Induce Labor at Home

Your pregnancy due date is typically calculated at 40 weeks of pregnancy. If you are beyond 40 weeks, you may be uncomfortable, impatient and excited to get the birthing process started. Before you turn to medical interventions to induce labor, try a number of natural ways at home to start labor.

Steps

Eating Certain Foods

1. Eat pineapple. Pineapple is one fruit that may trigger labor. It contains bromelain, which may help soften and “ripen” the cervix. This is a key stage in bringing on labor.
   • Eat pineapple plain, drink pineapple juice, or make a fruit smoothie with pineapple.
2. Eat spicy foods. Some people swear by spicy foods as a catalyst for labor. Mexican food or foods with hot chilis might help bring on labor. Be careful that these foods don’t give you indigestion in this late stage of pregnancy.
   • Some research shows that eating spicy foods might actually stave off labor, thanks to the capsaicin in some spicy foods. Capsaicin overtake naturally-occurring endorphins that help relieve pain.
3. Eat licorice. Black licorice is said to stimulate labor. Get natural licorice that contains less sugar. You can also get licorice in pill form. Licorice can stimulate cramps in the bowel by having a laxative effect. Bowel cramps may help induce uterine cramps.
4. Eat garlic. When you eat enough garlic, you may stimulate your bowels. This can cause you to empty your bowels, which gives room for the baby to move lower in your body. Once the baby moves down, it engages more with your uterus and cervix, readying your body for labor.
   • Prepare foods with lots of garlic, as long as it doesn’t give you indigestion.
5. Eat plenty of fiber. Foods that are rich in fiber will help you avoid being constipated. If you are constipated, you will have a full bowel or rectum, which takes up space that the baby may need to move lower down in your body. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables during the last few weeks of your pregnancy. Eating prunes and other dried fruits can help as well.
6. Drink red raspberry leaf tea. This tea can strengthen and tone the uterus, and can help the muscles start to contract. Brew a cup by pouring 6 ounces of boiling water over one tea bag. Let it steep for 3 minutes. Let it cool and drink.
   • Make red raspberry leaf iced tea in the summer for a refreshing drink.
7. Drink cumin tea. Cumin can be used for digestive problems and also to start menstruation and to relieve bloating. Brew a cup of tea using cumin seeds to bring on labor.
   • Add some sugar or honey to counteract the bitterness of the tea.

Positioning Your Body

1. Rest on all fours. Resting on all fours will help the baby into a good position. When the baby’s head puts downward pressure on your cervix, the cervix starts to efface, or shortens and thins out. Resting on all fours for 10 minutes at a time, several times a day, can help move the baby’s head into the optimal position.
2. Don’t recline backward on the couch. You are probably exhausted at this late stage of pregnancy and ready to just relax. But reclining or sitting back on the couch can be counterproductive to making sure the baby is in the right position for labor. Instead, lay on the couch on your left side, slightly rolled forward. Prop yourself up with cushions to make it comfortable.
3. Bounce on a birth ball. A birth ball is a large bouncy ball (they are also used in exercising) that can help you sit comfortably towards the end of pregnancy. You can also use this ball to help you cope with labor. Sitting or bouncing on the ball, while spreading your legs wide, can help the baby move downward.

Getting Physical Activity

1. Go for a walk. Walking can help stir the baby into moving downward in your body. Once the baby’s head puts pressure on the cervix, labor isn’t far behind. Try walking for 15-20 minutes. Getting out in the fresh air can also be beneficial.
   • Try walking up a steep hill. This will force your body to lean forward at an angle. Leaning at a 40-45 degree angle can help the baby move in the right downward direction.
2. Try galloping. Galloping, or moving one leg forward and hopping the back leg to catch up, can help jar the baby slightly. Be careful when trying this to make sure you don’t trip over your feet.
3. Walk up a few flights of stairs. Walking up stairs will force your body to lean at an angle (about 40-45 degrees), which can help the baby move lower down in your body. Be sure to hold onto the handrail to make sure you are ascending the stairs safely.
   • Pounding your feet on each step can also help.
4. Clean the house. Doing a semi-strenuous activity can help bring on labor. Cleaning out the garage, vacuuming, or mopping the floors gets your body moving, which can activate labor. You’ll have the added bonus of having a clean house when the baby is born.

Preparing Your Body for Labor

1. Have sex. Having sex with a partner can help release prostaglandins, which are similar to hormones in your body. Prostaglandins can bring on labor. Sperm from an ejaculation inside the vagina can help to soften and dilate the cervix, also readying the body for labor.
   • Having an orgasm stimulates prostaglandins, so if you don’t feel comfortable having sex, you can still have an orgasm on your own.
   • Do not have sex if your water has already broken, as this can put you at risk for infection.
2. Stimulate your nipples. Nipple stimulation is another way to induce uterine contractions. Use your thumb and forefinger to roll the nipple for 2 minutes. Give it a rest for 3 minutes. Continue this process for about 20 minutes. If you don’t feel any contractions, increase the rolling part to 3 minutes, with the rests lasting 2 minutes.
   • Use olive oil on your fingers to prevent irritation.
3. Use acupressure. Acupressure is similar to acupuncture, a traditional Chinese bodywork technique that promotes relaxation and healing. According to this healing technique, the body has acupoints through which energy flows. Applying direct, firm pressure to two of these points may help induce labor. To use acupressure:
   • Locate the pressure points, which are in the webbing between your thumb and your index finger and on your lower leg about {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} above the inside of your ankle bone.
   • Pinch the webbing of your hand. Rub for 30-60 seconds by moving in a circular motion.
   • Press firmly with the tip of a finger or two fingers on the spot on your leg. Rub in a circular motion.
   • With either of these pressure points, stop rubbing when you have a contraction. Start rubbing again when the contraction stops.
4. Use reflexology. Reflexology is a method of using pressure points in the feet to trigger labor within 24-48 hours. Use the pressure points that correspond to the pituitary, bladder, solar plexus, and ovaries and uterus to activate your body into labor. Put direct, firm pressure on one of these points, or rub in a circular motion with firm pressure.
   • Pituitary: Located on the big toe, this pressure point will activate the pituitary gland, which releases hormones like oxytocin.
   • Bladder: Located on the bottom of the foot near the instep, this pressure point can help the muscles around your uterus contract, which can in turn start uterine contractions.
   • Solar plexus: Located in the center of your foot sole, this point will help you relax and feel more balanced.
   • Ovaries and uterus: Located on your inner ankle, just below the malleolus (the bony part of the ankle that sticks out), this pressure point may be tender. This can jumpstart uterine contractions.
   • Do not attempt reflexology before you reach 38 weeks, which can put you at risk for preterm labor. Definitely do not try it in the first trimester of pregnancy, as it can put you at risk for a miscarriage.
5. Try castor oil. Inducing labor by ingesting castor oil happens by causing intestinal cramps and stimulating the bowels. By contracting intestinal and bowel muscles, you can cause uterine contractions. These methods will cause diarrhea, which can be extremely uncomfortable.
   • Mix 2 ounces of castor oil in a glass of juice. Drink it all at once.
   • Alternately, you can try an in-home enema. However, use this method only once, and proceed with extreme caution. It can clear out your bowels and leave you quite dehydrated and uncomfortable.

Using Herbal Treatments

1. Take evening primrose oil. Evening primrose oil contains prostaglandins, which is the hormone-like substance that induces contractions and helps soften the cervix. Take this oil orally in 500mg capsules 3 times a day.
   • Alternately, insert a capsule at bedtime into the vagina. The moist environment of the vagina will melt the capsule and disperse the gel throughout the cervix.
2. Take cohosh. Cohosh root is a medicinal plant that can be used to treat symptoms of menstruation, menopause and osteoporosis, and to induce labor. It is available as black or blue cohosh root, typically in water-based or alcohol-based tincture form. Follow the dosing instructions on the package.
   • Black cohosh is thought to be more effective than blue cohosh.
3. Try homeopathic remedies. Homeopathic remedies such as pulsatilla and caulophyllum can be used to stimulate labor. Pulsatilla is often used to treat menstrual symptoms, as well as headaches and insomnia. Caulophyllum can also help tone the uterine muscles, which helps with productive contractions.
   • Follow the dosing instructions on the package for both of these remedies.

Relaxing your Body

1. Take a warm bath. Sitting in a warm bath can help you relax your body and release tension in your muscles. Put a few drops of lavender essential oil into the water to help calm your mind.
   • Make sure the water is not so hot that your skin turns red. You don’t want to stress the baby with excessive heat.
2. Try visualization. Sit in a meditative state and imagine the start of the birth process. Breathe deeply and visualize your contractions starting. Visualize your cervix dilating. Imagine your baby moving further down your body to the birth canal.
   • Search online for an audio meditation for inducing labor. These are often available as downloadable mp3 tracks. They may also be available by searching for “hypnobirthing,” which uses similar techniques to sustain you throughout the entire natural birthing process.
3. Have a good cry. Crying can release tension in your body, which can help your body relax enough to bring on labor. This point in your pregnancy can be a very stressful time, so give yourself the opportunity to cry it out.
   • Grab a box of tissues and watch a good tearjerker movie to get the tears started if you need to.
4. Get a massage. Getting a relaxing massage can be a great way to help your body stay calm. Make sure your massage practitioner is knowledgeable about giving prenatal massage. When you are getting your massage, lie down on your left side with a pillow between your knees to support your body.

What to Expect from a Professional

1. Know when a would doctor will induce labor. If you are committed to a home birth, you should still have a doctor or midwife present. Most doctors will not rush to induce labor unless there are extenuating circumstances, including when:
   • Your water breaks, but there are no contractions.
   • You are two weeks past your due date.
   • You have an uterine infection
   • You have gestational diabetes, high blood pressure, or not enough amniotic fluid.
   • There is a problem with the placenta or baby's positioning/growth.
2. Expect the doctor's first action to be to strip the membrane from the amniotic sac. With gloved fingers, the doctor will reach into the cervix and rub the membrane of the amniotic sac until it separates from the uterine wall. Naturally-released hormones then usually kick-start labor.
3. Expect the doctor to potentially break your water manually. Known medically as a "amniotomy," the doctor uses a thin hook to break the amniotic sac. This almost always brings on labor within a few hours.
   • While it is short, this may be painful and uncomfortable.
4. Prepare to be prescribed prostaglandin, a natural hormone. It may be applied directly to the vagina or taken orally. This usually happens in a hospital, and it thins out the cervix to prepare it for labor.
   • This often leads to strong cramping and some pain.
5. Expect to be prescribed oxytocin through an IV at the hospital. This is generally for slowed or stalling labor. In emergencies, like those outlined above, it can also help induce labor.
   • Labor induced with oxytocin often leads to more frequent contractions.
6. With your doctor, understand the risks of inducing labor. These strategies do not always work, especially if the body is not quite ready to go into labor. If you've tried to induce labor and it failed, it is imperative to get to a medical facility. The following risks and precautions should be carefully minded:
   • Infection (especially if water has broken)
   • Tears in the uterine wall
   • Late pre-term babies (beginning labor prematurely)
   • Irregular contractions.

Tips

• You can also try a bumpy car ride, which can jar the baby downward in your body.

Warnings

• Consult with your midwife or doctor before trying any of these methods.
• Do not use any of these techniques until you are at 40 weeks of pregnancy. While none of these techniques is failsafe as far as in inducing labor, you should allow as much time as possible before trying to jumpstart the childbirth process.

Sources and Citations

See also

• Exercise Safely During Pregnancy
• Balance Work and Parenting As a Single Parent
• Practice Conscious Parenting
• Tell Your Grandparents You're Pregnant
• Live with Your College Kid over Summer Break
• Practice Self Care As a Parent
• Respond when Your Child Wants to Quit
• Tell the Position of a Baby in the Uterus
• Manage Pregnancy Food Aversions
• Avoid Making Idle Threats to Your Kids

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