Methods of Natural Labor Induction
or
Will Castor Oil or Eggplant Start Labor?
Labor Inducing Eggplant Parmesan
One of the methods of self-inducing labor that's been
sweeping the internet in recent years is the myth that
eggplant will send you into labor. This myth started when a
news story began circulating the country about a restaurant
in GA, named Scalini's. Apparently over 300 babies have been
born in the past 23 years, within 48 hours after their
mothers had eaten Scalini's eggplant parmegiana.
The interesting part is, it may just be that the dish causes
the women to go into labor, but it's not the eggplant that
does the inducing. The herbs Oregano and Basil have
properties that may cause contractions, though it is not yet
known how or in what quantities. This is why, in alternative
health circles, these herbs and essential oils are to be
avoided whenever possible during pregnancy.
Sex to Induce Labor
Semen contains prostaglandins. Prostaglandins cause the
cervix to "ripen", or soften and prepare to open. While it
is debatable whether there are enough prostaglandins in
semen to have any effect, it is not a terrible way to keep
hope alive and while away the last weeks of your pregnancy.
Another great benefit: orgasm produces oxytocin, the hormone
that causes contractions. So, between the two, there is a
pretty good recipe for labor.
Evening Primrose Oil and Red Raspberry Leaf Tea
Neither will induce labor. I will repeat this at the end of
this section, to make sure you understand this, as there is
a lot of confusion and misconception surrounding these two
substances.
Evening primrose oil is an excellent source of
prostaglandins, which we already determined readies your
cervix for labor. It can be taken orally as soon as 34
weeks, and can be applied directly to the cervix at full
term (36 weeks). The general recommendation is two 500mg
capsules per day until week 38, at which time you increase
to 3-4 per day.
The entire capsule can be inserted vaginally (inserted just
before bed, it will dissolve before the first time you wake
to use the bathroom), or you can use the oil on your fingers
for your perineal massage, then also rub on your cervix
(assuming you can reach it). Applying directly to the cervix
is great, but the beneficial ingredients are absorbed
through the external skin or the stomach also.
Red raspberry leaf tea is a uterine tonic used by Native
Americans for thousands of years. It tones your uterus by
helping to "focus" your Braxton Hicks contractions. It helps
your uterus do more effective exercising while you are
pregnant, if you will. It does not "cause" contractions and
can be safely used throughout pregnancy.
It is contraindicated for those having complications "just
in case", however, by most doctors who do not understand its
use. I safely used it from the moment I learned I was
pregnant at six weeks until months after I delivered, with
both of my children. (It helps to tone the uterus after
delivery as well, shrinking it back to size more quickly and
reducing bleeding. It is also purported to have milk supply
increasing proprties. See
http://www.evalillian.com/lowsupply.aspx)
Again, neither of these actually causes labor to start!
Castor Oil to Bring on Labor
First let me just say that I do not recommend this method.
That is because I used it with my second child (Eva) and it
was just about the most horrible mistake I could have made
(other than maybe getting another epidural, anyway). Read my
http://www.evalillian.com/Articles/BirthStories/JessicaHBirbirth story for details thStory.aspx.
The theory behind this induction method is that the castor
oil causes diarrhea (boy, does it ever!) and the diarrheal
cramps cause sympathetic cramping in your uterus. This is
another of the methods that "won't work if you're not
already ready anyway", as the sympathetic cramping will be
ineffectual if all conditions are not already optimal for
labor. In my case, my contractions began 10 minutes after my
first dose of oil, hours before the diarrhea began.
Therefore, it could not have been the castor oil that
brought on labor in my case, and I caused myself all that
trouble for nothing.
There has been much debate over whether taking castor oil to
induce labor will cause the baby to have its first bowel
movement in the womb before birth. This pre-birth bowel
movement, called meconium, can be dangerous, because if baby
inhales some of it it can cause pneumonia in the lungs. It
is also a widely-held signal that the baby is in some sort
of distress.
I am the self-professed queen of research on any and all
pregnancy and breastfeeding-related topics, and in all my
scouring I've found that most professionals agree that this
is untrue. They have found that there is no increased
occurrence of meconium in castor oil induced labors over
spontaneous labors.
Nipple Stimulation to Self-induce
This is a practice often recommended by midwives when a
woman is long past due or when labor is stalled. Nipple
stimulation causes the release of oxytocin, the same hormone
that causes uterine contractions.
Many women report, however, that the contractions produced
from this method are much stronger and more painful than
natural labor, but are not any more effective. Please note:
In order to use this method for induction, you must
stimulate the nipples for long periods of time. The usual
recommendation is 15 minutes of continual stimulation on
each nipple each hour for several hours.
So, the amount of stimulation you may get during lovemaking,
or while nursing an older child or pumping your breasts
while pregnant will not cause you to go into labor.
Acupressure/Acupuncture for Inducing or Augmenting Labor
There are two points on your body that will cause uterine
contractions. They are always warned against during
pregnancy, though they are widely believed to be another
labor inducing method that will not work if you are not
already ready to deliver. I used them many times during my
final weeks of off and on labor, to try to keep things
moving when it would start. While it kept the contractions
coming, they never got any more intense and would just peter
out after I stopped the stimulation.
These points are about four finger-widths above the inner
ankle on your calf, and in the webbing between your thumb
and forefinger. You will know when you've found the spot
because it will be very sore. You rub your calf, or pinch
the webbing on your hand, in a circular motion for 30-60
second at a time, taking 1-2 minute breaks in between. Read
Natural Pain Relief Techniques for Childbirth Using
Acupressure for more info
http://www.evalillian.com/Articles/BirthStories/JessicaHBir(link to thStory.aspx)
Stripping Membranes for Natural Labor Induction
There is a procedure your doctor or midwife can perform
called "stripping" or "sweeping" your membranes. The
healthcare professional will insert their finger(s) into
your cervix and sweep from side to side, pulling the
membranes (bag of water) away from the mouth of the cervix
and the lower uterus, and in the process stretching and
irritating your cervix. Sometimes this will generate local
production of prostaglandins and enough of the necessary
hormones to start labor. Sometimes it takes 3 or 4 attempts
to begin labor.
Many women find this to be a very uncomfortable, if not
painful, procedure. This is a medical intervention and
should be taken as seriously as any medical induction
method. Herbs and Homeopathic Remedies All substances that
would fall in this category, such as Blue and Black Cohosh
are general considered to be as unsafe as medical
interventions, and if they are to be used must be used only
under the recommendation and supervision of your doctor or
midwife.
Copyright: Eva Lillian Maternity, LLC(c) 2004 All rights
reserved.
Jessica Hudson is owner of the sexiest store for Maternity
Clothing, Nursing Clothing, and Transitional Clothing [link
"Maternity Clothing, Nursing Clothing, and Transitional
Clothing" to
http://www.evalillian.com ] on the web. She is
an avid researcher of everything baby, pregnancy and nursing
related. To receive monthly coupons and more articles like
this, sign up for Eva Lillian's newsletter [link "sign up
for Eva Lillian's Newsletter" to
http://evalillian.com/CustSignIn.aspx?eturnPage=CustProfileMain.aspx&?referrer=ariclelists ].
Cute Baby Clothes
What happens when you disagree with your pediatrician Learn how doctors induce labor See the three most common methods for inducing labor and learn the pros and cons of induction for you and your baby. Watch the video How did you choose your hospital How often do you call the doctor's office for advice Do you ever ignore the advice your child's doctor gives
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