Fed up waiting for your contractions to start? Give your labour a kick-start with a few old wives’ tales
THOSE LONG days – and sometimes weeks – after baby’s due date has come and gone can be very frustrating. I speak from experience as I was a full two weeks over on number one and eight days over on number two.
While expectant parents can console themselves with the knowledge that less than 5 per cent of babies actually arrive on the day they’re expected – most are born anytime from 38 to 42 weeks – it might be worth giving nature a helping hand.
There are plenty of old wives’ tales advocating methods of gently nudging baby into the world – my mum encouraged us to get into the car and drive over speed bumps, my friend Debbie advocates blowing up balloons and at least one Dublin midwife of my acquaintance swears by pineapple.
One or more of these techniques may work for you, but do discuss them with your midwife, GP or consultant first if you have any concerns.
1. WALKING
Perhaps the simplest and least invasive way to encourage baby into a good position for birth and stimulate contractions is to go for a gentle walk every day. Gravity plays its part in ensuring that baby’s head becomes engaged and starts to do the work required to promote labour.
The science suggests that the pressure of baby’s head pressing down on the cervix promotes the release of oxytocin, the hormone that stimulates birth. While gentle exercise is beneficial in pregnancy, expectant mums should take it easy and now is not the time for power walking. Labour can be exhausting and you should conserve energy for what lies ahead.
2. RASPBERRY LEAF
Raspberry leaf is generally recommended for the final trimester as it is thought to act as a uterine tonic, helping prepare the muscles of the uterus for labour. However, although it may be beneficial, there is no evidence to suggest that copious cups of raspberry leaf tea will actually encourage the onset of labour.
Benefits identified by one recent Australian study include the speeding up of the second stage of labour and a reduced likelihood of forceps delivery.
This natural substance is thought to enrich breast milk as it is nutrient rich. Readily available from healthfood stores, it can be taken in the form of a tea or a tablet, depending on your preference.
3. SEXUAL INTERCOURSE
Although it might be difficult to get into the mood during the later stages of pregnancy, sex is a perfectly safe and commonly suggested method of natural induction.
Medical science suggests the prostaglandins contained in semen help to ripen (soften and thin) the cervix. In addition, when a woman experiences orgasm, oxytocin is released, helping the onset of labour.
A limited number of studies have produced varying conclusions. Midwife Ina May Gaskin, pioneer of natural birthing initiatives and former president of the Midwives’ Alliance of North America, is quoted as saying, “What gets the baby in, is what gets the baby out!”
4. ACUPUNCTURE/ACUPRESSURE
Acupuncture has been used for millennia to induce women in the late stages of pregnancy.
Andrew Orr, a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner and specialist in fertility, pregnancy and gynaecology, has worked extensively in Chinese hospitals. He has published findings claiming that induction using just one session of acupuncture has worked for most of his patients within six to 48 hours.
Women must attend a qualified traditional Chinese medicine practitioner or registered acupuncturist with experience working with pregnancy and should inform their medical practitioner first. Acupressure offers a less invasive technique that can be practised at home by simply applying pressure with your fingertips to the same energy points used in acupuncture.
5. EVENING PRIMROSE OIL
Evening primrose oil is credited with alleviating the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and is thought to emulate prostaglandin, which ripens and softens the cervix, helping the baby’s head to engage deeper into the pelvis.
Ripening the cervix will trigger the onset of labour only in a woman whose body is ready for the process to begin. Studies undertaken to date are limited and inconclusive.
However, it is often recommended as a dietary supplement in pregnancy. A natural source of essential fatty acids, it has been associated with an increase in the total fat content of breast milk.
6. NIPPLE STIMULATION
The objective is to replicate the suckling action of a newborn and release oxytocin. Therefore it is necessary to massage the whole areola (the dark area around the nipple); a quick tweak won’t do.
It’s recommended that at least 20 minutes is spent gently rubbing or rolling your nipples with your fingertips.
The effectiveness of this method is supported by the findings of a small study of 700 women, which reports that almost 40 per cent of the women who engaged in nipple stimulation went into labour within 72 hours compared with less than 10 per cent of those who did not.
7. CURRIES AND SPICY FOOD
Anecdotally, eating spicy food is often touted as an effective way to naturally induce labour. In reality, this theory may arise out of a simple mis- understanding.
One of the less frequently acknowledged signs of labour is a loose bowel motion or diarrhoea. As the cervix and bowel share a common nerve, the softening cervix can stimulate the bowel.
However, the reverse is not the case, and there is no reason to believe that stimulating the bowel will stimulate labour. You may just end up with an upset tummy and a case of the runs.
8. PINEAPPLE
As well as being healthy and tasty, pineapple contains the enzyme bromelain, which is thought to help to soften the cervix and possibly bring on labour.
The problem arises from the fact that only minute amounts of this enzyme are present and, therefore, the quantity required – as many as eight – may simply be off-putting. This adds to the uncomfortable reality that eating large quantities of pineapple may cause diarrhoea. If you do decide to give this a try, remember the pineapple must be fresh; bromelain is destroyed by canning.