According to a study, almost 50% of women try to induce labor before the delivery date. In the United States, only 5% of the babies are born on their due dates and 40% of them are born in the two weeks period after that.
But it is important to understand that you can actually induce labor, if and only if, you have passed your due date. You will not remain pregnant forever and that is the reason why it is important not to try any means to force your labor before due date.
From acupressure massages to exercise balls, from herbs like basils and raspberry leaves to oils like castor oil and Clary sage oil, there are many ways you can induce labor. Some of them are mentioned below:
21 Tips to Induce Labor at Home
Basil
Basil is a perfect herb which increases the blood flow to the uterus. This helps you to reach labor at a faster rate. Add some basil in your cooking and it will stimulate menstruation.
Borage Seed Oil
Borage seed oil has fatty acids which triggers labor amongst pregnant women. It softens the cervix of area and also makes it easier for your baby to come out.
Acupressure Massages
Acupressure massages not only will help you to recover from morning sickness and cure your spotting and bleeding problems but at the same time it is also useful for inducing labor. Massaging the acupressure points will help you to give birth to your baby much easily.
Bananas
Bananas are very rich in potassium. That is the reason why it helps in muscle contractions and inducing labor with much ease and comfort.
Exercise balls
Bouncing with exercise balls also has its positive effect, when it comes to inducing labor. Bounce up and down in order to help your baby to understand the movement of your body. This also helps your baby to get ready for coming out.
Clary Sage Oil
There is research that shows that Clary sage oil is very effective in inducing labor amongst women. It also helps you get relief from pain. However, this oil should only be used by any trained midwife or a nurse. Do not try to apply it by yourself.
Castor Oil
Like Clary Sage, castor oil also has proper qualities including your labor. It helps your pelvic muscles to relax and it makes your baby to come out easier. However, like Clary Sage again, you should not be messing around much with castor oil. Take castor oil massage to trigger your labor from an expert only.
Dates
Having six dates, each day, after your baby’s delivery date has crossed will definitely help you to quicken the pace of your delivery. It is a well proven and safe method.
Licorice Roots
Have the roots and not the candies. The roots will help you get more licorice whereas the candies are stuffed with more sugar. It is a great laxative and helps you to have a very healthy labor.
Kneeling Down on All Four
Kneeling down on all your fours definitely helps the purpose as it will make sure that your water breaks early. However, do not do any such things before the due date.
Nipple Simulation
It is one of the most effective and safe procedures to induce labor. It helps in the secretion of certain hormones which helps you to reach labor nice and early. Obviously you do not need any one’s help in such cases, unless of course your partner wants to oblige.
Pineapple
A strict no-no during pregnancy, pineapples has the quality of relaxing your cervix muscles and induces labor quite early. However, eating small quantity of pineapple would not help as the amount of chemical present in a single one is not sufficient enough to trigger serious labor.
Raspberry Leaf
Raspberry tea or pills can be taken from the 34th week to make sure that labor starts nice and early for you. It ensures shorter labor and strengthens your uterus.
Having Sex
Yes! Sounds good? Have sex to conceive and have sex to help your baby come out also. Sperm has this ability to induce labor and relax your cervix. Regular (but not rough) sex will definitely help you to have a short labor.
Relaxation Exercises
Try some nice and easy relaxation exercises to make sure that all your hormonal flows are regularized. This helps your cervix muscles to relax and your uterus to become strong for the deliver to take place.
Spicy Food
Not highly recommended but spicy food sometimes creates a lot of stir in your digestive system and uterus. This helps in a short and early labor. But do not indulge in too much spice as it might cause harm to you and your baby.
Swimming
If you have a private pool at your home then going for a swim is a good way to make sure that your labor is nice and early. However, make sure that the pool is clean and free from any sort of contamination.
Squaw Vine
It is a very old remedy and it should be taken for the last six months of your pregnancy. Like any laxative it also helps in triggering a short enough labor.
Balsamic Vinegar
Balsamic vinegar can trigger labor for you. They have the required properties to make sure that the labor comes nice and early. However, it is advised that you should not have it undiluted. Splash a bit on your salad and enjoy a healthy meal.
Egg Plants
Egg plants are nice and pulpy vegetables to have whilst you are getting ready for your labor. It has laxative properties to help you relax your uterus and give a nice and smooth child birth.
Thyme Tea
Thyme tea is also nice relaxer of muscles and a great inducer of labor. Many women give it a shot once their due date is over. However, thyme tea contains very little amount of essential ingredient to trigger labor. That is why it might not be a very reliable option.
Conclusion
There many other ways by which labor can be induced. Like have some wine or dancing sometime helps. However, none of them comes without the associated risk factor. It is important that you consult with your doctor before undergoing the any of the above mentioned process.
