You are days away from your due date. You are uncomfortable and  O V E R  it! Maybe your provider is starting to talk about induction and you’d really love to avoid a medical induction if possible. It’s feeling like your baby has this inside game of Chicken going on and it would just be so great if they would just, not. 

What are your options? 

Well, I wrote this blog about the 2 things that really are the best ways to start labor, but let’s maybe talk about other methods that a lot of people swear by! 

Now, we are still talking about induction, but a non-medical induction. You are intervening with nature's timeline, but with things that are low risk and possibly low rate of return. But sometimes doing something is better than sitting around and waiting. 

Disclaimer: This is not medical advice. All of these methods should be discussed with your medical provider before you do them. 

• Nipple Stimulation

This is a little more than just rubbing your nipples. The ideal way to do this is to use a breast pump. The hormones that are responsible for labor are triggered to start when you stimulate your breasts in this way. Oxytocin is the hormone responsible for contractions and for milk letdowns, so tricking the body into a let down response, can also help to release oxytocin and get those contractions going! 

• Miles Circuit

I wrote all about this here, but it’s worth mentioning again. The Miles Circuit is a series of 3 positions that help to open the pelvis so your baby can move down into an optimal position.

Why does it work? The pressure of your baby’s head against the cervix helps to trigger contractions. 

• Sex

Normally, being told to have more sex may not have been a big deal. But now, you have to maneuver around your belly, your extra blood volume is making your vulva, vagina and cervix feel a little swollen and you are always so hot and don’t want anybody to touch you. BUT sex is one of the top ways to get labor started. 

Between the stimulation of your cervix and vagina, the prostaglandins in semen and oxytocin from having an orgasm (fingers crossed), you have the cocktail of hormones for labor to start and not stop! To make it even better, start out with having your partner give you a back and/or foot massage and lots of foreplay. Oxytocin is where it’s at and feeling close & connected will be the key. 

Bonus: Besides the actual act of sex, it can combine massage, nipple stimulation and exercise. That’s a lot of birds with one stone! 

• Spicy Foods

Why does it work? Spicy foods can be uncomfortable to your digestive tract and cause irritation, which in turn can cause contractions. Other ingested things that can work are castor oil and black & blue cohosh. But do NOT take those without medical supervision. Maybe stick with Indian food. 

• Acupuncture/Acupressure

Besides being a relaxing practice and helping by just making you chill out (there are those hormones for labor again!), there are points in your body that, when activated, can cause contractions to start. One of those points is around your ankles, so if you are not comfortable with going for acupuncture, simply going for a pedicure can be super helpful too! I mean, I’d go for a pedicure. For science. Totally for science! ;)

• Chiropractic Care 

This goes hand in hand with the Miles Circuit! So if you are doing the circuit but your pelvis and back are out of alignment, then you may not get the results you could be getting. Seeing a chiropractor all the way throughout your pregnancy can help with headaches, sciatic nerve pain, round ligament pain, lower back pain, and yes, can help to align your pelvis so your baby can move down effectively. Chiropractic care is so effective in fact, that with regular visits and following certain protocol, it is a powerful tool to even turn a breech baby!

• Exercise

Now, I’m not going to tell you to start exercising if you haven’t had a regular practice throughout your pregnancy. But check with your provider to see what you are able to do.

Exercise helps to relieve stress and release endorphins, people with endorphins are happy and happy people… well, have the hormones to encourage labor to start. 

Do you love doing squats? Well you’ll love this! If you are already having contractions, even if they are sporadic, when you feel one starting, go into a squatting position and just hang out there throughout the contraction. 

There are many other things that are used to induce labor, but these come highly recommended by so many parents and have decent success rates! 

Hi, I’m Mary.

You know me. I’ve been  blogging here for 6 years. I’ve attended your births, held your babies at night as your postpartum doula, taught you classes and walked you through making decisions as a new parent. Thanks for reading this blog and being a part of our amazing community! I appreciate you ❤