Are there any ways of naturally inducing labour?

Question

I'm pregnant with my third child, and have heard Raspberry Leaf tea can help. I was wondering if anyone knows of anything else. I think I've heard fresh pineapple might work too, but I'm not sure about this.

Answer 1

The following is a list of natural remedies which can bring on labor., but only if your baby and body are ready.

1) nipple stimulation ( preferably by sucking but can also use a breast pump) causes your body to release oxytocin, which can bring on labor or intensify labor

2) 2 TBSP of castor oil -- wait a few hours and if nothing happens, can try 1 or 2 TBSP more (the diahrrea and stomach cramps this may cause can trigger labor -- or just leave you in the bathroom for hours)

3) sex with your husband (semen contains natural prostaglandins which can help ripen or thin the cervix)

4) having an orgasm (can bring on contractions)

5) fresh pineapple (less proven but it can't hurt)

6) raspberry leaf tea in large quantities. is said to "tone" the uterus.

7) walking -- gravity and the weight of the uterus on your cervix can help speed things along

8) massage or accupressure or accupuncture -- from a professional experienced with pregnant women (can help hit certain pressure points to trigger labor)

Answer 2

Raspberry leaf tea will NOT induce labor. It helps to strengthen and tone the uterus so that when you do go into labor your uterus is a stronger, healthier muscle able to deliver the baby faster and easier.

There are NO ways to naturally induce labor that are 100% guaranteed. Even in the hospital, there are none that are 100% effective, that is one reason so many women who get induced (usually 2 different methods all at once so...pitocin, rupture of membranes, sometimes stripping of membranes before rupture...maybe 1 will work) end up with c-sections. That is the ONLY 100% guaranteed way to induce your labor.

All that said,

1. Sex...more importantly ORGASM!
2. Nipple stimulation...each nipple roughly 10 minutes at a time alternating for 1 hour. Then take a break and see what happens. Repeat if desired (or not too sore).
3. Walking
4. Castor Oil...have heard it's quite, um, uncomfortable
5. Blue and Black Cohosh...be very careful with these 2 though and make sure you've researched it first..do not just take others' advice
6. Spicy foods

None of these things will work UNLESS your body is already READY to deliver though.

Answer 3

Raspberry leaf tea softens your cervix to make labour 'easier'. Plenty of gentle walking and sex are supposed to help. Semen contains the same prostaglandins which are given to induce labour. Not sure whether the spicy curry thing will work- you might just end up with heartburn. I have also heard that nipple stimulation can initiate contractions. I wouldn't try any of this unless you are due/overdue. Nothing to do with the queston but I read the other week that gently masaging the perenium in the final weeks can reduce tearing during labour.

Answer 4

Well, celery contains patocin naturally, (the drug they give you to induce labor) but I'm not sure how much you need to eat in order for it to do anything as I've never tested it. All my little ones came rather quickly and my youngest was induced at 39 weeks because of complications I was having with the pregnancy. There are a ton of other "wive's tales" some work, some don't. Some work sometimes and not other times. The best way I've found is to stop trying to induce and let your guard down for about a day. Everytime I did that with my older three kids, I was holding them by the next afternoon. That might work for you, might not.

Answer 5

My son was 4 days late. I tried everything! I even sat on a washing machine n dryer! Needless to say it didnt work. Nothing worked at the end. However when i was 35 weeks, i went into labor the day after i had sex....... so sex definately will work, if your body is ready. They stopped my labor and then i went into labor late! I walked every day for hours n it made me have contractions all day but then they went away eventually. Good luvk and i wouldnt try castor oil or anything else crazy like that. Its not healthy. The baby will come when they are ready, it just stinks waiting.

Answer 6

i tried raspberry leaf tea with baby no4 and got quite hooked on it , it definatley softnens your cervix which is good !!!!
but anything that stimulates your bowels help kick labour on . as the two are linked apparently but it didnt work for me !!
what did is walking up and down the stairs side ways like a crab , and getting apilates ball and bouncing all day long on it , hey presto 36 hours of pain good luck ... take my advice dont try to hurry it up make the bloody most of your time now!!

Answer 7

There are NO sure-fire ways. Just a lot of "it may help" ways.

1) Sex (a hormone in sperm can induce labor, as well as the muscle contractions from an orgasm.)
2) Walking (gravity helps!)
3) Nipple stimulation (releases Oxytocin, the same hormone they give you to induce in a hospital-- just in smaller amounts).
4) Castor oil (but really this just gives you dhiarrhea, but i guess the muscle spasms from that can induce labor)
5) Raspberry leaf tea.
6) Lying naked in your back yard under a full moon. (Just kidding about this one.)

Answer 8

Well I know you have already heard but sex is the best way or at least it worked for me,with my first child. with my second I got up early one morning and did spring cleaning in my home and by 5 that evening I was in labor. Good Luck and God Bless.

Answer 9

I've tried the raspberry leaf tea (didn't do anything for me)..I heard of licorice (black) that didn't do anything either..but try long walks..sex..and massages to your feet and belly this may help GOOD LUCK

Answer 10

I gave birth five weeks ago to a nine pound six ounce baby boy who was born the fortieth week of my pregnancy. By that week I was ready to try sex, walking, tea...you name it and I was close to trying it. Put it plainly, he came when he was ready. Sure, I didn't want to hear that when I was ready to burst, but it's true. He wasn't jaundiced or fussy, he breastfed perfectly, he was just a very healthy happy baby. I gave birth in the water pain med free. Great experience really! So just suck it up, as hard as that sounds, and you'll be happier with the end result! I promise this!