How to help your body go into labor

[Note of caution: Banner Health does not endorse anyone trying to self-induce labor before 37 weeks, as the baby’s brain is still developing]

You’re tired, your ankles are swollen, and you feel like your stomach may pop. If you are close to your due date – or a few days past – you may find yourself searching the internet for sure-fire ways to self-induce labor at home. While there are plenty of old wives’ tales and “natural” remedies that supposedly help nudge labor along, most don’t work and even worse, they can cause some undesired side effects.

“Unfortunately, most of the potential techniques don’t work and can be downright unpleasant on the digestive tract, but a few are worth a try,” said Linda Nelson, a certified nurse-midwife at Banner Health Clinic in Loveland, Colorado. “Before you try any of these though, make sure you get the OK from your midwife or physician.”

Below, Nelson weighs in on which methods are safe to try, and which aren’t worth the negative side effects.

Give It A Go … With Your Doctor’s OK

Sex

While it may the very last thing you want to do at this point in your pregnancy, sexual intercourse isn’t harmful unless your doctor has ordered pelvic rest for placenta or vasa previa. Although there is no proof it will start your labor, sex can help prime your cervix and make it more favorable for labor.

“When your partner ejaculates during sex, his sperm releases prostaglandins which can stimulate the cervix,” Nelson said. “So, it’s worth a try, if you are up for it!”

Walking

Unless otherwise advised by your doctor, it’s important to stay active during pregnancy—for you and the baby’s health. Although staying fit during pregnancy won’t induce labor, some studies have shown spending time upright can shorten labor.

“By walking and doing regular upright exercises, particularly toward the end of your third trimester, gravity can help your baby get in a good position for birth and it may help bring on contractions but not necessarily help labor progress,” Nelson said.

Nipple stimulation

Nipple stimulation, which involves gently rubbing a nipple between your fingers, using a breast pump or a combination of both, can help release oxytocin. But Nelson cautions doing this unsupervised.

“The reaction to nipple stimulation is very unpredictable, so if done incorrectly, you could give yourself too many contractions,” Nelson said. “If you want to try this method, make sure you only do it under your provider’s supervision.”

Dates (the fruit)

New studies have shown that six dates a day starting at 36 weeks can help soften the cervix, reduce the need for medical induction and help promote a shorter labor.

Evening Primrose Oil (EPO)

Used after 37 weeks, EPO does have substances that your body changes into prostaglandins, which can help soften your cervix and help it thin, but there are no formal studies to show its impact on labor.

Membrane stripping

If your cervix is favorable, your doctor or midwife, using a gloved finger, can separate the amniotic sac from the area around the cervix. This action releases prostaglandins, which can potentially help the body to go into labor.

“This process can be quite painful and isn’t without risks, such as rupturing the amniotic sac, cramping, bleeding and risk of infection,” Nelson said. “But for some women, it can reduce the chances of needing a formal induction.”

Don’t Try These

Castor oil: Unless you want horrible diarrhea, forgo the oil. It can also cause uterine irritations and contractions, but not the kind that result in labor.

Spicy food: This has the same effects as castor oil and can give you horrible heartburn.

Pineapple: There’s no harm in enjoying some throughout pregnancy, but this won’t help induce labor. Overindulging could produce diarrhea and heartburn.

The Takeaway

Most are safe to give a go but be sure to check with your midwife or OB/GYN beforehand to ensure the safest path to take.

“Truly the safest ‘natural’ approach is time,” Nelson said. “Only 2% of women remain pregnant more than one to two weeks past their due date. Just be patient and enjoy your last few days of your pregnancy.”

For any questions or concerns, contact your provider or call the Banner Nurse Now line 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 844-259-9494. If you still haven’t taken a CPR or childbirth class, you can also schedule at bannerhealth.com/calendar.

In preparation for your little one's arrival, check out these other articles about the ten must haves when preparing for a baby, natural childbirth, supporting your wife/partner during a C-section and breast milk or formula - how to choose. Visit the parenting section of our Banner Health blog for other helpful advice and tips for raising a happy and healthy child.

You patiently await your due date, eyeing it on your calendar with excitement, nervousness, or both. But when the date comes and goes with nary a contraction, you might be tempted to take matters into your own hands and try to get things going yourself.

"I see a lot of people who are tired of being pregnant, want it to be over, and ask, 'What else can I do?'" says Jonathan Schaffir, M.D., an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Ohio State University College of Medicine in Columbus, Ohio.

9 Signs That Labor Is Approaching

According to a 2001 study by Dr. Schaffir and his colleagues, more than half of pregnant people turn to non-pharmacological approaches to hasten labor as they approach or go past their due dates, but fewer than half tell their doctors or midwives what they're up to. That's troubling, doctors and midwives say, because although some folk methods may work, some can come with unintended consequences.

Critical fetal development continues to take place even in the final weeks of gestation. So despite the nagging backaches, sleepless nights, and countless bathroom trips, parents-to-be are advised to wait until after 39 weeks of pregnancy before considering any induction methods (including pharmacological) unless an induction is medically indicated.

Even then, you should know the pros and cons of each method and discuss them with your health care provider. Here's a look at the natural ways to induce labor at home.

Why Inducing Labor Is Sometimes Necessary and How it Works

Nipple Stimulation

Prolonged nipple stimulation prompts the pituitary gland to release contraction-inducing oxytocin, the same powerful hormone that initiates your milk let-down response and can lead to severe uterine cramps when a newborn suckles. Its synthetic form, Pitocin, is the most common drug used to induce labor, and studies indicate that stimulating oxytocin naturally can be effective as well.

A Cochrane Database review that included 719 people who were 37 weeks pregnant or later found that nearly 40% of those who stimulated their nipples for one to three hours daily had their babies within three days, while only 6% of the control group gave birth in that time frame.

But aside from the impracticalities (who has time to do this for hours on end?), this method comes with serious risks: "We know it works," says Suzy Myers, C.P.M., certified professional midwife, co-founder of Seattle Home Maternity, and former chairwoman of the department of midwifery at Bastyr University in Kenmore, Washington. "But you have to be very careful that you are not overstimulating the uterus and making the contractions too strong or too close together. You also have to make sure the baby is tolerating it well by having your health care provider monitor his or her heartbeat."

What to Expect During Labor and Delivery

Sex

Although research results are mixed, anecdotes abound about late babies making an entrance soon after a love-making session. For its part, penis-in-vagina sex can introduce semen, which contains cervix-softening fats called prostaglandins (also used in medical induction), to the vagina. Additionally, orgasm can lead to strong uterine contractions, so the potential labor-inducing benefits aren't limited to penetrative or partnered sex.

One study of 200 healthy pregnant people found that those who had sex after 36 weeks of pregnancy were significantly less likely to go past their due date or require labor induction. But another study published in the British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology found no difference between sexually active and abstinent pregnant people regarding length of gestation.

The verdict? "If a woman has a low risk for premature labor and no placenta previa, it won't hurt to try," says Dr. Schaffir.

Is It Safe to Have Sex When You're Pregnant?

Castor Oil and Spicy Food

Midwives have long recommended inducing labor naturally by drinking castor oil. The idea is that the botanical laxative can stimulate the smooth muscle of the bowels, promote the release of prostaglandin, and nudge the nearby uterus into action.

Research results are varied, but one small clinical trial showed that full-term pregnant people who were given castor oil were more likely to go into labor within 24 hours. But the side effects—including nausea, explosive diarrhea, and dehydration—can be grueling, Myers says.

A safer bet for those who are beyond 39 weeks of pregnancy? Load up on spicy food, which could have similar results without the nasty side effects (but be prepared for heartburn and puffy ankles because spicy food taxes your digestive system).

8 Ways to Manage Labor Pain

Herbs and Acupuncture

Midwives also commonly suggest evening primrose oil and blue cohosh as natural ways to support or induce labor. Though each herb has a plausible mechanism for working, they also have potential downsides. Before using any herbs to induce labor, talk to your doctor or midwife.

Evening primrose oil, which is prescribed in capsule form or rubbed directly on the cervix, is believed to help soften the cervix and ready it for labor. However, the few published studies that have looked at its effectiveness failed to find that its use caused labor to begin any earlier. But one study suggests it may actually prolong the active phase of labor and boost the incidence of certain labor complications (such as arrested descent of the fetus in the birth canal).

Both blue (Caulophyllum) and black (Cimicifuga) cohosh have been used to treat menstrual ailments for centuries. However, some studies have suggested that blue cohosh can have some dangerous side effects in pregnancy, so it should be avoided.

Meanwhile, raspberry leaf tea is often recommended in the weeks leading up to the due date to tone the uterus, but research hasn't proven that it has any effect on labor. And numerous studies have suggested that using acupuncture to induce labor naturally is promising, but other studies link it to prolonged pregnancy.

What Does Labor Feel Like?

Exercise and Patience

Forty-three percent of the respondents in Dr. Schaffir's study said they exercised more in the final days of pregnancy in hopes of bringing on labor. But although good for you, exercise hasn't proved to speed up labor, Dr. Schaffir says.

His best advice to past-due pregnant folks longing for that first contraction? Skip the home remedies to induce labor and instead eat nutritious foods, rest, and enjoy those last few days of pregnancy as much as possible. "The safest and healthiest labor is one that starts spontaneously," Dr. Schaffir says.

What is the quickest way to go into Labour?

Natural ways to induce labor.
Get moving. Movement may help start labor. ... .
Have sex. Sex is often recommended for getting labor started. ... .
Try to relax. ... .
Eat something spicy. ... .
Schedule an acupuncture session. ... .
Ask your doctor to strip your membranes..

How can I force to start labor?

Ways that doctors may try to induce labor by getting contractions started include:.
Stripping the membranes. ... .
Breaking your water (also called an amniotomy). ... .
Giving the hormone prostaglandin to help ripen the cervix. ... .
Giving the hormone oxytocin to stimulate contractions..