How to induce labor yourself

Pregnancy usually brings the best emotion in all people, but after 9 months the parents want to see their child (or children). After the due date, the last thing they want to do is to wait couple of days more. Perhaps you don’t need to wait, because there are several methods that could induce the childbirth.

There are several techniques and methods many people found effective in starting the childbirth. Acupressure, sexual intercourse, nipple stimulation and sweeping membrane are just some of them. Some of the methods have not been scientifically (ap)proved and there is a potential risk for the mom or baby. To try any of these methods, you must know that they won’t work if the cervix is not ripe. Before starting any of these methods, you should always consult your gynecologist and ask for the opinion.

Acupressure

Both the WHO (World Health Organization) and US NIH (United States National Institute of Health) declared the acupressure as safe to induce the labor. Technique requires some basic information on acupressure and you can’t do it by yourself, but your partner should perform it. There are several acupressure points on the body and the pressure applied to these points is said to stimulate contractions and dilatation of the cervix, inducing the childbirth. Most women who tried acupressure say that it started the labor in maximally 48 hours. Also, these women reported to experience much lower pain during the actual childbirth.

Sex

Sexual intercourse can also start the labor. There are no real proofs that this method works, but some scientists found out that prostaglandins from the sperm or oxytocin released after the orgasm could be responsible for the speed up of the childbirth. The only limitation is low lying placenta or broken waters, because women in those conditions should not have sex, for it may not be safe for the baby.

Nipple Stimulation

Another way to release the oxytocin in the bloodstream and induce the childbirth is the stimulation of the nipples. As suggested, nipples should be rolled between the fingers for a minute or two and then again after 3 minutes. The procedure is said to work its best if it’s performed for 20 min. Be careful not to hurt yourself while stimulating the nipples. It would be a good idea to have a doctor by your side when trying out this method.

Sweeping Membranes

Striping or sweeping the membrane is a procedure that should always be done by an experienced midwife of the doctor. Medical experts should inset the gloved hand into the vagina and try to remove the amniotic membrane from the uterus and this method is believed to induce labor as well. The downside of the method is the discomfort and pain it may cause. Another thing is that it might not work for every pregnant woman.