Ways to Bring on Labour

So, you have been carrying that special little bundle around inside you for nine months. You've cared for your bump, watching your tummy change shape from a gentle swell to a bulge the size of a small mountain. Now it is the time for your little one to make an appearance.

Unfortunately, your baby seems perfectly content to stay in his or her home, kicking at you happily while you endure heartburn, sleepless nights and a growing sense of impatience.

Is there anything you can do to encourage labour to start?

There are many tactics women have employed over the years to bring on a birth, but on the whole, it is not proven that any of them truly work.

Doctors have been reluctant to endorse any particular method of encouraging labour, but some women swear by natural means to start labour, rather than having to undergo an uncomfortable 'sweep' or having your waters broken manually.

A spicy curry, or any kind of hot food, is said to encourage the first stage of labour to start. While some mothers are certain their spicy meal caused their contractions to start, in reality, the only reaction you are likely to experience is heartburn. Your bowel is not connected to your womb and there is no reason why a meal would get things moving.

The long walk to birth?

Going for a walk is another popular method of encouraging labour. There is a modicum of truth in this, but primarily only for a woman whose baby is already starting to prepare for his or her entrance into the world. For babies that are stubbornly refusing to consider making an appearance walking will not bring on contractions, although it may feel that your baby is sinking lower as you wander around. This may be true as exercise can help encourage the little one to drop into the right birthing position, an event which in itself can bring on contractions. For labour that is already underway, walking will help speed things along. This is because an upright position has been found to be the most beneficial position to induce labour.

Sex?

If you're willing to exercise in order to try and hasten childbirth, then you could do worse than to indulge in a spot intimacy with your partner. Sexual intercourse is one of the few tricks that may have an effect on the cervix and uterus, as male sperm contains a substance called prostaglandin which ripens the cervix. When doctors chemically induce labour, the drugs contain an artificial form of prostaglandin. In addition, both the female orgasm and nipple stimulation can also cause mild contractions of the uterus. However, there is a great deal of uncertainty about whether the strength of these contractions on their own would be enough to start labour.

Get breastfeeding early?

Nipple stimulation without sexual intercourse is thought to simulate breastfeeding and release oxytocin, a chemical which not only regulates the flow of milk, but also helps labour to evolve. One study showed that in women whose cervix had already started to soften, nipple stimulation brought on labour in 37% of cases within 72 hours, compared to just 6% who left nature to work on its own. However, in order to work, the whole of the areola must be stimulated, not just the tip of the nipple. The stimulation must also continue for some time up to one hour, three times a day.

While this is a relatively safe trick, anyone who has had complications in pregnancy should avoid using this natural method. This is because not enough is yet known about the effects of the release of oxytocin.

A variety of other options!

There are a number of other methods used to bring on contractions which are best avoided by all women, unless they are under the care of a doctor. Herbal remedies are often said to be effective in starting contractions, with blue and black cohosh and raspberry leaf particularly popular. But despite being only a herbal medicine, there have been reports of birth defects being linked with their use and they are not recommended, even in pregnancies that have been very straight forward.

Acupuncture is not strictly a self-administered method to start contractions but is considered fairly natural. Some women enjoy acupuncture during late pregnancy and it has been given a thumbs-up by the medical profession as safe to enjoy, providing a registered practitioner is used. Acupuncturists claim it is possible to start labour by the right placement of the needles. While there is very limited evidence that it works, it certainly does not seem to do any harm.

Finally, for those women who have tried some or all of the above and are anxious to avoid medical intervention, there are some more wacky methods on the list which you could give a go. Blowing up a balloon has been rumoured to help by increasing pressure in the abdomen, as has enjoying a weepy film.

The unfortunate news for women desperate not only to see their precious little bundle of joy, but also to escape from the miseries of late pregnancy, is that there seems to be no cast iron tricks that will set labour in motion. But regardless of how impatient you may feel, make sure you do not expend too much energy in getting labour started. Once your contractions begin, you will need your energy for the time it takes from your waters breaking, to hearing that first bewildered wail.