet and sour chicken balls, mushroom fried rice and curried vegetables (I’m sure that was the culprit). Stay away from the castor oil, that stuff is nasty.
OMG…. Cumin Tea.. and. it. was. the. most. disgusting. thing. ever. ever. ever.
HAHA! You basically get cumin and put it in water, and drink it. I will NEVER try that again.
Of course, castor oil……. and try scrubbing your bathtub! That almost put me into labor last night!
Watch out with EPO (evening primrose oil) though.. You can get the capsules and nick the end of it so that it kinda seems.. and insert it into your hoo ha….. it will help ripen your cervix, but the only downside to this is, it can also cause stinkies and an infection because it’s an oil and bacteria can stick around and harbor the grossness that we try to stray away from! You can take the pill orally and not have a problem !:)
I had contractions one time with Jake after eating Eggplant Parmesan at a little mom and pop Italian place….
Also, deep down cleaning the house got labor going when I was preggo with Jake. I was released from bedrest on a Thursday so Saturday and Sunday we cleaned….went into labor Sunday!
I had my son after a long day of walking around with my Girl Scouts door-to-door, the exercise DEFINITELY encouraged my already “regular” (every 20 minutes for 10 seconds) contractions to increase & intensify.
I do plan on trying pineapple with this pregnancy, but NEVER heard of it with the last one. I don’t like RRL tea so I won’t be trying that. I have also heard that its more of a prep. anyway.
I’m not into pressure points, so I will skip that one. No chiro or acupuncture insurance either, so we can’t even go that route. (My little dude is breech as of Sunday and I’m definitely doing all the “spinning babies” exercises I can.)
Nipple stimulation DOES work. My 21 month old is still nursing & EVERY time he latches on it causes me to contract & has for most of y pregnancy. In the beginning it is a miscarriage risk, right now its just annoying, but in 2 weeks if I’m still pregnant, I will definitely be encouraging him to nurse from both sides as often as he likes! (I’m 36 weeks today.)
And, finally for me, sex did the trick with my son. I had that long day walking, came home & cleaned like a crazy person for 4 hours, DTD w/ DH, showered & went to bed. About an hour later my water broke & woke me up.
My son was born that morning! I’m not sure if we’ll be able to get any action in this time, the little one still sleeps with us & I’m already pretty miserable and having pre-term labor. Right now I’m on pelvic rest.
Good luck with the last couple weeks of your pregnancy….if you are anything like me you’re probably analyzing every little twinge and counting down the days (hours) until full-term!
I have a friend that went into labor after a caster oil cocktail. She was 38weeks.. It’s wasn’t.. Umm.. Pretty! Lol
I took the raspberry leaf tablets, I think that is what they are called and yes, they DO work, or at least did for me! I asked my doctor first though, to make sure it was okay
And stripping your own membranes? No, I don’t think that would be a good idea, OUCH!!! Let a doctor do that! 
Great tips, I will have to keep this list handy!
I had a friend who was at her 40 week mark and had previously had an overdue child.. so things weren’t looking so good.
Her and her daughter came over for a day, and we tried all of the… more natural methods. Firstly, we went and ate some Spicy food (which I see isn’t on the list) – but we had buffalo wings, and boy did they taste good! Then we went back to my condo, and my husband took both of our children out to play at a playground, while I massaged her feet/ankles – we took a walk down to our hot tub where we relaxed and waded our feet in the water – and pretty much just… did nothing.
I think that’s what got her too – was that she’s was always so busy having a 1 1/2 year old, she was just in the process of moving (I know, bad timing.. right?!) and everything was just high stress. So she just took a load off – and relaxed and chatted and closed her eyes and laid there while I rubbed her legs and feet. That night – she went into labor and had her baby by 3am with a VBAC!
I have a new method of nipple stimulation… It isn’t practical to tweak your nipples for hours at a time. Breast pumps just don’t work that great. I suggest buying two of the small bullet vibrators. Put one in each cup of your bra and let it buzz away for several hours each day.
It works, trust me ; )
Kelli Stapleton
birth stories on demand
Macaroni and Cheese with A1 Sauce is an old wives tale that works for some. Eggplant Parmesan. And some types of cheese. We actually have a local restaurant that won’t serve a certian type of salad to pregnant women.
Okay, so the old wives tales that I used (and that worked) were oregano — in my pizza sauce, walking, and sitting on the exercise ball. I ate pizza for dinner, did a two mile walk, then sat on the exerball in the evening. Water broke at 9 p.m. WOOT!
You could always try Caioti Pizza Cafe’s Labor-Inducing Salad dressing! Women swear that something in the balsamic vinaigrette dressing induces labor. They sell 100-300 bottles a month from their online store! http://www.maternitysalad.com/
Sex worked yes. Also walking 2 hours every day during my second pregnancy had him come like 7 days before due date, not too early and kind of glad he did because he was 9lbs 5oz at one week early!
I started EPO inserted about 37 weeks. It did ripen my cervix but nothing helped go in to labor by myself. Who the hell wants sex at 40 weeks pregnant? Not me. LOL I tried everything listed above and even bought castor oil, but couldn’t make myself take it.
I am totally the wrong gal to ask about natural labor induction. My body just doesn’t let babies out.
I took EPO pills from week 38 on…..drank red raspberry leaf tea multiple times a day from week 36 on….had lots of sex….walked miles on end (not exaggerating)……ate spicey foods…..had my membranes stripped at my 41 week appointment…..then my water finally broke. 12 hrs after water broke on its own 9 days past my EDD I was at a 3 cm. So I took TWO rounds of castor oil. Diarrhea and tons of bad contractions ensued……I nursed my 22 month old daughter while in labor (nipple stimulation)……36 hours after water broke and all that castor oil…. I was 3 cm.
I had to have a c-section.
I learned from my experience that your body will do what it is going to do. Either you will have your baby naturally or you won’t. I never will
holy crap. That totally blows there annie.
Yes the RRL tea is a uterine toner & is great at helping prevent excessive blood loss after delivery too. I second the EPO (Evening Primrose Oil). I was on hospitalized bedrest the last month of my pregnancy & managed to be 3cm & 80% effaced by induction at 37 weeks just by taking 2 EPO by mouth each day the last two weeks. Some midwives also suggest inserting it vaginally. Either way you take it, it acts as a synthetic prostaglandin to help soften & dilate your cervix.
i dont think i know what EPO is..is it like a pill? i think i would rather the acupuncture route
The EPO (Evening Primrose Oil) is a supplement in pill form – much like Fish Oil caplets
I tried the castor oil and aside from the barfing (which I was glad to see go with the 1st trimester and was not happy with the return) it did nothing. Food did nothing for me besides make me gain extra weight that was non needed at that point. The S word was long gone for me after a certain month so that wasn’t even something I could be coaxed into.
What did work wonders for me was having my membranes stripped and then walking until I felt that first contraction. Then off to the hospital it was, but for the love of everything that is holy, don’t listen to them when they tell you to go home and take tylenol…they are wrong, completely wrong!
oh yeah, stripping your membranes will def work but not something you can do at home…right?
Err that depends on how well you want to get to know your body. I would go with a cautionary no. I would not suggest trying this on your own unless you’re feeling adventurous then more power to ya lol.
My OB said she wanted us to have sex at least 3 times a week starting at 35 weeks. It never did help.
I think your husband bought off your OB.
When I was in labor with Kira, I was stuck at 8cm for 12 hours (I was 6 – 8cm for 70 hours), and my contractions just.. stopped. They were going to order a c-section, and I refused, so my midwife gave me mineral oil and told me to try nipple stimulation. The second I started it, my contractions were back & within 10 minutes I was 10cm. So, that worked.
With Selena, I walked, I ate spicy food, I did everything & she just wasn’t coming. So, I admit it, I drank Castor oil in orange juice. It tasted like hell, but it worked, and without negative side effects. lol From what I’ve heard, if you are actually due or overdue, castor oil does not have the laxative effect. Castor oil is a miraculous medicine that was used for pretty much anything, including the induction of labor. Plus, the way I see it, it’s a heck of alot safer than pitocin.
The only thing I would argue with is Red Raspberry Leaf. It is a myth that it starts labor. It makes you contract, yes. But not the type of contractions that send you into labor. I drank 2-3 glasses a day (or took it in capsule form) during the entirety of both of my pregnancies. It strengthens your uterus, so that the contractions you do have are more efficient, and less painful. Considering that I had great unmedicated births both times, I practically swear by the stuff.
There’s another natural remedy that helps with dilation, Evening Primrose Oil. It is similar to sperm, and if you start around 35 weeks or so, helps you dilate before your labor even starts so that when it does, it will be less painful. I was 6 cm with Kira before I was having contractions, and 8 before I felt ANY pain. I forgot to do it with Selena until I was like 39 weeks, so I figured it was pointless at that point. If I had known I was going to be pregnant forever, I might have done things differently.. lol
I tried EVERY one of these!
Walking worked for me after I started labor but not before. When I was pregnant with my oldest son I walked around the block (which consisted of a HUGE hill) for an hour the day he was due and he wasn’t born until 1 1/2 weeks later.
With my youngest son I was having contractions about 1/2 apart but I found once I walked around the mall at lunch they became more regular.
I had acupuncture and went into labor 6 hours later. I do acupuncture for everything lol
that just sounds heavenly in general. I wonder if a pedicure would work w/ a full on leg massage..lol