Have sex! A lot! Many women have success with natural labor induction by having sex. That’s because…

Have sex! A lot!

Many women have success with natural labor induction by having sex. That’s because semen contains prostaglandins, the same hormone-like compounds that are found in cervical ripening medications such as Cervidil. The key to having sex work for natural induction is to do it, a lot. With this natural labor induction method, think of “3 times is the charm”. Three ejaculations is supposed to contain the same amount of prostaglandins as Cervidil. I cannot find a study to substantiate this but it is well known that semen contains prostaglandins. Cervidil, after all, is made from animal semen (we’ve heard pig) and it makes sense since it’s main ingredient is dinoprostone, a naturally occurring prostaglandin. I’d much prefer human. While it may be more sex than you want to have while 40+ weeks pregnant, it certainly beats the alternatives of Cervidil and Pitocin, which can have side effects like ruptured membranes, fetal distress and more painful contractions.

Nipple stimulation

Nipple stimulation can really work for labor induction or to boost a stalled or slow labor. The best way to do it is actually to stimulate the whole breast, not just the nipples. A slow rhythmic massage of the breast behind the areola is the best technique both for induction and to save mom’s sore and tender nipples. You can do yourself or have your partner assist. It might be the last time they get to handle your breasts for awhile if you plan on nursing :) Some moms may try using a breast pump but it’s not necessary. Stick with manual stimulation and save the pump for labor if you need it.

Evening primrose oil

Evening primrose oil (where to buy) contains prostaglandins which help ripen the cervix for bringing on labor. However, there are limited studies on the effectiveness and safety of evening primrose oil. I do know many moms who swear it sped up their labors. It should be considered as a last resort because it may have some risks. Evening primrose oil may actually cause labor to last a few hours longer when applied vaginally (boo!) or may cause early rupture of membranes, meaning that your water breaks before contractions start.

Red raspberry leaf tea

Great during pregnancy for uterine toning, red raspberry leaf tea can also help with natural labor induction. Red raspberry leaf tea strengthens the uterus and pelvic wall when consumed during pregnancy. Because of its stimulating effects, most midwives don’t recommend drinking until your second trimester. For labor induction, you’ll want to increase your dose of this tea to help it kickstart labor. When I was pregnant with Paloma and in my final week, I drank a quart of double brew red raspberry leaf tea each day. I only made it 2 days as then my labor started. It definitely helped and I had a super fast birth! To make a double brew dose, bring 1 quart of filtered water to a boil. Add in 1 cup of loose red raspberry leaf and let it simmer for 20-30 minutes. Drink throughout day for natural labor induction.

Membrane stripping

Membrane stripping (or sweeping) is a medical procedure where the doctor separates the amniotic sac from the cervix, releasing prostaglandins which may jump start labor. An estimated 1 out of 8 women will go into labor within 48 hours after the procedure. However, there is risk that the procedure will rupture your membranes or break your waters immediately or within a few days. This can be problematic if your contractions do not start shortly thereafter. You may also experience vaginal spotting or cramping afterward.

Dates

I’ve written about dates before in pregnancy so be sure to look at this post. But, suffice to say that there was 1 small study that found women who consumed 6 dates a day 4 weeks before their due dates. The women who consumed the dates had significantly higher cervical dilation, intact membranes and spontaneous labors. The use of oxytocin was significantly lower in women who consumed dates and the average length of first stage labor was shorter in women who consumed dates. As the study concludes, “Date consumption during the last 4 weeks before labor significantly reduced the need for induction and augmentation of labour, and produced more favorable, but non-significant, deliveries.” Well, I’d say it’s certainly worth a try! These are one of my favorite ways to eat dates. This recipe is also delicious and the oatmeal helps boost milk production to boot.