Natural ways to induce labour

[Julie Doula]

Here's a chance to discuss ways to bring on labour naturally - have you had any success, or do you have any ideas?

First off, there's an excellent article by our own Kelly which about has the topic covered!

https://www.bellybelly.com.au/birth/...uction-methods

You know, I don't think any method is going to be successful if your body just plain ain't ready. Nature just is ornery about being rushed or forced. Even medical induction doesn't work well when your body is not ready. So .... I know it's hard to hang in there when you are just so OVER being pregnant - but "Have A Little Patience" might just be the theme song for this situation - and the best way to "induce labour".

I think in the context of helping your body get ripe, ready and primed for labour, these things may be helpful. But your body just can't be rushed, and often if we mess with nature, we cause complications.

You're not going to be pregnant forever ... your body is going to go into labour and you are going to give birth to this baby. Yay!

Here's a few things I can think of anyway ...

1. Posterior babies seem to be more likely to go overdue (any studies on this??? I don't know!) because the head my not be so well applied to the cervix. So, some Optimal Foetal Postioning and a trip to the Chiro might be in order

2. Evening Primrose Oil (oral tablets and gels inserted vaginally) help your body produce GLAs which are the precursors of natural prostaglandins - which help the cervix "ripen"

3. Raspberry Leaf Tea nourishes the uterine muscle and is believed to trigger contractions and cause stronger, effective contractions

4. Walking increases blood flow to your pelvic regions, which carries oxygen and hormones too! And gravity helps the baby's head press on the cervix.

5. Relaxation and visualisation/prayer help you get in the mood ... what helped this baby get conceived will help this baby get birthed. You chill, hormones travel and stuff happens. Tension does not seem to be conducive to either venture .... Spell it R-E-S-P-E-C-T or R-E-L-A-X.

6. I recommend a trip to the sea. Strange, I know. But for me (and other women I've known) there is something about waves that helps us *know* something about labour ... I was happy to read about this in Gaby Targett's book, A Labour of Love. I was like, great, I'm not the only one! When i was overdue with babe #3, I walked for miles along a wild beach and did OFP in the waves (labout began 24 hours later).

7. Sex. In moderation. Do it for joy, not for the mechanics, right? If you're ripe and ready, it might be just the gentle *nudge* you need.

8. Basil. (???) Some people seem to think Basil helps kick-start labour. Well, i thought, it can't hurt - so I made some of Nan Koehler's favourite Birthing Tea: Raspberry Leaf, Lavendar, Basil and grated nutmeg. (I added lemon & honey for taste).

9. I decided if I wanted to get into labour, I would start doing things like I was already in labour, and then eventually it would happen - right? So, I did the exercises, walking, massage, relaxation, baths etc - and drank "labour ade": home-made rehydration drink (I found it in The Birth Book by Sear & Sears) - lemon juice, honey, pinch of salt, pinch of baking soda, 1-2 dissolveable calcium tablets. Calcium is supposed to help with pain tolerance!

10. A tea with blue cohosh might help - but get advice from a Naturopath.

I rocked up to a friend's house with RLT, EPO, pineapple, basil, massage oil, labour-ade ... she had 48 hours left before a ceasarian that she really wanted to avoid. Boy was she cranky after she tried everything and nothing worked!

You know how some people have days, even weeks of pre-labour? This woman went from *nothing* (despite 2 or 3 stretch and sweeps and being told she had an "unripe" cervix), to rip-snorting labour. Had the baby about 2 hours before the booked ceasarian. I guess when you're ready, you're ready.