Waiting for labor to start can be a very unnerving time. Many expectant mothers experience more anxiety as the due date gets closer. When that date has come and gone, you it is not unusual to listen to anyone’s advice on ways to start labor naturally. However, this must be done with caution. Do not allow impatience or excitement to blind your judgment; always consider the risks before you try to induce labor. Although advice is given with the best intentions in mind, there are some methods that may be harmful to the mother and unborn child.
A great example of this is natural herbs, rather in tablet or a tincture form. Using herbs is a common way to start labor, but if you don’t understand the risks, you may be putting yourself and child in harms way. In fact, just because a medicine or remedy is “all natural” doesn’t mean that it is without harm, risk, or side effects. Great care and caution should be used whenever anyone attempts to start labor naturally.
Black and Blue Cohosh are two widely used herbs used to start labor naturally. However, what you may not be aware of is that Black Cohosh is commonly associated with bleeding. Excessive bleeding during labor has resulted in many blood transfusions. By using Black Cohosh as a natural labor inducer, many women experienced too much bleeding during labor. This can be dangerous when caesarean section becomes necessary and is not a wise idea for women who are struggling with anemia or low iron counts. Before using Blue or Black Cohosh or other herbs to induce labor, always consult with your healthcare provider.
Nipple stimulation is another example of a natural method to induce labor. A natural labor inducer, oxytocin, is produced by the body during nipple stimulation. This is usually effective, but could cause very sore nipples and sometimes over-stimulate the uterus and lead into very painful labor contractions.
Instead, if you are looking for natural remedies to start labor, you should make sure that they have very little or no side effects. A perfect example is walking. Brisk walking has helped many women who are past their due date to bring on labor naturally. Walking puts pressure on the cervix; the more you walk the more pressure is exhibited. As you continue walking, your cervix will begin to efface and that is the first step of labor. The longer you walk, the more you’ll begin to dilate. Labor will soon start and before you know it, your baby will be in your arms.
There is one more method that has been proven to be very safe and effective at stimulating labor and inducing childbirth naturally, and that is maternity acupressure. Not only has acupressure been studied, and shown effective, it is also relaxing. This makes acupressure one of the best and most effective methods available for starting labor naturally.
How to induce labor naturally?
While there is really no guarantee that any natural method will work some of the best things to try are sex because the semen makes the cervix softer or stimulating your nipples because this causes your body to release oxytocin which can cause some contractions. Walking can cause contractions and can also make labor easier so this is a good thing to try. Eating spicy foods can make braxton hicks contractions stronger also. It is recommended that you not try any of these methods until you are considered full term which is between 37-42 weeks.
