How to Induce Labor

You?re not afraid of your biological clock ticking anymore ? you?re finally pregnant! But you?re still watching the hands of the clock because by now, you?ve expected your baby to be born already. Unfortunately, like 70% of all babies, he doesn?t seem in any hurry to come out. If your baby is less than a week overdue, then doctors will likely advise you to just hang tight. And because it is so normal and common for babies to be born past their due dates, this is good advice.

However, if you?re feeling uncomfortable and annoyingly anxious, and especially if you?re already into your 42nd week of pregnancy, then you may be wondering how to induce labor.

Medical induction in usually done using Pitocin and Oxytocin administered as gel and via IV drips. Unfortunately this medical procedure severely restricts your freedom and ability to control your own labor. Additionally, medical induction commonly results in many other medical interventions, such as epidural and a caesarian section. Also, doctors can purposely break a mother?s water. Then there are gels and drugs that can be administered to induce labor. However, all these options are often unpleasant and come with ugly side effects, and some can even endanger the health of the baby. This is why when you?re considering how to induce labor, you should do it naturally and only if it?s necessary.

If you?re several days overdue, here?s a guide on how to induce labor.

If you want to get things in motion, put yourself in motion. Walking helps your baby to descent better. This will cause the baby to press his head down on your cervix, and this can prompt labor or at the very least get your baby in the ideal position for labor. Any active, yet gentle, movement like this can help to induce labor.

One of the most famous ways to induce labor is to have intercourse. A couple who is eager to welcome a new addition to their home can have sex to speed up the process. Sex can induce labor because sex can make the woman to release a hormone called oxytocin. Oxytocin causes the uterus to contract. Furthermore, the man releases semen which softens her cervix. For women who find the idea of sex to be completely unappealing during a third trimester of pregnancy that they wish was already over, then nipple stimulation is another option, as it produces a similar effect.

Other commonly used ways to induce labor include acupuncture and massage.

Dozens of teas, herbs, and oils are also very effective ways to induce labor. Blue and black cohosh are the most popular herbs for pregnant women who simply wish they weren?t pregnant anymore but they may not be 100% safe. Also, Castor Oil is very quite effective when it is swallowed ? but it has an awful taste and it causes a serious diarrhea. Tastier items like spicy foods and pineapples may not work quite as well, but adding them into your diet can be a much nicer way to help induce your labor.

For more information about inducing labor naturally and labor acupressure, visit Free Labor Contraction Follow-up Chart

More articles about labor and delivery:

Problems and Hazards of Induction of Labor

A Guide to Natural Labor Inducing Remedies

Maternity Acupressure    Natural Ways To Induce Labor   

Inducing Labor Naturally with Acupressure    Home Birth

DISCLAIMER
The material provided in this site is provided for personal, non-commercial, educational and informational purposes only and in no way should be considered as an offering of medical advice. You should regularly consult a licensed health care professional in matters relating to your pregnancy, labor and health in general and particularly in respect to any symptoms that may require diagnosis or medical attention.