Using a breast pump before you give birth can stimulate contractions and bring about labor, according to the American Pregnancy Association. Therefore, it's important not to use a breast pump while pregnant without your doctor's approval. Some women use breast pumps to stimulate contractions so they can avoid having to take medications during labor to increase delivery speed.
Step 1
Visit your doctor to determine if your body is ready for labor induction. The American Academy of Family Physicians states that your cervix must be ripe and ready for labor before your body will respond to any induction methods.
Step 2
Clean and sterilize your breast pump before use. You can purchase a microwaveable bag to help sterilize all the removable parts of your pump or you can boil the pump parts in hot water for 5 to 10 minutes. You can also run the cleanable pump parts through your dishwasher on the top rack to sterilize them.
Step 3
Assemble your breast pump according to the manufacturer's instructions. Practicing this before your baby is born can help familiarize you with the assembly process while you have more time available.
Step 4
Use your breast pump on one breast at a time to start or enhance contractions and induce labor. Place the pump on one breast and turn the pump on. Leave the pump in place for five minutes, then turn off and remove the pump.
Step 5
Wait for 15 minutes after pumping on one side to see if using your breast pump has caused any contractions to begin.
Step 6
Use your breast pump on the other breast for five minutes. Wait for another 15 minutes after using the pump before trying again on the original breast.
Step 7
Stop using the breast pump if you become uncomfortable or if your contractions are too strong. You can always try other more gentle natural labor induction methods, such as walking.
Tips and Warnings
- You can use a manual or electric breast pump before giving birth to stimulate uterine contractions and induce labor. Don't attempt to induce labor using a breast pump before your pregnancy has reached 40 weeks.
- Do not use your breast pump during a contraction. Stop using your breast pump once your contractions are either three minutes apart or one minute long.
Things You'll Need
- Breast pump
