Some babies just seem to want to spend an eternity in the womb. Many mothers have been known to carry their baby well past the due date, which is anything more than 40 weeks. If you are becoming uncomfortable, due to an extended pregnancy, then see if one of the 8 ways to induce labour listed below might be useful. These are commonly used by a large number of women, but you can always double check with your doctor if you have any doubts.
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Of course, as a last resort you can talk to your doctor and see what can be done to help you to induce labor. There are medicines that will cause it to begin and the doctor will know the correct dosage for you. It will also be better if you are in a controlled environment when resorting to a medicinal method. Each woman reacts differently to medications. One woman may have to wait hours, while another can go into labor much quicker.
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Sometimes simple relaxation techniques are all that you need to get labor started. There are breathing exercises, yoga poses, gentle stretching, and even massage that can help stimulate the birthing process. Even if none of these methods cause you to go into labor, at least you will feel more relaxed afterwards. Being tense often works against you, when it comes to contractions. Worrying about why you aren’t going into labor won’t cause you to be any closer to seeing your new bundle of joy. Relax.
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Both of these techniques have been around for centuries. There are specific points that can cause contractions to start. However, it’s best to go to a licensed professional, instead of trying to find these points on your own body. Two main points exist that are commonly used to get labor rolling at a faster pace. These two points are used to aide labor during the first and second stages, by stimulating the contractions of the uterine walls.
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There are amniotic membranes that attach to the lower portion of the uterine cavity. Midwives have been known to use a gloved hand to sweep these membranes free of their attachment starting at 38 weeks. However, many women didn’t find that it caused them to go into labor any time soon, but a very low percentage of them ever went past their due date. You can always ask your doctor if this technique could be performed on you, if you are past your due date and becoming uncomfortable.
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Blue and black cohosh has been noted to aid in labor. The blue version is supposed to cause contractions to become stronger, while the black regulates them. This method is most effective on contractions that seem to be irregular or very weak. When taking any herbs, it’s always a good idea to check with your doctor. Some herbs have been known to react with current medication or cause major complications with pregnancy.
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There are women who think that eating a big meal of spicy food will get their labor rolling. The bad part about this is that a full stomach can also result in vomiting if you go into labor. So far, I haven’t seen any documentation that shows a correlation between a chili-laden burrito and sudden labor pains. The instances where a woman did go into labor after eating spicy food could have something to do with an upset gastrointestinal system, as described in the next example.
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Midwives often still swear by this method of inducing labor. Don’t start chugging the entire bottle though or you will end up in the bathroom quicker than you’d like. You will also be in a bit of pain, due to the intestinal spasms castor oil causes. If you mix about 6 ounces of orange juice with 1 to 4 ounces of castor oil, this is enough to get the spasms going. This amount is small enough that you shouldn’t be discomforted by these spasms. The way labor is induced is by the spasms causing the uterus to cramp. This doesn’t work for everyone, but many old school physicians still recommend castor oil too.
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You probably wouldn’t consider walking to be a labor inducing method, but it actually is. The swaying of the hips causes the baby to get into the proper position for birth. The simple act of standing also causes gravity to work towards pulling the baby downward from the womb. This is often why you see many pregnant women walking up and down the hallways at hospitals. If contractions have already started, walking will speed up the labor process.
Each of these 8 ways to induce labour was found to be helpful by a number of women. Not everyone is the same, so a method that works for one woman won’t necessarily work well for another. Have you thought about inducing labor naturally? What reason do you have to want to try it? Feel free to share your concerns and ideas.
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