Inducing labor is not something a woman should do without the consent of her health care provider, no matter how natural the technique. Attempts to start labor should not be made prior to the 40th week of pregnancy. With a medical care provider's consent, a woman can try several non-medical methods of labor induction at home or with the help of her care provider. These non-medical methods are more likely to be effective if the body and baby are truly ready for labor.
Nipple Stimulation
Stimulating the nipples can encourage the body to produce oxytocin, a hormone that occurs naturally and causes contractions. Synthetic forms of oxytocin are often used during a medical induction to encourage contractions. The American Pregnancy Association suggests that using an electric breastfeeding pump or manually attempting to express milk from the breasts may result in contractions. Such nipple stimulation may result in a few contractions that are painful but not very effective in getting labor started. Without the cervix being "ripe" or thinned and beginning to dilate, the contractions may not be very useful. Regardless of how contractions start, a baby can become distressed from prolonged labor.
Walking
Simply walking can help encourage the baby to drop further down into the pelvis. Women who are already experiencing some early labor, such as regular contractions or cervical dilation, should be sure to walk with a partner in case of an emergency. Rigorous walking or hiking is not recommended during the late stages of labor but, it wont take much to get the heart rate up and open the pelvis a little further.
Sex
Sex may not sound appealing in the final weeks of pregnancy, but it may increase the chances of going into labor. WhattoExpect.com explains that sperm contains prostaglandins, a hormone that can help thin and dilate the cervix. When a pregnant woman has an orgasm, the hormone oxytocin is released, which can trigger contractions. Women who have been put on "pelvic rest" by a health care provider should not engage in sex. Pelvic rest is often prescribed for women who have pregnancy complications or who have lost part or all of the mucus plug. Once the mucus plug has come out, the uterus is more susceptible to infection.
Evening Primrose Oil
Evening primrose oil is an herbal supplement that is sometimes recommended to women under midwife care. The oil can act like a prostaglandin and help thin the cervix. Methods of using the oil include taking capsules by mouth or inserting capsules into the vagina. This method should be avoided in some pregnancy cases, such as placenta previa, explains WhattoExpect.com. Herbs for the induction of labor should only be used under the advice of a health care provider.
Castor Oil
Castor oil is a vegetable oil that can be taken as a laxative. The notion behind using castor oil to induce labor is that the irritation that it causes in the intestines can also irritate the uterus, resulting in contractions. Similar to this is the suggestion to eat spicy food to cause uterine contracting. This method of inducing labor may have more negative consequences than it is worth, such as diarrhea and cramping.
Acupuncture and Acupressure
Acupuncture and acupressure are two methods of inducing labor that can be carried out by a trained professional. With acupuncture, the professional will insert needles into specific points on the body in the hopes of triggering labor. Acupressure works on the same principle, except pressure is placed on points on the body. Neither method will induce labor if the body is not ready.
