While doctors agree that in most cases labor should be allowed to take place naturally, sometimes your body needs a little push. You can try to safely induce labor at home, but you also need to know what will happen when you undergo a medical induction.
Step
Method 1 of 4: Inducing Labor at Home
Step 1. Make love
This method is the method that is recommended by many midwives, although the scientific evidence to support it is not strong enough. The theory is that a female orgasm can trigger labour, once the prostaglandins in sperm come into contact with the vagina (so plan your activities ahead of time!)
There is one thing to note: do not do this method if your water has broken. Once the amniotic sac ruptures, you can potentially get an infection. Plus, you can try it when you feel ready
Step 2. Try a breast massage
Nipple stimulation can release oxytocin, which is part of a series of hormones that trigger contractions. Do massage for 5 minutes throughout the day.
- Breast stimulation will not make labor begin. But if your cervix is ready, then this can speed things up.
- Don't overdo it - overstimulation can cause contractions that are too strong.
Step 3. Walk
The force of gravity in a standing position as well as the movement of your hips as you walk help your baby into a ready-to-delivery position. Walking can also help speed up labor if you have already started contractions.
Avoid fatigue. Remember that childbirth is a laborious process. Save your energy so you don't burn out before the real labor begins
Step 4. Know which method didn't work
There are many myths about what can and cannot induce labour. Here are some things you shouldn't try:
- Castor oil, which will irritate the digestive tract. You won't be in labor right away, but you may feel a tummy ache from it.
- Spicy food. There is no scientific evidence to support a link between eating spicy food and contractions.
- Some herbs, such as cohosh, or even primrose oil. There is not enough scientific evidence to guarantee safety and the hormone-like chemicals in these herbs may also be dangerous. Talk to your doctor before you try taking any herbal supplements.
Method 2 of 4: Medical Induction of Labor
Step 1. Membrane opening
The doctor will insert a gloved finger into your uterus and move it around the uterine wall, separating it from the amniotic sac. This is an outpatient procedure that can be done in the doctor's office, and you can go home afterward and wait for progress.
- During that time you may experience spotting, so don't panic. Call your doctor once the flow is heavier than your regular period.
- This method is the only labor induction procedure that is not performed in a hospital. Everything else described in this section should be done under the close supervision of a medical professional, with the expectation that you will be in labor within the next few hours.
Step 2. Take medication to soften and remove the cervix
If you haven't experienced any physical changes to your cervix that signal that labor is about to start, your doctor can prescribe some medications that will help you. These drugs will mimic the nature of the hormones that trigger labor:
- Misoprostol, which can be taken orally, or inserted into the vagina.
- Dinoprostone, which is used in the form of vaginal suppositories.
- Oxytocin (Pitocin), which is given intravenously. Labor induced with oxytocin will take place more quickly than natural labor, especially for mothers who have given birth for the first time. Note that one of the risks of using this drug is fetal distress, which can trigger a cesarean section.
Step 3. Use a Foley catheter to open the cervix
If you don't want to use medication, your doctor can physically open the cervix using a balloon catheter. A small tube with an inflatable balloon at the end is inserted into the cervix, after which the balloon is inflated.
The balloon catheter is usually left until the cervix is wide enough to release it
Step 4. Break the membranes manually
The amniotomy procedure, in which the doctor carefully ruptures the amniotic sac with a sterile instrument, is usually performed when the cervix is open and the baby is in position, but your amniotic fluid has not ruptured.
The doctor will monitor your baby's heartbeat closely, and make sure you don't have any complications with the baby's umbilical cord
Method 3 of 4: Homeopathically Induced Labor
Step 1. Acupuncture
Clinical trials indicate that acupuncture can induce labor naturally in some women.. The risks of acupuncture are relatively small - if acupuncture doesn't work, you can still try other ways to induce pregnancy.
Method 4 of 4: Knowing the Risks
Know the benefits and risks of inducing labour. According to the CDC, 1 in 5 women in the United States undergo induction of labor. Induction of labor is preferred over caesarean section, although inducing labor is not without risks. Here's what you need to know.
Step 1. Know that doctors will not induce labor early without a medical reason
On-demand inductions are extremely rare and will mostly be recommended after 39 weeks. Your doctor may consider your home far from the hospital so you may have difficulty getting help if you have a natural birth.
Step 2. Recognize that the reasons for inducing labor vary widely
Most of them are:
- Your baby's due date has been missed by a week or two, and your water has not broken. At this time, placental damage is a greater risk than inducing labor.
- You have a condition that made your pregnancy dangerous, including pre-eclampsia, high blood pressure, gestational diabetes, or lung disease.
- Your water broke more than 24 hours ago, but you haven't started contracting yet.
Step 3. Be prepared for potential complications
Inducing labor does not mean that you will automatically avoid all of these complications, although you are more likely to avoid them. But if you give birth in a hospital or maternity clinic, the medical team who treats you may already know these risks and are prepared to deal with them.
- You are more likely to have a cesarean section. If you start the induction and labor doesn't start, then a cesarean section is a safer option (may also be necessary).
- Your baby may have a slower heart rate. Some medications used to speed up contractions can affect your baby's heart rate.
- You and your baby become more susceptible to infection.
- You may have problems with the baby's umbilical cord. That is where the baby's umbilical cord may be blocking the baby's birth canal, thereby interfering with oxygen intake.
- You are more likely to experience bleeding after giving birth.
Tips
Rest. Childbirth is a laborious process. If you are planning to give birth in the next few days, take this time to rest
Warning
- Don't have sex if your water has broken. This can cause infection in the fetus.
- In all cases, this method of inducing labor carries the risk of a cesarean section or uterine rupture if you have had a previous caesarean section.
- Pregnant women should not attempt to induce labor on their own before entering week 40 of pregnancy.
