All natural methods for bringing on labour – but still proceed with caution!
You’ve probably heard stories about a range of different remedies you can try to help bring on labour if your baby is overdue. But before you try any of them please be really careful and talk to your health care professional before you try any of the techniques listed here.
Try getting active
Go for a gentle walk
- Taking a gentle walk is thought to be a way of inducing labour naturally because the movement of your body encourages your baby to get into the birthing position with their head engaged. If you try this, keep your walking pace relaxed and either go with someone or stay close to home, just in case labour does start.
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.
Get your hormones going!
Have some gentle sex
- Sex must be one of the oldest techniques in the book for helping bring on labour, but remember don’t try it if your waters have already broken, or have been advised to avoid sex during your pregnancy.
- Sex may be a natural way of inducing labour because the hormone oxytocin is released during sex (and orgasm!) which stimulates contractions.
- As you’ll have a big bump in front, try the comfortable ‘spoons’ position with your partner, where you lie on your side with your partner behind you.
- If your partner orgasms this can also help, as semen contains a hormone called prostaglandin that can help soften your cervix so it can dilate.
Give your nipples a gentle massage
It’s thought that gently stimulating your breasts and especially the nipples can stimulate contractions, again because this releases the hormone oxytocin. You will 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 that spicy food helps bring on labour. 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.
- However, if you enjoy spicy foods, you can certainly try it – but beware the possible unwanted side effects of emergency fiery trips to the toilet!
Try making some raspberry leaf tea
- Although many claim that raspberry leaf tea helps to induce labour and you can safely sip it in the last trimester of pregnancy, it’s actually much more effective in preparing and strengthening the uterus ahead of labour.
- It is best to discuss the use of raspberry leaf in pregnancy with a qualified practitioner such as a medical herbalist. There is a small amount of research looking at raspberry leaf tea and its effects in pregnancy so be sure to discuss it with your health care professional first.
- It’s advised to speak to your health care professional before using this tea if you are having an elective caesarean, or have previously had a premature baby or if you have scarring from a previous caesarean.
The old wives tale of inducing labour using castor oil or evening primrose is a major no-no, because it can cause distress for your baby and so should never be an option.
Although it’s not easy to be patient when you’re feeling uncomfortable with an overdue baby, remember that 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.