How to Induce Labor Naturally
You’re excited to have a baby, and after nine long months, you’re ready to see your darling angel. The expected due date has already passed, but somehow, the baby stays in your womb and you’re still not in labor. If you’re starting to become worried, don’t. There are safe and natural ways to induce labor.
Relax And Meditate
If you’re always worried, tense and anxious, don’t be! Bering stressed and tired is one of the main reasons why you’re not going into labor. Clear your mind and avoid hard chores. Stop going to work. Instead, call a professional massage to relax your body, and take warm baths. Try aromatherapy and acupressure. If your body’s more relaxed, the more ready it’ll be for labor.
Meditating and visualizing also works great. Here’s what to do.
Sit down in a comfortable position. With your eyes closed, take a few deep breaths through your nose, then let them out through your mouth.
Be in touch with your body. Begin with your toes and work your way upwards, going to your face.
Think of a flower, and imagine it opening as you breathe in and out.
Imagine what your baby looks like when he is she is born.
Use Castor Oil
Using castor oil is said to be an effective way to induce labor, especially if you’re already in early labor. It causes intestinal spasms that surrounds the uterus. The spasms in turn cause the uterus to cramp, resulting in labor. Mix one to two ounces of castor oil with six ounces of orange juice, and take it in a single or repeated dose. Be careful with this though, because castor oil is a known laxative, and the bowel spasms may not cause actual contractions, but only stimulate bowel.
Make Love
You had intercourse to create a baby, and you can also use it to get the little angel out. A man’s semen contains natural prostaglandin, a hormone that’s present when labor begins. Ask your partner to make love to you. Afterwards, elevate your hips, so the semen stays on the cervix. Don’t get up immediately.
The only problem with this is, you might not feel like having sex at all, and your partner might have a hard time stimulating you.
Bumping And Swinging Helps You Reach Labor
Being physically active can also help “move” the baby, so he or she will be in a better birthing position. You can try swinging in a park swing, or driving down a bumpy road. Activities like light hiking or having a picnic lunch is also all right, but remember be very careful. Your body is very fragile at the moment, and any accident might put you or the baby in danger.
Keep Walking
You can also speed up labor by walking. If you’re always upright, pressure is placed on the cervix, prompting it to dilate. Gravity also brings the baby down in the pelvis. Your hips swaying from side to side also puts the baby in a good position for labor.
Use Herbs
One of the oldest ways of inducing labor is by using herbs. Examples of herbs you can use include:
False unicorn root
Blue and black cohosh
Evening primrose oil
Red raspberry leaf
Make sure to check with your doctor or health provider first before using any of these herbs, though. While they are said to help put you in labor, they may also have negative side effects. Check if any of these will be able to help you.
Change Your Diet
It’s said that there are some food that can help tone down the cervix, allowing easier and shorter labor. Tropical fruits such as pineapple, kiwi and mango are healthy choices, giving enzymes that cause mild contractions. Eating extra spicy food is also attested by many moms to prompt contractions, but it’s a natural bowel stimulator too, and might only give you indigestion.
One last tip: have a little baby chat. Telling him or her about the things that await him in the outside world might make your darling excited to come out. Try it, along with these tips, and you’ll soon meet your darling child.