Remedies to Induce Labor

Sex

• Sex may become more difficult as your pregnancy wears on, but at the end of your pregnancy it may be a helpful tool to help induce labor. For women who have been told that they can have their baby at any time and are simply waiting for labor to start, you may want to consider sex to encourage certain biological changes in the body that can help to induce labor.

  The act of having sex itself does not necessarily help labor to start. What happens during sex helps the female body to prepare itself for labor. When the body begins to get ready for labor and delivery, the cervix softens and thins in preparation to deliver your baby.

  Semen carries a lot of prostaglandins, and prostaglandins are what help the cervix to soften and thin during labor. Another benefit of sex is that nipple stimulation releases oxytocin, a hormone that induces contractions. Once contractions start the cervix usually will begin to thin and soften on its on.

Oils

• An old remedy to start labor over the years has been castor oil. Castor oil is typically taken to produce bowel movements. Women who are in their last trimester of pregnancy and who are at their due date and want labor to begin, sometimes use castor oil to help labor begin. Castor oil works by stimulating the bowels to induce cramping, which can also stimulate the uterus. Once the uterus becomes stimulated by the cramping, prostaglandins are released, which induce labor. The recommended dose is two tablespoons of castor oil but it should be mixed with a fruit juice or drink to help get it down.

  Another oil that is used to induce labor is evening primrose. Evening primrose is a good source of prostaglandins and helps to ripen the cervix. At 34 weeks you may begin taking it orally to induce prostaglandin production. At the end of the pregnancy when you are considered full term, you may add a cervical induction taking 2,500 mg pills in the morning by mouth, then deposit two capsules into the vagina at bedtime. Evening primrose is an all-natural herb.

Acupressure

• There are a few natural pressure points on your body that have been found to help induce labor when they are stimulated. One is between the index finger and the thumb, and the other one is approximately four finger widths above the inside of the ankle bone. These pressure points can induce contractions when activated during acupuncture therapy. These tactics should not be tried until you are in your last trimester, close to your due date.

  There is a particular method used during acupressure to help induce labor. For the point on your hand, pinch and rub the webbed area in a circular motion for approximately 30 to 60 seconds. If you have a contraction, stop rubbing during it, and continue the rubbing once the contraction stops. For the area on your foot, rub the area in a circular motion until you have a contraction. Stop during the contraction, then resume rubbing when it stops. To know if you have found the correct spot on the foot, the pressure point will be sore to rub because it is a sensitive area.