Healthy ways to kickstart labor?

SamanthaC23 · July 2012

I've been seeing online a bunch of ways you can kick start labor. I know it's a chemical process inside your body but are there truly any ways to jump start labor?I've seen dancing or walking and even drinking castor oil!? I just want to know your opinion on this. I'm a FTM due tomorrow

having a baby boy

tokenhoser · July 2012

Don't do castor oil unless you want to spend a day on the toilet.

Walking and sex were a lot more fun.

ReichleyMama · July 2012

Wow, a message I can actually comment usefully on. I've had 2 natural labors. Both babies were 12 days past my due date. Both labors brought on by my midwife 'stripping my membranes.' Google it. Ask your midwife to do this at your next appt. Basically they seperate (using their finger) your bag of waters from your cervix. It is somewhat painful but a good test of how well you can relax during pain 'down there.' Had me in labor with 12 hours with both. Also, you should have sex and don't get up afterward. The level of hormone in 'that' is higher than the cream they use to 'ripen' your cervix. Nipple stimulation and walking are also known to get the uterus contracting. I've read that the castor oil trick can actually be kind of dangerous for your body... but whatever makes you 'go' should help out. So eat some Mexican food or a whole lot of raisin bran. Emptying out can help the baby to drop and put pressure on your cervix. Best of luck!

zaramarie81 · July 2012

I have heard castor oil does work quite well (actually had a friend deliver her baby in her bathtub in a couple short hours when it worked a little *too* well

). But yes, walking, sex, some herbal remedies seem to help. A midwife recently told me to remember that labor really is something that the baby participates in too, and it is the baby who really decides when he/she is ready? I am trying to keep that in mind regarding waiting for our big day to arrive!

Mrs.Reyna2008 · July 2012

A labor float is a more pleasant way to take castor oil. You can find the recipe online, basically it is ice cream, rootbeer or coca cola, with some castor oil. Also, acupuncture, foot massage, sex, walking, spicy food, pineapple and kiwi, are a few!

kami1977 · July 2012

I did accupunture and castor oil when I was 9 days overdue and went into labor. I would reccomend the accupunture as it was pretty relaxing and the needles just felt like quick stings. I would not do castor oil again unless it was that or an induction and I might take the induction over castor oil. I did have me membranes stripped twice and it didn't work for me. Basically any "natural" induction method won't work unless your body is ready. Nipple stimulation is also recommending for starting labor but I nursed my toddler throughout pregnany and still went past my due date.

CurbsideProphet · July 2012

I would not take castor oil yet. I would try walking and sex first.

skyejo · July 2012

Nipple stimulation did it for me. I was 8 days past my due date and had yet to feel a contraction. Once I started nipple stim my contractions started and I delivered DD 11 hours later.

Membrane stripping did nothing for me.

JillSandm · July 2012

My hairdresser kickstarted all four of her labors with castor oil milkshakes, so by golly I had to try it with DD. Mixed 4 oz. of castor oil with coffee flavored ice cream (you'll want to mix with a strong flavor of some kind) at 7:30pm. Diarrhea (not even bad diarrhea) started by 10pm, and contractions started at 8am. DD was born at 5:30pm that day. Now, I also tried it with DS, and all I got out of it was diarrhea. Tried pineapple with him - nada. Tried Mexican food with him - nada. Finally sex did the trick! He was born within 10 hours of having sex.

Ble55ed · July 2012

Hi! I'm lurking but wanted to share my experience. My OB was pushing me to be induced on Monday if I hadn't gone into labor yet on my own because they wouldn't let me go past 41 weeks. So, Friday night I drank 4oz of castor oil straight from the bottle. It doesn't have much flavor but is thick oil so definitely can't gulp it down. Drinking castor oil actually got stuff moving along for me but the down side is it caused my water to break so then the Dr wanted me to deliver within 24 hours and my body wasn't going quick enough. Long story short it caused me to have much more medical intervention then I wanted to have. Healthy baby girl was here 26 hours after my water broke though. IMO if you aren't being pushed for induction I think you will have an easier labor and delivery if you let your baby boy come when he is ready. Good luck and best wishes whatever you decide!

romiepeaches · July 2012

Caster oil isn't recommeneded. Not only does it make you have diarrhea and too frequent contractions, but it can make baby have a bowel movement inside as well. If he/she does that there is a chance of aspirating it and higher chance of pneumonia and infection. Not worth it. It also doesn't always work, so not worth putting baby at risk. Walking, sex, nipple stimulation are all better and safer options. Stripping membranes works sometimes too; which your doctor or midwife can do. Good luck.

overtonhayes · July 2012

I've been wondering about this too (although I'm not going to try to kickstart labour unless they threaten pitocin). I know that the female orgasm makes the uterus contract, so is it sex that (supposedly) kickstarts labour, or having an orgasm? Because DH won't have sex with me anymore...

ETA: there's a restaurant near me that claims that its eggplant parm makes women go into labour within 48 hours. Apparently it's worked for over 300 women, and they actually have posted the recipe online: https://www.scalinis.com/Bambino.htm

kristicr8 · July 2012

I've heard stairs are really good at inducing labor

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