7 Ways to jump-start labour!

As a first-time mom, I was very excited and anxious to meet our little bundle. So at 37 weeks I went on the internet and found some old remedies that would help bring on labour naturally! So here is a list of things to help induce labour naturally.

 

 

How to bring on labour naturally!

When your 38+ weeks pregnant it can be very uncomfortable… you can find yourself dreaming of labour and counting the days till you get to hold your little bundle!

1. Walking.

Walking can really help induce labour naturally and help move things along. When I was 38 weeks pregnant I had just had a stretch and sweep done and didn’t want it to go to waste so I decided to go for a little walk to the store to get some chocolate chips to make banana bread… great idea to help things along however I would suggest a short walk and don’t walk anywhere where you will have to walk uphill… bad mistake I made and I was seriously struggling to get home… my dog was whining looking at me and I was on the verge of calling my husband to come pick me up ( however I’m super stubborn and was determined to get home on my own since it was my idea). Walking will help the baby push their head down on the cervix to help thin it out. If you can’t go for a walk even walking around in your house will help.

2. Bouncing.

Bouncing on an exercise ball pushes the babies head on the cervix which helps thin it out. This will also help with rotating the baby if it’s in a breached position and even help with strengthing your core muscles which will help with delivery. I would sit and bounce on my exercise ball while watching T.V. I found it more comfortable. I found it too hard to get comfortable on the couch with the millions of pillows I would need and then if I had to get up it was next to impossible unless my husband was home to help. The Exercise ball was a great alternative. I would suggest purchasing one for their multiple uses…They are great for inducing labour, they are great labouring tool and even help calm a crying baby by sitting and bouncing ( the bouncing motion reminds them of the womb )

3. Red Raspberry Leaf Tea.

I read that red raspberry leaf tea would help the uterus bring on contractions while pregnant. I decided to give this a try. I was drinking about 5 cups of tea a day and would bounce on my exercise ball at the same time. During my research on red raspberry leaf tea, I read that you should drink it for two weeks before you want to help induce labour naturally. I also came across that it helps with delivery and labour time.

Now I was drinking the tea for about 2-3 weeks and then had a stretch and sweep done. I drank 8 cups of tea and bounced on my ball the day I went into labour. I was in labour for only 8 hours. I don’t know if the tea helped or not but I will be doing it again for my seconded just in case.

4. Spicy Food.

Everyone hears that spicy food can help induce labour naturally, I don’t know if its true or not but I do know that I had a big craving for spicy food while pregnant and that I went into labour at 38 weeks. It could be a coincidence or it could be true but I ate a lot of spicy food… food that’s way too spicy for me to eat now.

5. Sex.

Just practice making babies … might as well since it will be at least 6 weeks till you can practice again. Plus I’ve read it helps. 😉

6. Warm Bath.

A nice warm bath can help induce labour naturally ( especially after all that practicing you just did ). Your body will have a hard time starting labour if you are tense and stressed so by relaxing in a warm bath, with some candles and gentle music you are giving your body and baby the chance to do what it needs to do to bring on labour. Think of it this way, when your upset and angry your body tends to tense up and you clench down. Your body needs to be fluent and relaxed for your body to be able to slowly move your baby down to the proper position.

7. Visualization.

visualization was key for me. it probably helped me the most. I didn’t know HOW much it would help me till I was in active labour. I was lucky enough to snag the labouring tub at the hospital we delivered at. With the lights dimmed and my husband silent as could be, I was able to control the pain more. Each contraction when it started I would breathe in the pain and then as I exhaled I would visualize my baby slowly moving down. Now I understand I used visualization while in active labour but I believe that with the combination of everything listed above and visualization it could be very beneficial to inducing labour naturally.

 

So lets review!

• Walking.
• Bouncing.
• Red Raspberry Leaf Tea.
• Spicy food.
• Sex.
• Warm bath.
• Visualization.

These are just some of the things that helped me bring on labour. Everyone is different and some of the tips might not work for you, these were just some of the things I believe helped me.

I hope my tips help and that everyone has a safe delivery! Please leave a comment below on what helped you bring on labour and how your delivery went!