Your due date is an educated guess for when your baby might make its arrival. While many women deliver perfectly healthy babies two weeks before or after this presumed due date, it’s recommended that women wait until 40 weeks for delivery.
If you are 40 weeks in, here are eight natural ways to get things moving along. Most of these methods are anecdotal and don’t have solid evidence that they work, so you should always talk to your healthcare provider before attempting any of these methods. Your doctor may not be able to confirm that they work, but they can let you know if it’s safe to try with your pregnancy.
Be aware: Any type of labor induction increases the risk of cesarean delivery and other emergency interventions. Always talk to your doctor before trying to induce labor on your own.
Exercise Exercise can be anything that gets the heart rate up, such as a long walk. Even if this method doesn’t work, it’s a great way to relieve stress and keep your body strong for the task ahead.
Sex Theoretically, there are multiple reasons why having sex could induce labor. For example, sex can release oxytocin, which may help jumpstart uterine contractions. Having sex is safe at full term, but you shouldn’t have sex after your water has broken. Doing so can increase your risk of infection.
Nipple stimulation Stimulating your nipples can cause your uterus to contract and may bring about labor. Oxytocin is the hormone that causes the uterus to contract and milk to be ejected from the breast. In fact, if you choose to breastfeed your baby right after delivery, this same stimulation is what will help your uterus shrink back to its original size. You or your partner may manually stimulate your nipples, or you can try using a breast pump. 4. Acupuncture Acupuncture stimulates the release of oxytocin in the body. In a 2013 randomized trial in Denmark, more than 400 women were given acupuncture, membrane stripping, or both procedures before labor. There were no significant differences in the outcomes of the groups, but the vast majority of these women did not require medical inductions. 5. Acupressure Some practitioners believe that acupressure can start and restart labor. Prior to applying acupressure to yourself, make sure you get proper instruction from a trained acupressure professional. If acupressure doesn’t get your labor going, it’s still an excellent way to alleviate pain and discomfort during labor. 6. Membrane stripping Some providers will offer to strip your membranes to encourage labor. Though the procedure is done in the office, there are no medications involved. Your doctor will use a gloved finger to separate the amniotic sac from the area around the cervix. This action releases hormones called prostaglandins, which help the body go into labor. If you have any vaginal infections, membrane stripping is not an option. Following the procedure, you may experience cramps and spotting. If you experience bleeding similar to a menstrual period, contact your doctor. There may be increased risk of your water breaking when membranes are stripped. Breaking of the water increases your risk of other medical interventions, including cesarean section. If your water breaks, head to your birth center. They will want you to deliver within the next 24 hours. 7. Spicy foods There is an old wives’ tale that eating spicy foods can put you into labor. However, no studies have made this connection. Do not eat spicy foods if they’re not part of your normal diet. 8. Red raspberry leaf tea Midwives often recommend drinking red raspberry leaf tea as your due date nears. Tea may tone and strengthen the uterus in preparation for labor. Even if it doesn’t work, you’ll stay hydrated.