Are you looking for ways to induce labor at home safely and easily? If you’re tired of waiting and you’re nearing your due date, or past, the following methods may be a safe way to start the labor process.
Top Methods to Induce Labor at Home
- Acupuncture. Acupuncture may help to induce labor and has been used for centuries in some parts of the world. One study, for example, found women who received acupuncture treatments were more likely to go into labor without medical intervention. 70% of the women who got the treatment went into labor by themselves, while only 50% of women enter labor naturally without acupuncture. Only 39% of these women needed a C-Section, compared to 17% of women who did not get the treatment.
- Sex. Sex is often encouraged by doctors and midwives to induce labor. While there is no proof behind this method, there’s certainly no harm that can come from it. Sex releases a hormone-like substance called prostaglandins, which are also used to medically induce labor.
- Walking. Short walks have been recommended by doctors for generations to induce labor, and it’s a practice that many women swear by.*
- Nipple stimulation. This method can also induce labor, as it releases oxytocin, which in turn causes contractions. Some doctors feel that nipple stimulation causes longer and stronger contractions, however, which may be more painful. It may also lead to a longer labor. Only attempt this method after 37 weeks.
Other Ways to Induce Labor at Home
- Eating spicy food
- Cohosh herb
- Evening primrose oil
- Eating fresh pineapple
- Dancing
- Practicing meditation
- Drinking red raspberry leaf tea
- 2 ounces of castor oil, mixed with a drink. Castor oil is a laxative which may be recommended by some midwives for pregnancies after 40 weeks.
- Massage
- Stretching with an exercise ball
- Yard work, such as gardening, pulling weeds or cutting the grass
- Swinging
- Gentle exercises on all fours
Ways to Induce Labor at Home
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