How Can I Help Bring On Labour

All natural methods – but still, proceed with caution!

You’ve probably heard stories from other people about a range of  different remedies you can try to help bring onlabour. But before you  try any of them, please be very careful and talk to your doctor before  you try any of the techniques listed here: 

Go for a gentle walk

• Taking gentle walks is thought to help bring on labour because the    movement of your body encourages your baby to get into the birthing    position with their head engaged. Keep your walking pace relaxed and    either go with someone or stay close to home, just in case labour starts. 

Birthing balls

• You can get hold of birthing balls quite cheaply and they’re very useful during pregnancy and labour, providing gentle support for  your body.
  
• Sitting and rocking on your birth ball can help get your overdue baby to get moving, as the natural swaying motion of your lower body    encourages your baby to get into a good position for birth. 

Have some gentle sex

• Sex must be one of the oldest techniques in the book for helping bring on labour, but remember if your water has broken, don’t try    it as it raises the risk of infection.
  
• Sex can help bring on labour because during sex and orgasm, the hormone oxytocin is released which stimulates contractions.
• For a comfortable position with a big bump try the spoons position, where you both lie on your side and your partner lies behind you.
• Your partner's semen can also help as it contains a hormone called prostaglandin that helps to soften your cervix so it can dilate. 

Give your nipples a gentle massage

• It’s thought that gently stimulating your breasts and in particular your nipples can stimulate contractions, again by releasing thehormone oxytocin.
  
• You need to gently massage the areola area with your palm for 15-20 minutes every hour for several hours each day for the hormone    release to have an effect on your overdue baby.

Eat, drink - and give birth?

Eat spicy foods

• There’s not much evidence for the spicy food idea. The theory is    that the cervix and digestive system are closely connected through  the same neural network, so stimulating one will get the other  fired up.
  
• If you enjoy spicy foods you can try it – but beware the possible unwanted side effects of indigestion, heartburn, or emergency trips  to the loo! 

Try a drop of raspberry leaf tea

• Although many claim that raspberry leaf tea helps to induce labour    and you can safely sip it throughout, it’s actually much more    effective in preparing and strengthening the uterus ahead of labour.
  
• It’s important that you don’t take any raspberry leaf tea until    after the 34th week of pregnancy. If you decide to try it, you’ll    find it in tea and tablet form in most health food shops but be    sure to discuss it with your doctor first.
• It’s advisable to speak to your doctor before using this tea if     you are having an elective caesarean, have previously had a     premature baby, or if you have scarring from a previous  caesarean.
• Although it’s not easy when you’re feeling uncomfortable with an    overdue baby, remember your baby’s going to be with you very soon.    Staying as relaxed as possible and conserving your energy is the most important thing, so don’t try and rush Mother Nature too much.