Natural ways to encourage the start of labour before induction
So you’ve been offered an induction, but this wasn’t in your birth preferences. Do you have an option? The answer is always yes! Regardless of your situation, deciding whether to embrace or decline an induction is always your choice. Inductions aren’t generally a quick process, so taking a bit of time, even if it’s just a case of stepping outside to have a discussion with your birth partner, is strongly advised.
If you agree with your medical team that you would like to decline an induction for now and embrace some alternative methods, what can you do to try to promote spontaneous labour? Here are a few ideas:
Sex. If you feel that’s appropriate for you, sexual intercouse has long been known to help encourage labour. Semen is known to have prostaglandins and can help aid the start of labour. Boosting oxytocin with kissing, cuddling and nipple stimulation can all help to get your hormones flowing.
Nipple stimulation. There is a very small amount of evidence that suggests that nipple stimulation may also help get labour started. This can be done by gently rubbing or rolling your nipples. The idea is to trick your body into thinking that your baby is sucking and then release oxytocin ( the hormone that makes surges/contractions start). If you’re having a healthy pregnancy and you haven’t had any complications then it should be fine to start around 37 weeks.
Dates. Some small studies show that eating dates in the last few weeks of pregnancy may encourage the cervix to open. Eating 6 dates a day from 34 weeks of pregnancy can reduce the chance of needing labour to be augmented with the oxytocin drip. Anecdotally, this has been used for many years in Middle Eastern countries. Either way, for low risk women, this can be an easy, non-invasive intervention which aids physiology.
Raspberry leaf tea. Drinking raspberry leaf tea is thought to support uterine health and potentially ease labour, although there isn’t a strong bank of evidence for this. Have a chat with your healthcare provider before starting. It’s generally recommended to begin around the second trimester starting with one cup and slowly building up to three cups a day.
Acupuncture. Acupuncture can be started around 34-36 weeks to help encourage your body to soften the cervix. While some studies suggest that acupuncture may have a positive impact on labour induction, the evidence is not conclusive at present. However there are no risks in trying this, as acupuncture is generally considered safe when performed by a trained practitioner. Its effectiveness in inducing labour may depend on various factors, including individual response and techniques.
Walking. Walking is often suggested as a natural way to encourage labour, as it can help engage the baby deeply into the pelvis and into the cervix. If you feel up to it, go for walk, enjoy the fresh air. Follow your body though as the end of pregnancy isn’t the time to start doing huge hikes if you’re not used to that!
Sweeps. You may find that your midwife offers you sweeps from 39 weeks. In Our hypnobirthing course, we describe how the cervix moves from round the back of your vagina to a forward and central position as you near the end of your pregnancy. Sweeps work better if your cervix has moved forward, softened and already started to open a little and there is no reliable data to confirm the efficacy of sweeps. Bear in mind that sweeps can be uncomfortable and you may have a little bleeding after.
Baby’s position. Getting your baby into an optimal position can help to encourage the baby’s head down to press on the cervix. You can look up stretches and exercises online, but essentially you want to spend time in a UFO (upright forward and open) position, to reduce the risk of back to back babies. The use of birthing balls, yoga, deep relaxation and practising your breathing with the Freya app all help encourage a feeling of calm, wellness and encourage oxytocin release.
