I should note, these things aren’t “let’s go into labor” tonight type things. The only thing that I’ve really seen that with (that you could do at home) is Castor oil which I don’t recommend as it does have risks. OR medications we give in the hospital like Misoprostol, Pitocin or Cervidil. These are things, that have shown with time can soften your cervix and hopefully make labor (whenever it comes) a bit easier.

These things shouldn’t be done til’ you’ve talked with your provider to make sure they’re safe. Some of these things are NOT good for specific people — so, review your plans with your provider at around your 34 week check-up to make sure you’re all on the same page. In fact, you’ll actively avoid some of these things (like pumping) until you’re closer to 36 weeks.

While you’re there, that’s a GREAT point in time to start talking about your birth plan (and I can help with that too):

This (or any article on The Pregnancy Nurse) should be taken as medical advice, this purely educational. Please talk with your provider about your specific needs and circumstances.

One other note: These are only for people planning for a vaginal delivery. If you’re planning on a cesarean there really isn’t a reason to do this, and it may be problematic — for instance, if you have placental issues you definitely do NOT want to try these things!

AND in case you’re a listener/watcher I have a video on the same topic too:

Ok, with all of that out of the way, let’s talk about a few things I’ve found that can help:

“Special Time”

This seems to be birth worker’s favorite thing to say to go into labor. I have a whole post about it with studies linked right here:

Let me boil it down for you:

As you’ll find with all of these, that is very unlikely to “kick” you into labor.

However, if done frequently in that last month (I’m not talking daily here — maybe 2-3 times/week) it may help to soften that cervix. In one of the studies it did show a decrease in gestational age for those who did it vs those who didn’t (although another one showed you were even less likely to go into labor).

More importantly, one of them showed that people were less likely to need a cesarean section who had tried it — meaning, the hope is that it’s softening that cervix, so when labor comes — it’s more ready to let that baby come down!

Who knows if it’s prostaglandin in the sperm, maybe oxytocin released with a nice O or nipple stimulation (we’ll talk more about that coming up)… but I think this may help if done over that last month.

Is it going to be easy or fun? Personally, I haven’t found it to be that way, but maybe I’m in the minority.

You’ll also want to check with your provider to make sure sex is OK with any issues your pregnancy is having. There are things that do require vaginal rest.

Remember that the idea behind a lot of these is to help oxytocin flow — if, at any point, you’re just hating any these — I think you may be blocking your own hormones — and it likely isn’t worth it. Something to consider.

And if you have a big eye roll at just thinking about your partner in that way, I can only recommend getting on the same page with this. I get it, it can feel very heavy to be in charge of growing that baby on your own, but getting them involved can help!

Pumping or Nipple Stimulation

We have LONG known that nipple stimulation promotes oxytocin being released into your blood stream. Will it help push you into labor?

I have a whole article about it here:

As all of these, 15 minutes of pumping isn’t likely to put you into labor, but the studies do show that if done repeatedly over you last few weeks of pregnancy it may well soften your cervix.

This is definitely something you want to talk to your provider about before doing. There is a chance of over-stimulation of your uterus — meaning it contracts too much which can be bad for both you and baby. You’ll want to know the signs of that and anything else to watch for. You’ll definitely at least want to ask when they feel it will be safe for you to try.

A note on colostrum collection: I know this is all the rage right now, and I don’t think that having a few syringes of it is a bad idea, but I’m seeing people with TONS of syringes of it and I just think that might be a waste of supplies and effort. If you just want to pump and be done, that’s fine too. don’t feel like you have to collect anything that comes out (and for most people, not much will come out). It saves you in wash time too.

I have a whole post on leaking and what that means in case you’re interested in more info on it.

While I am 100% a fan of getting that pump set up and figuring out how it works — you can also just use your hands to do this. It doesn’t have to be a pump, I just think most people prefer that… Read that full article if you want more info on it.

Want to know more about “old wives tales”: about going into labor? — check out these posts:

• When Should I Start Drinking Raspberry Leaf Tea?
• Can Curb Walking Induce Labor?
• Can You Push Yourself Into Labor?
• Can a Hot Bath Induce Labor at 39 Weeks?
• Why Does Eggplant Induce Labor?

Evening Primrose Oil

This is a supplement that you can put into your body (studies seem to show a vaginal application works best) and may have some good effects. I have a whole post that goes into the studies:

This, again, is one of those to check with your provider about where to put it, what ones are best (I have NO idea on that) and what dosage would be right. ALSO, there are specific issues that make primrose oil contraindicated, including people with clotting issues or mental health issues. So, be SURE to talk with them.

In that post above I link to some studies that do show babies were born sooner by those who took this supplement over their last few weeks of pregnancy vs those who did not.

Which was honestly, VERY promising for me to read.

It also showed a decrease in cesareans — hopefully just getting your body ready, so when labor does come it’s ready!

But, if your provider recommends vaginal insertion and it’s just too hard or too annoying, you may want to skip it. Again — if you find yourself HATING any of these, you may be blocking your own oxytocin. A good life lesson for all of us!

For any friends who are in their third trimester, don’t miss my checklist pack here:

Ok, last one that’s for your cervix (I have a few other things to get the rest of you ready too, so be sure to read the full article)….

Dates

And no, I’m not talking dinner and a movie, although those are great too.

I’m talking about the dried fruit variety. I have a full article with the studies linked here:

Studies have shown that those who eat 6 days/day starting about 36 weeks have a higher cervical dilation upon admission than those who didn’t. That’s really boiling it down — more info in that full post.

To me means that it’s softening that cervix. Those people also were less-likely to need induction agents, and had a shorter first phase of labor.

The idea is that something in the dates promotes prostaglandins. I think it’s been used in areas where dates are prolific for hundreds of years by midwives — pretty cool!

This one doesn’t have a lot of cons other than:

• If you’re diabetic you’ll need to watch the sugars with them, this might not be for you (check with your nutrition counselor)
• Some people find them gross… although I’ve seen some people blending them into smoothies or filling them with peanut butter.

They’re also dried fruit that may help with constipation. Which may mean less likely to poop at delivery (and frankly, keep them going afterwards to help with that first poop too!).

What Else Can I Do?

Yeah, a couple other things:

Get Prepared

Did you know that people who took a birth class were less likely to need to be induced? I mean, that’s pretty great and it also doesn’t involve putting anything into your baby exit area.

The reality is that your own concerns about giving birth may be stopping that oxytocin from flowing.

I recommend this class. Studies have shown that people feel 60% less nervous about birth and over 70% more prepared to give birth after taking the class, which is pretty great!

But, let me stop some of your concerns about it right now:

I don’t have time: I get it, some birth classes are like a marathon where they throw information at you. This class isn’t that. It can be done in under 3 hours (less if you speed up the videos, my favorite) and it’s in less than 20-minute “birth bites” so you can get prepared fast. I get it, you’re busy — it’s just waiting for you 24/7.

I think I’ll take a hospital class: Our moms mostly took this type of class, but studies are showing these classes often fall short of what you really need. I hear far too many people saying their class just prepared them for labor stages and breathing, but didn’t prepare them for anything else happening, and I don’t want that for you. You need a high-quality class with great review, and hospital classes are hard to vet. I’m not saying they can’t be great, they can — but they’re just trickier.

It’s too expensive: I don’t know how we got to a place where birth classes at $400-$700 were the norm? Especially online ones. The one I recommend starts at under $100 and even has payments so you can spread it out. I’m a huge fan of that. Birth classes don’t need to be expensive.

In fact, in an effort to make this even LESS of an issue — I got coupon code PREGNURSE that will save you 10% on the class right now!

What if I hate it? Man, oh man — I get this one. First off, that class has a money-back guarantee. If you get in and just hate it or find that it’s not preparing you, she will refund your money. Good news on that front.

Also, if you’re worried — you can sign-up for a little mini class with her here to find-out if you’re a good fit:

Good news! You don’t even have to talk with your provider about this one. Birth classes are perfect for all pregnant couples and I think you’ll feel SO much better being prepared for your upcoming birth!

Stripping Membranes

Stripping membranes is tricky. The studies show it may work… ultimately I think that if you were going to go into labor already in the next couple of days it may “bump” you into labor. I have a whole article with studies right here:

However, if you already think that a vaginal exam is painful — this may not be the best option for you. It’s mostly a more-prolonged and painful vaginal exam. And yes, I tried it with all 3 of my kids. Worked well on one of the kids. Not a great batting average but I was grateful when it did work.

Ok….

What About Preparing My Body?

I think this is so smart, and while this isn’t what this article is on — let me give you a few things:

Prenatal Yoga/Exercise that Involves Deep Squats

We live in a society where we’re sitting far too much of the time to then try to send a baby through our hips.

I don’t know that there are studies, but I do know that people who exercise are less likely to have birth trauma.

Also, for a long time they’ve encouraged women to get into deep squat position and learn to relax their pelvic floor.

I just think it’s a good thing to do. Unless you’re in that position frequently, it can help those ligaments get their head on straight.

I had one of my favorite trainers on youtube on my podcast a few weeks ago to talk about pregnancy exercise:

Perineal Massage

This is one you again need to start early, but most of the studies do show a decreased chance of larger tears at delivery if you do some perineal massage. I (of course) have a whole article on it that explains it more:

Again, you’ll want to talk with your doctor about if it’s right for you. There are people who should NOT be doing it (any varicose veins in that area is one specific reason not to). Plus, they can show you how to do it safely and what to watch for.

But, if I was pregnant again, I would try this — even after having previous babies….

This one’s not going to put you into labor, it may just make birth a bit easier, and hopefully recovery a LOT easier (which was an area I wish I’d had more help with).

So, those are a few things that I would be doing in those last few weeks (with the approval of my provider) to get my body ready to have birth.

Honestly, it’s so easy to put-off the fact that this baby is coming OUT of your body at some point. To try not to think about it.

I think it’s so smart to prepare your mind, and your body with things like this.

And here’s where I share this secret. I’m actually the one who teaches that birth class.

I used to teach classes for my hospital, but found for a variety of reasons they just weren’t really preparing parents. The rigid timeframes were too much, and I was guided to only speak on specific subjects from my hospital.

I want you to not just be a great patient, but also to be great at making choices on your own — and that can be hard in the hospital class setting.

This pregnancy class was created for couples who…

• Want an all-in-one class for pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding and life after birth.
• Need flexibility to fit busy schedules (it’s available on-demand 24/7)
• Are looking to not only get prepared, but have a more solid relationship to bring baby home to
• Want evidence-based education from an experienced labor and delivery nurse
• Feel anxious about their upcoming birth, and wish they didn’t.

If that sounds good, you can check it out here! And, remember coupon code PREGNURSE will save you 10% — so you can get started right away!

Ok, did I miss anything? Tell me in the comments if there is something you’re trying to help your body prepare for labor. I’m always looking to research new ideas to share with you guys — so I appreciate it when you guys let me know!

The post 4 Things You Can Do to Prepare Your Cervix for Labor appeared first on The Pregnancy Nurse®.

Before we get started, if you’re thinking about this — you’re probably later in your pregnancy. Grab my third trimester checklist with a TON of great info for those last few weeks:

I should say that if your water is broken, or you think it might be — sex isn’t a great idea. That protective barrier around the baby and your open uterus is gone. While the vagina isn’t sterile adding new bacteria to the area just doesn’t seem smart. You should definitely be talking with your doctor if sex is safe for you at this point. This is just some information on what the studies show.

Sex To Induce Labor

Will sex induce labor?

If you talk to people who work in birth (doctors, nurses, midwives, doulas) you’ll often hear that “what got you pregnant may get that little one out too”

But why? Let’s probe a bit deeper (I seriously can’t use that phrase in this article without giggling )….

When you’re this close to delivery, it’s normal to want things to start already. While there’s no guaranteed way to kick off labor, understanding what actually helps (and what doesn’t) can make you feel a lot more calm, prepared, and in control.

Ideas Behind this Theory

The idea is that sex will help involves a couple of things:

Pleasure — the happier you are the more likely oxytocin is to flow in your system (which is why I always say that if you’re absolutely HATING a way you’re trying to get induced just stop — it’s likely not going to go anywhere). I have also heard if a woman has an orgasm that can help things move along (I’ve found some studies on it too, so keep reading).

Semen — if you have vaginal sex and a man deposits sperm at the posterior vaginal fornix (near the cervix) that has some prostaglandins in it. That is similar to how we induce you using Misoprostol — so perhaps it works as well? This is sort of similar to the theory in my primrose oil article.

Depending on your plans it may also involve nipple stimulation << I cover more of that in that article.

I mean, honestly all of that makes sense on a strictly biological level — but does it actually work

Want to know more about things people think puts you into labor — check out these posts:

• 3 Things to Know About Perineal Massage
• When Should I Start Drinking Raspberry Leaf Tea?
• Can Curb Walking Induce Labor?
• When to start Eating Dates During Pregnancy?
• What is Stripping Membranes? (Membrane Sweep)

There’s a lot of mixed advice out there about what induces labor. Knowing what’s evidence-based — and what’s just a myth — helps you make confident decisions instead of second-guessing everything.

What do the studies show?

People always say there aren’t studies on things like this because “big pharma” rules the world — but you’re wrong. There ARE studies on it. I have a few of them.

The grand-daddy of all studies is a Cochrane analysis — where they take several studies and see if they can pull out a common theme that the research shows.

Ultimately, they showed that it didn’t really induce labor, but it might. We have to remember that things like this are much more important in countries where healthcare isn’t available. They can NOT walk into a local hospital and be induced even if they’re 42 weeks — so they have to try things that might work but have been shown to also be safe. Sex is safe for most people at this point in their pregnancy who are hoping for a vaginal delivery, so while the research showed it didn’t really help, it would be safe to try. That’s their ultimate conclusion.

Quick Note: Reading studies (or getting the info from a trusted provider) and then applying them to your current circumstances is one of the best skills you can have. I’m so glad you’re here and learning to do that!

Let’s look at some singular studies:

This one showed that it does not significantly increase the chance of spontaneous labor.

This one showed that it might be associated with onset of labor. It did show that those who had semen deposited did have a lower gestational age than those who did not (keeping in mind if you have sex with a condom that deposit would not be made). Ultimately they did recommend it in a post-term pregnancy to try to induce labor.

In the discussion area of that article it linked to a of other interesting studies:

• This one showed a decrease in cesarean sections from those who had sex.
• This one compared women who had had sex vs those who did not and did not find a chance in their cervical readiness for labor (as reported by the bishops score). Learn more about what that means in my article on cervical ripening.
• This one showed that it did not speed-up delivery.

A note from Hilary: The main thing I’m often looking for in these studies is to compare those who did the treatment vs those who did not and if they were pregnant longer or shorter than the control group. Most of these tend to not look at that, but I think that’s the ultimate goal people are hoping for. Keep that in mind as we look at them.

This study actually showed those who had sex were less likely to go into labor before their scheduled induction vs those who did not.

Main Sources:

• Kavanagh J, Kelly AJ, Thomas J. Sexual intercourse for cervical ripening and induction of labour. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2001;2001(2):CD003093. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD003093. PMID: 11406072; PMCID: PMC7017007.
• Luigi Carbone, Valentino De Vivo, Gabriele Saccone, Francesco D’Antonio, Antonio Mercorio, Antonio Raffone, Bruno Arduino, Pietro D’Alessandro, Laura Sarno, Alessandro Conforti, Giuseppe Maria Maruotti, Carlo Alviggi, Fulvio Zullo, Sexual Intercourse for Induction of Spontaneous Onset of Labor: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials, The Journal of Sexual Medicine, Volume 16, Issue 11, 2019,
• Kafaei Atrian M, Sadat Z, Rasolzadeh Bidgoly M, Abbaszadeh F, Asghari Jafarabadi M. The association of sexual intercourse during pregnancy with labor onset. Iran Red Crescent Med J. 2014 Dec 26;17(1):e16465. doi: 10.5812/ircmj.16465. PMID: 25763253; PMCID: PMC4341500.
• Intercourse doesn’t hasten onset of labor. J Fam Pract. 2006 Sep;55(9):757. PMID: 17009436.
• Tan PC, Yow CM, Omar SZ. Coitus and orgasm at term: effect on spontaneous labour and pregnancy outcome. Singapore Med J. 2009 Nov;50(11):1062-7. PMID: 19960160.

Since I just overwhelmed you with studies, maybe a good time to pack that hospital bag? I will save you from over-packing with my list:

The end of pregnancy can feel full of questions and “what ifs.” Getting clear answers about things like this helps take away some of the uncertainty so you can feel more relaxed heading into labor.

Conclusion

The main thing I thought of during this is that people self-selected into each of these groups. They were all based on patient’s desires vs actually being “placed” into a group where one has sex and one does not.

Meaning, some of those people felt like having sex, and some did not. That biases the studies, but as you can imagine you can’t really tell someone to go have sex in a study — so it is what it is.

This means, that those who were willing to have sex likely did other things — maybe prenatal yoga, moving more, maybe they had less responsibilities at work, etc. Your desire for sex may mean things about your health & other life stressors as well.

So, ultimately, it might work or it might not. There are not clear themes between the studies, and the Cochrane meta analysis showed that it ultimately didn’t work.

Could it work for YOU?

Great question — honestly, in the studies it sort of veered towards maybe it would work — but a study is interpreting the data to the community as a whole.

That’s how data works — can we apply it to a group of people overall?

Learning to take the data and the experience from providers and then apply it to YOURSELF is one of the best things you can do.

Far too many people either just ignore everything providers tell them (not smart), or just go along with what the provider recommends without really asking questions and asking them to frame them off your own needs or priorities.

SO many people are caught off-guard by how miserable at the end of pregnancy and how they desperately want that baby out to feel more comfortable.

Then, people are caught off-guard by things in the hospital and suddenly they just feel really out of control, and no one likes that feeling.

The main thing you can do is to get prepared. I recommend a high quality birth class so you’re much more prepared for your upcoming birth. I recommend this one. We’ll talk more about why in a minute, but it’s a good one and couples love it (and how convenient it is).

Why do so many people say this then?

Because they haven’t looked at the studies.

Honestly, we know how miserable you are. We know that you don’t want to be induced but you do want to get that baby out — so we give you some options. In essence, we’re giving you hope that you have some control over this scenario, even if the data really shows that maybe you don’t.

Sex has proven to be safe in low-risk individuals and it may work as per one of those studies. So, give it a shot if you want.

Sex During Labor

Some people have asked if having sex during labor will speed things along.

I don’t see any studies on that.

I just think that when you’re in actual labor, you’re less-likely to want to do it….

And frankly, the idea of it with a study probably isn’t appealing to a lot of people.

However, pumping may help… Or nipple stimulation. Or just cuddling with your partner so you feel safe.

Again, things that feel good and make you happy may help the oxytocin flow (or at the very least, you’re not blocking it).

Another reminder that if you think your water is broken sex isn’t a good idea. Please contact your provider for more info.

Questions like this are a great reminder that labor isn’t just your experience — it’s something you and your partner are navigating together. Talking through what’s safe, what might help, and what to expect can make you both feel more prepared when things begin.

Can Sex Break Your Water?

This study I previously talked about didn’t show that anyone had rupture of membranes after sex.

It also showed no correlation between why people were admitted to labor and delivery and having sex.

I will say that I have a few friends mentioned this happened to them, but it doesn’t seem to be anything other than anecdotal.

Want to know more about water breaking? — check out these posts:

• What Does Water Breaking Look Like?
• What Does It Feel Like When Your Water Breaks?
• Can Your Water Break While You’re Peeing?
• What Makes your Water Break During Pregnancy?
• Signs Your Water Is Going To Break

Best Sex Positions to Induce Labor?

Again, no studies on this. In fact, a few of the studies say how difficult it was to really get information from patients about sex, due to how private in nature it is.

But a few thoughts:

You’re looking to deposit the semen near the cervix — so, you want something that allows penetrative sex as deep as possible

Nipple stimulation can possibly help — so that’s something to keep in mind.

Some of the studies showed that an orgasm might help to initiate the lower uterine segment — so, if you can get the big O, might be worth a try. Keeping in mind penetrative sex sometimes isn’t the best way to achieve this.

But again — if it’s just miserable you may be blocking that flow of oxytocin, so you need a position that is comfortable for both partners. That can be tricky with a giant baby in the way, and sometimes all 4’s is difficult for pregnant woman to maintain for long as their hips hurt.

Keep those in mind as you figure out a position that works for you, if this is your plan.

A lot of couples hope labor will just “start naturally” — but don’t always feel ready for what happens next. Understanding the process ahead of time can make a big difference in how confident and calm you feel when it does.

What should you do?

A few conclusions as I read all of this (and have had three of my own):

1. All of these studies were on patients who were term (or even closer to their due date). If you’re thinking you’re 37 weeks going to use this to induce labor, I think you’re unlikely to find a lot of luck.
2. Check with your provider to see what they think. Sex isn’t safe for all pregnant patients, so it’s worth talking to them about (and no, this isn’t weird for them at all)
3. If it’s safe, and you want to — might as well try it! It might work.
4. It may need to be repeated. In the studies they did seem to show people needed to do it multiple times, it’s not a one-and-done
5. Might be good to prepare your cervix if you’re going in for a scheduled induction.

SO many people are being induced for a variety of reasons anymore, and I see them fail a LOT (ending in a cesarean). I think it’s thoughtful to try everything you can to get your cervix ready prior to an induction, and this may be one of those things you start prior to it, along with dates, primrose oil and pumping.

Ultimately, this isn’t something clear cut that showed that it worked well in the majority of patients. However, some of the studies showed that it might work, but the vast majority showed it was safe and wouldn’t cause issues.

If you really don’t want to, or you start and you realize it was a mistake there’s no shame in stopping.

So often we do crazy things to make labor happen, when in reality a lot of labor just requires patience. Something I, personally, don’t have a lot of — so that was always hard for me.

AND, if you really want that baby out (and you’re past 39 weeks) maybe the best option (that has been proven to work) is to be induced in the hospital. Something to consider if you’re really just miserable.

Want to be induced? — check out these posts:

• 5 Things NOT to do Before Your Induction
• Pitocin to Induce Labor
• Inducing Labor at 39 Weeks: Pros and Cons
• 5 Reasons to NOT Get Induced
• What Happens if Your Induction Doesn’t Work?

I do want to say, as a labor nurse I get so tired of people entirely caught off-guard by things that might happen in the hospital. Things like:

• How long an induction might take
• Nurses running in your room if baby’s heart rate goes down
• Interventions like forceps or vacuums

Honestly, all of those are very normal things to happen during labor — but they can really be traumatic for patients who aren’t prepared.

Personally, I think the best thing you guys can do is get prepared for birth. I recommend The Online Prenatal Class for Couples to help you do that… It is:

• Only 3-hours long and comes in under 20 minute “birth bites” so you don’t have to feel overwhelmed by it.
• A great price — one of the best online!
• Created to make you a team instead a player and a cheerleader. Let’s get in this together!

I think it’s the best way you can spend your time right now, and who knows — with a little cuddle time thinking about your bright future you might get in the mood.

And I’m never one to stop a mood.

The post Best Sex Position to Induce Labor? appeared first on The Pregnancy Nurse®.

Before we get going, you clearly don’t want to be doing any nipple stimulation to induce labor until at least 37 weeks of pregnancy. I go into that more in my post on if you can breastfeed your husband during pregnancy (yes — I saw it was a question that got asked enough I thought it needed a thoughtful answer so I wrote a post). And, as always this is going to be a jumping-off point to talk with your provider about how it applies to YOU and YOUR circumstances.

This (or any article on The Pregnancy Nurse) should be taken as medical advice, this purely educational. Please talk with your provider about your specific needs and circumstances.

Before we get going, have you created your birth plan? I think it’s a great way to go through the choices you might need to make in the hospital in a very low-stress environment. I can help you do just that right here:

I should also mention that all of these studies were only done on low-risk pregnancies. If you have something that increases your risk (diabetes, high blood pressure, preeclampsia, any placental issues, etc.) that is something you REALLY want to talk to your provider about.

Research on Nipple Simulation Inducing Labor:

First off we’re going to look at this study. It is a Cochrane meta-analysis, meaning they looked at a bunch of studies and drew broad conclusions between the data gathered overall.

Kavanagh J, Kelly AJ, Thomas J. Breast stimulation for cervical ripening and induction of labour. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2005 Jul 20;2005(3):CD003392. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD003392.pub2. PMID: 16034897; PMCID: PMC8713553.

First off, they compared Breast Stimulation vs nothing (meaning either they did the breast stimulation, or they just lived their lives per the usual).

The first thing to know is that some of these studies had these women doing breast stimulation for THREE HOURS daily (broken-up into one-our chunks). Some of them used a pump, and some used hand stimulation — but, wow — that’s a lot of time.

Most of them only talked about hand stimulation vs only one used a pump. We have to remember that methods like this could be extremely helpful in areas without medical care and they often don’t have pumps either.

Ok, what did they see?

Little difference in caesarean section rates between those who did or didn’t use nipple stimulation.

In this study there were no instances of uterine hyperstimulation among the participants — meaning your uterus contracts too much.

This one was interesting — there was no big difference in the number of women who had an unfavorable/unchanged cervix after 12 to 24 hours — meaning it didn’t really soften people’s cervix in the first 24 hours or so. Want to learn more about a favorable cervix << check out that article.

Which leads us to think it’s not going to put you into labor tonight.

Sadly, there were three perinatal deaths all of which were in the breast stimulation arm of one trial. They didn’t discuss this any more, but it should be noted that there are risks in pregnancy and that’s why you have to talk with your provider about you, and your circumstances. It also reminds us that this might be best done with some monitoring for you and baby.

Understanding the risks and benefits is SO important to anything in labor including this. I think taking a great birth class can help you mange those better — I recommend this one.

There was a small reduction in the rates of meconium staining. This usually happens if baby is stressed in the womb, or ends-up being delivered late.

I was happy to see a reduction in the rate of postpartum hemorrhage when breast stimulation was compared with no treatment. That’s great news!

And for me — my big take away is that there was a decrease in the number of women NOT in labour after 72 hours in women who had used breast stimulation when compared with no treatment. That means more people went into labor in 72 hours compared to those who did not.

They also studied nipple stimulation vs Pitocin, but there weren’t really any broad conclusions drawn between the two (meaning they’re pretty similar).

Quick reminder that these women were DUE. I saw one study that allowed it at 37 weeks, but most were 39+ weeks.

Want to know more about other things putting you into labor? Check out these posts:

• 3 Things to Know About Perineal Massage
• 40 weeks + a day and No Sign of Labor?
• Can You Push Yourself Into Labor?
• When Should I Start Drinking Raspberry Leaf Tea?
• Can Curb Walking Induce Labor?

Ok, that’s the Cochrane, but there’s a few others I checked out that had some good conclusions:

This one DID show an increase in hyperstimulation when used (which caused decreases in baby’s heart rate in one out of 10 participants) It also tested plasma levels of oxytocin and it DID show an increase for those who used nipple stimulation. This study also found oxytocin increased with nipple stimulation

Christensson K, Nilsson BA, Stock S, Matthiesen AS, Uvnäs-Moberg K. Effect of nipple stimulation on uterine activity and on plasma levels of oxytocin in full term, healthy, pregnant women. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand. 1989;68(3):205-10. doi: 10.3109/00016348909020990. PMID: 2618602.

Schröcksnadel H, Sachsenmaier M, Reider W. Erfahrungen mit der Mamillenstimulation zur Weheninduktion [Experiences with breast stimulation for labor induction]. Geburtshilfe Frauenheilkd. 1990 Jul;50(7):569-71. German. doi: 10.1055/s-2008-1026302. PMID: 2391024.

As someone whos talked patients through this process (read more about my experience below) — I will say that when contractions get to be too much (hyperstimulation), most people just naturally stop vs Pitocin where we can just keep it going. Just something I thought about. Just because baby’s heart rate went down once, doesn’t mean it didn’t recover and baby was fine. I promise that if we monitored all of you 24/7 we’d see heart rate decelerations among your babies. They are created to be fine with it. BUT it is something to be aware of, and a important talk to have with your provider.

I was impressed by the results in this study — it showed that those who started labor induction by performing nipple stimulation for at least 2 hours had a shorter time to delivery and later received less total IV oxytocin. That feels like a win in my book.

Nipple stimulation therapy promotes uterine contractions at lower plasma oxytocin concentration than intravenous oxytocin during labor induction McAdow, Molly E.Shabanova, VeronikaSon, Moeun et al.American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology MFM, Volume 6, Issue 3, 101307

This study concluded that it should not be done without medical supervision, and said that the “lay press” should NOT recommend it. I sort of did a eye-roll at that — this is something people can do on their own… Sort makes you feel like doctors want control rather than good outcomes, but I digress….

Schröcksnadel H, Sachsenmaier M, Reider W. Erfahrungen mit der Mamillenstimulation zur Weheninduktion [Experiences with breast stimulation for labor induction]. Geburtshilfe Frauenheilkd. 1990 Jul;50(7):569-71. German. doi: 10.1055/s-2008-1026302. PMID: 2391024.

I found this one pretty interesting — while it did show some progress, most of the women actually needed oxytocin to really go into labor (but it showed they were in labor 4 hours, on average — from 20 hours down to 16 hours). That study was pretty interesting – it showed that on average women needed 69 minutes of nipple stimulation to get into a contraction pattern of 3 contractions in 10 minutes averaged over 30 minutes. Most women in the study did 198 minutes of nipple stimulation (that’s over 3 hours) But patients found it acceptable in their births. I’m sure they could stop at any time and obviously many of them did, and they went to Pitocin

The thing is that a lot of people getting induced get super frustrated by the induction process. If we can add some nipple stimulation time either at home (with guidelines for hyperstimulation or any issues) or at the hospital — maybe patients would be happier with their induction process, and feel a greater sense of control?

Elisabeth L. Stark, Zoe G. Athens, Moeun Son,
Intrapartum nipple stimulation therapy for labor induction: a randomized controlled external pilot study of acceptability and feasibility,
American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology MFM, Volume 4, Issue 2, 2022, 100575, ISSN 2589-9333,

Want to know more about inductions — check out these posts:

• 5 Things NOT to do Before Your Induction
• Inducing Labor at 39 Weeks: Pros and Cons
• 5 Reasons to NOT Get Induced
• What to Expect at A Foley Bulb Induction
• 6 Things to Know About Your Fetal Growth Ultrasound

And while we’re here — have you packed your bag yet?

Will this affect breastfeeding?

I didn’t see any studies that showed any affect on breastfeeding after using this.

Keep in mind while you pump you may get a little colostrum, which you could save in syringes, but for most people they won’t be necessary and may just be one more thing to do.

What I’ve Seen:

We know nipple stimulation causes contractions. Since I started working L&D we’ve done contraction stress tests to see how baby reacts to contractions in the womb. In order to do this we either have to start an IV and give small amounts of Pitocin, or we ask patients to do nipple stimulation.

Most patients would prefer nipple stimulation over getting an IV and having Pitocin run in. We then watch how the baby does and then if baby is good we tell them they can stop and they go home.

Most often it only took a few minutes and patients had contractions and then they were done. Most often they didn’t come in labor a few hours later — because it would cause contractions, and then stop — similar to giving Pitocin for 30 minutes and then stopping. Labor would then stop… unlikely to keep going to birth.

Nipple stimulation at home during early labor has seemed to push things along. I’ve seen this in patients who have breastfed another child during early labor and then seemed to progress quicker than others. Most patients don’t come in and tell me they tried stimulation or pumping, so I don’t have a ton of knowledge, but I have seen this.

I mostly have seen patients who are frustrated by the length of the induction at the hospital, so if there is something we could do to try things at home prior to coming to the hospital, it might be helpful.

I have also seen a lot of postpartum hemorrhages in people who have had a long induction. If we could mitigate that by using some nipple stimulation instead of just Pitocin, maybe that would give us some big benefits?

Personally, I gleaned the most from that last study — that people were willing to give it a try, did so in the hospital without issue and then went on to have shorter labors. So, I hope we study it more.

As always, we’re going to ask for more studies on this, to look at safety and actual effectiveness — but I would hope that some birth locations are coming up with some protocols where they tell patients risks, benefits and then things they need to watch for if they try this at home — and then we check results.

Should you try pumping to induce labor?

I should say that some hand stimulation (especially if done with a partner in the right way ) may stimulate things differently than you sitting attached to a pump watching TV.

Personally — I’m not sure that I really see this as a way to “go into labor”. There was that study that showed after 3 days of doing it 3 hours/day — people were more likely to be in labor than those who did nothing. But, that’s NINE HOURS of nipple stim, just to find out if it will work. It’s hard to say if that would be worth it to me.

However, if I was in early labor at home, where I was getting more than 10 contractions in an hour (because I recommend to ignore it prior to that point if you’re past 37 weeks — which I talk about in here) I would probably throw a pump on. Most of you have a breast pump, so there’s no additional cost. Personally, I doubt I’d just sit there and stimulate them by hand for an hour — but that’s me. It’s an option.

You definitely want to watch out for contractions that are lasting too long, or are super painful. If you feel those you need to stop and call your provider. Maybe that means it’s time to go to the hospital.

There isn’t really a reason you couldn’t continue trying to pump or use nipple stim in the hospital. It might be against “policy”, but you can always say you know/understand that but you plan to keep doing it — and ask them to let you know if they see your contractions are too much, too long or are affecting baby. Clearly, just doing hand nipple stimulation would be pretty easy to conceal vs a pump in the hospital. HOWEVER there’s no reason to conceal this. You tell the hospital what you’re doing, and they can tell you if they see problems arise because of it. That’s OK.

FYI, you nurse can’t give you a breast pump if it’s not ordered (that is how hospitals work), but bringing your own in gives you more control over the situation.

Honestly, knowing how to handle incorporating your own ideas into labor and birth into the hospital is one of the hardest things.

I know that once you get in that bed you suddenly sort of feel like a little kid who doesn’t get to make choices on their own.

Taking a good birth class can help you navigate making these choices and communicating with your healthcare team. I recommend this one.

Want to do a vibe check before diving into the whole thing with me? — check out my free labor pro tips. It’s your first step toward getting in the driver’s seat of your birth.

The post Pumping To Induce Labor? Will it work? appeared first on The Pregnancy Nurse®.

Before we get going, the #1 thing you need to be monitoring is baby’s movements.

The bad news: SO many providers educate about kick counts wrong.

The good news: I can give you the RIGHT way to do them here based on you, and your baby — which is what is most important.

Remember baby’s movement is always a comparison against themselves — how are they moving compared to how they usually move? If your provider has said 10 movements in 2 hours, that is WRONG — download the cheat sheet above!

Caution: Advice Ahead

This (or any article on The Pregnancy Nurse) should be taken as medical advice, this purely educational. Please talk with your provider about your specific needs and circumstances.

So, I’m just here to show you what the studies show. I will not be linking to Primrose oil or talking about how to get any because it is SO important to talk with your provider about what your plans are.

If you read this, and decide that primrose is right for you, you should be discussing it at your next checkup. You should NOT be “hiding” this from your provider. They need the full picture of:

• How you’re feeling
• How baby is doing
• What you’re doing

From what I’m reading this isn’t something that should be used prior to 37 weeks at all in pregnancy. If you’re earlier than that just click the back button, or find another article that interests you — this article isn’t for you!

Ok, with that — let’s get into it!

What is Evening Primrose Oil (EPO)?

It is made from the seeds of the evening primrose flowers, found in North America. People traditionally used it to treat conditions including bruises, hemorrhoids, and sore throats.  It contains linolenic acid, gamma-linolenic acid, and vitamin E.

Honestly, in looking at it this is 100% not something that you should be playing around with, without talking to your provider. It looks like it can have other effects that could be really problematic if you had specific conditions including mental or clotting disorders — so PLEASE, AGAIN — talk with your provider.

You can find it with supplements, it’s usually offered as a gel cap. Some people take it for other things like acne, cramps or hot flashes.

What does EPO do?

The thought is that the linoleic acid produces a prostaglandin response in the body. That would be similar to when we use Cytotec (although the results don’t seem to be as immediate).

So, similarly to Cytotec we’re hoping that it will soften the cervix.

The studies measured this cervical softening using the bishop’s score. That’s just a numbers-based rubric that we use to easily say how “favorable” the cervix is to going into labor.

Example: If your cervix is closed, thick and high up in your pelvis it is unlikely to go into labor quickly (doesn’t mean it WON’T — we’re just talking about likelihood) — as compared to a cervix that is a bit open (1-4 cm), soft and baby has moved into your birth canal a bit. That cervix is more likely to go into labor easier. I talk about it in this post on cervical ripening.

Although, they don’t seem to have a total grasp on exactly what the primrose oil is doing.

I will say that a lot of pregnancy is being given options and deciding what works best for you — in consultation with your doctor.

I know that I always felt sort of weird talking to my doctor about things that seemed a bit more “out there” — or frankly, even things that seemed mildly embarrassing, like bloating, or pain in my legs when I worked.

When I learned to communicate better with the principles in here I realized that my provider really does want to help me, but really can’t if I don’t get him/her a full picture of what’s going on.

If you’d like to be able to communicate better with your provider, feel more free to talk to them about what’s really going on, and then get more information to more easily make choices on your own I think this class will be so helpful.

How is it taken?

In the studies they had people taking it oral (by mouth) and also vaginally. In general vaginal showed increase bishop’s score vs oral — although not across the board.

There is a study that showed that oral use wasn’t effective in decreasing pregnancy time.

Don’t worry — I’m going to have a summary of all the studies I read, so keep reading.

Dosing?

Dosing seemed to be somewhat all over the place, but I mostly saw 1,000 mg dosing.

Let me quickly remind you that all supplements can put basically whatever they want on the labeling of their supplement. Meaning, you could get way more than 1,000 mg or way less (or frankly, something entirely different). I always recommend using a vitamin that has 3rd party testing. I tend to get mine at Costco because they have stronger requirements and I’m there all the time. Just a note on that. This is ALSO true of prenatal vitamins.

The start date among the trials varied quite a bit too. Some started daily at 38 weeks, some had a one-time dose, and some for 10 days. There wasn’t really a consensus on when/how long was best.

What do the studies show?

The meta analysis (meaning it looked at several studies and pulled out some main themes between them) showed a decreased the time interval between primrose administration and childbirth.

This means that people who took the primrose oil had their babies sooner than those who didn’t take it (based on the same due dates). I couldn’t find exactly how much sooner they had them…. the charts were confusing and I didn’t see any minutes listed…. and that was the only study I could find that really concluded this.

Across the board it didn’t seem to decrease active labor time (meaning you weren’t laboring for a shorter period of time)

Some did show a decrease in cesareans.

Some also showed an increase in 5-minute APGARS (although no change with 1-minute APGARS). For me, this maybe means baby like struggled less during labor — although I ultimately have no idea. It is good news though, if babies are doing better at 5 minutes, that’s a good thing (babies that have a lower 5-minute APGAR are more likely to need to go to the NICU to transition to an air-breathing world).

The APGAR is another rubric we use to easily communicate to each other how baby transitioned into life after birth — it takes into account how vigorous they are, their color, and more.

On my first baby when I heard rumors of things like this, I mostly just wondered if the item would help me contract. It took some time, and some education, to realize that it was more about the safety of both myself and my baby with the item rather than it just sparking contractions. This is honestly why most don’t recommend midwives brew — because it can have bad effects for both and baby (and likely won’t kick you into labor).

I love that this helps you know what types of questions you should be asking about interventions like cesareans, inductions, or even medications to know if they’re what you (or for your baby) really want.

We aren’t taught important stuff like this in high school, which is why I recommend taking class during your pregnancy. Luckily, that one takes a lot longer than 4 years (more like under 3 hours) and doesn’t include any algebra. Thank goodness!

Risks of Primrose Oil in Pregnancy

Some of the studies did show some risks or drawbacks. These weren’t large numbers of people who had these problems, but enough that they felt it was worth noting.

• Increased chance of meconium staining (where baby poops inside the womb – often shows baby is in distress)
• Some showed nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, prolonged rupture of membranes and arrest of descent.
• It may increase your risk of bleeding if you’re taking clotting/platelet medications.
• I’ve also read you shouldn’t use it if you have any schizophrenia issues.

Ultimately, the risks seem less than that of castor oil — as far as I can tell.

And, of course — as supplements aren’t FDA tested in the US we’re never sure how much is actually in the capsule.

Ultimately, these risks made many studies and professional organizations not recommend primrose oil because they don’t see adequate benefits, but do see a lot of risks (especially if you were doing it at home without baby being monitored).

Want to know more ways to put yourself into labor — check out these posts:

• When Should I Start Drinking Raspberry Leaf Tea?
• Can Curb Walking Induce Labor?
• What is Stripping Membranes? (Membrane Sweep)
• When to start Eating Dates During Pregnancy?
• Can a Hot Bath Induce Labor at 39 Weeks?

Studies Summarized

I pulled out four studies I found and summarized their findings here:

1⃣This meta analysis showed using EPO in term and post-term pregnant women was clinically effective in improving their Bishop score. This showed both oral and vaginal had this effect. It also increased 5-minute apgar scores.

2⃣ This one showed there isn’t enough evidence that it does cause cervical ripening.

3⃣ This study studied it in comparison to Cytotec and It showed that it DID cause cervical ripening and there were less cesareans compared to the Cytotec group (frankly super promising — I hope to see more studies about it).

4⃣ This one from AJOG showed acupressure, primrose oil and castor oil to be the least effective in cervical ripening.

On a NON-pregnancy front — one other thing I saw studied was how primrose oil might be used to help open the cervix in the days before a gynecological procedure like an IUD insertion or maybe a uterine biopsy. I know those can be really painful, so if we could prep our bodies in advance, that would be amazing. I really think we should be looking into this more, not stifling it!

Now, if you read all these studies and decide that primrose is right for you, you discuss it with your provider and they’re against the idea you can always say “I am planning to take primrose oil — is there anything I should be watching for?” Their job is NOT whether you can take it or not, their job is to explain the risks and what to watch for. I will say most providers (including myself) are going to be against this because there are risks to starting labor on your own at home. Just FYI.

When I was pregnant with my first I really thought my doctor told me what I would/would not do — but as I learned more I realized that I was always in the driver’s seat of my delivery and I got to make the choices.

In Summary

Honestly, none of the evidence was compelling enough to make me think this was a viable way to do something at home. It seems fairly similar to Cytotec in how it can soften the cervix. It also seemed to have very few drawbacks.

I was impressed by the meta analysis that showed a decrease in the amount of time people were pregnant (although, still not sure how much time it shaved off of being pregnant) — and if I was desperate to start my labor at home I might consider it as one of the better options.

Reminder: If you really want to go into labor, talk with your provider about a hospital induction — see which ultimately really seems best for you.

I think if I were to do it, I’d plan to take it vaginally (overall it seems the most effective) which — frankly — doesn’t sound fun as a 9 month pregnant woman. Also, because that area has so much more blood flow during pregnancy I’m always mildly concerned I’ll have a bad reaction to something down there. No thanks.

However, if you’re really wanting to be done being pregnant, it isn’t a crazy think to discuss with your provider. There are clearly a lot of studies on it, and people are looking into it. But, AJOG doesn’t seem to recommend it — so you at least know that going in.

It may have some promise, but again — you want to be SURE that you’re doing it with your provider’s knowledge — and knowing what to watch for as it progresses (or goes nowhere).

And, like I said above — you shouldn’t feel like ANY question is off-limits with your provider. Learning to communicate with them early and often throughout your pregnancy is one of the most important things you can do.

And, remember that YOU are always in the driver’s seat of your birth. You make the choices, you make the calls and they’re just there to consult and assist you as you progress on this journey.

If you wish you…

• felt more comfortable talking with your provider
• wish you knew better questions to ask
• or just wish you understood pregnancy/labor better

I’d recommend jumping into this. In just a few hours we can have you asking questions & laboring like a pro!

Want to do a vibe check before diving into the whole thing with me? — check out my free labor pro tips. It’s your first step toward getting in the driver’s seat of your birth.

I also have a YouTube video based on this same topic:

Sources:

Shahinfar S, Abedi P, Jahanfar S, Khajehpoor M, Chashmyazdan M. The effect of evening primrose oil on cervical ripening and birth outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Heliyon. 2023 Feb 8;9(2):e13414. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e13414. PMID: 36846678; PMCID: PMC9947258.

Kalati M, Kashanian M, Jahdi F, Naseri M, Haghani H, Sheikhansari N. Evening primrose oil and labour, is it effective? A randomised clinical trial. J Obstet Gynaecol. 2018 May;38(4):488-492. doi: 10.1080/01443615.2017.1386165. Epub 2018 Feb 9. PMID: 29426270.

Shahraki AD, Mirhoseini S, Movahedi M, Hajihashemy M, Haghollahi F. Comparative Study of the Effect of Vaginal use of Primrose Oil with Misoprostol on Cervical Preparation of Prim Gravid Women: A Double-blind Clinical Trial. Adv Biomed Res. 2023 Mar 28;12:78. doi: 10.4103/abr.abr_30_22. PMID: 37200751; PMCID: PMC10186053.

Outpatient cervical ripening and labor induction with low-dose vaginal misoprostol reduces the interval to delivery: a systematic review and network meta-analysis
Vilchez, Gustavo et al.
American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Volume 230, Issue 3, S716 – S728.e

The post Does Evening Primrose Oil Induce Labor? appeared first on The Pregnancy Nurse®.

Before we get started, a quick reminder the advice in this article is for people past 36 weeks of pregnancy. If you think you’re contracting frequently before then, please call your provider. You may be in preterm labor and we’d like to prevent that if possible.

If you’re ever wondering what to do in early labor I do recommend touching base with your provider (or whoever is on for them) to just discuss your personal situation, any complications, GBS status etc. — so you have a good idea of a safe plan for you!

Ok, without further fanfare….

Will Sleeping Stop Contractions

It may, but before you roll your eyes and click on let me remind you there are two types of contractions:

• Braxton Hicks/ Practice Contractions / VERY early labor contractions.
• And, actual labor contractions (once that are advancing baby into the birth canal with some pace).

Those first contractions (Braxton Hicks), while important as they can prep your uterus, soften your cervix and often “just happen” aren’t ones that you necessarily need to “keep going”.

They may stop and start. That isn’t to say that they’re not painful — they can be VERY painful. Which is why it’s so hard to tell them apart from ACTUAL contractions.

So, sleeping may stop contractions, but if it does — it means they weren’t actual labor contractions.

To sum it up: Sleeping will NOT stop labor. But it may stop contractions (that are going nowhere).

Honestly, it’s one of my favorite ways to tell if the contractions ARE actual labor. Take a nap — if they keep going, maybe you’re onto something. If they don’t — at least you got some rest.

Of course, sometimes those contractions are so painful that rest may be fitful or not come at all.

Be sure to check out my labor vs Braxton Hicks quiz!

What else can do in early labor?

So, if you’re not feeling sleepy — what else can you?

Quick note — one of my BEST tips about making your hospital birth the best it can be is to stay home as long as you can. When you go to the hospital too early we tend to intervene in cases we often don’t need to and you end-up with a “watched pot” scenario. I talk a LOT about this in The Online Prenatal Class for Couples.

If you haven’t gotten a birth class yet (or didn’t find the one you took all that helpful) – I have good news for you! In just a few hours you can be prepared for your hospital birth (seriously, under 3). Plus it’s available when you are, so you can shove in your “birth bites” whenever you have time (makes it extra easy to do with your partner).

While I totally recommend that class, my three favorite things to do in early labor are:

1. Sleep — I think it helps relax your body and “fills your gas tank” for labor. Not always possible, but I’m a fan. If you’re not sleeping I don’t recommend lazing around though — keep moving.
2. Cleaning — I know, I know — this is horrible of me, but the positions we have to get in to clean often help open up your pelvis and at the same time they get a task done. I 100% recommend making sure your partner is down there with you getting the tough spots to reach!
3. Cooking — Once again, you can sway to some of your favorite tunes, and get some freezer meals prepped for after baby comes home.

While everyone talks about the Miles Circuit or doing lunges (both of which I think are fine) I love the productivity and diversion that these activities provide. But, you do you — the keys are to relax, and keep moving if you’re not asleep.

BTW, a couple of those are prepping you for postpartum and I can’t recommend having a postpartum plan any more — join mine here:

Why Sleep When You’re Contracting?

Like I said above it gives you energy but most of all it helps you to RELAX. Labor is so much of a mental game. When you’re tense and worried about what comes next your pelvis feels just like that. It can’t just get into the groove, relax and let that baby descend.

When our brains turn off when we sleep it’s a big win.

The problem is, a lot of people get to labor and they suddenly realize they just know very little about birth.

They regret not taking a class and they panic.

Their pelvis feels that panic. Which can delay things, increase your stress and can cause complications during labor overall. I have a whole post on what studies show about taking a birth class.

I can’t recommend getting a class that helps you understand:

• How to manage early labor at home (bonus for tips for your partner to help you out)
• Pain management options so you’re prepped for how you feel labor (not how you think you will)
• Common interventions in the hospital so you’re not caught off-guard (bypassing birth trauma)
• How to manage life after baby (so many people forget that part)

The Online Prenatal Class for Couples hits ALL of these points. Plus, it’s available 24/7 when you are and taught by a very experienced and evidence-based instructor. It really is the class people have always wanted. Join it here.

Want to do a vibe check before diving into the whole thing with me? — check out my free labor pro tips. It’s your first step toward getting in the driver’s seat of your birth.

The post Does Sleeping Stop Contractions? appeared first on The Pregnancy Nurse®.

This (or any article on The Pregnancy Nurse) should be taken as medical advice, this purely educational. Please talk with your provider about your specific needs and circumstances.

Before we get started: You should 100% talk to your provider before doing perineal massage.

There are a variety of reasons that you should NOT be doing it and it really varies person to person. Just off the top of my head you definitely don’t want to do this if you have:

• Varicosities in that area
• Any issues with infections in that area
• Any placental issues

Also, you should NOT be doing this until your last month of pregnancy (after 36 weeks). It could bring on pre-term labor and hasn’t proven to be helpful before that timeframe anyway.

SO, once you’re far enough along and you’ve talked to your provider….

Be SURE to read to the end because the truth is the majority of people may not need to do this). I also recommend EVERYONE learn how to heal a tear and I talk about that in here.

How to do perineal massage?

It really is just how it sounds. You’re going to take a finger (most people prefer to either wet that finger with water or lube) and push down on the outer part of your birth canal. Any finger will do — just choose that one that feels the most comfortable.

I did a video where I explained it (honestly, best done with video):

You’re just stretching those tissues on the outer part of your birth canal. You don’t want to worry about going up into the birth canal — just on the outside.

Studies show that you only need to do it a couple of times/week to get the benefits. So, don’t feel like you have to do this frequently.

A lot of people MUCH prefer to have their partner do this, as reaching down there can be TOUGH. Either is fine — just make sure they’re “trained”.

Ok, so now that you know to talk with your provider, and how to do it — let me tell you three things you need to know about it:

If You’ve Already Had a Vagainal Delivery You May Not Need To…

This is why I say the majority of people may not need to do it.

Studies show that it didn’t reduce tears if you’ve already stretched that area out with a previous birth. Meaning if it’s your second vaginal delivery they did’nt recommend it.

Source: Perineal massage in the weeks leading up to delivery helps some women avoid episiotomy. BMJ. 2006 Mar 18;332(7542):0. PMCID: PMC1403252.

However, this study did show a reduction in perineal pain long-term if people did it even after having a previous baby:

Source: Beckmann MM, Stock OM. Antenatal perineal massage for reducing perineal trauma. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2013, Issue 4. Art. No.: CD005123. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD005123.pub3. Accessed 19 August 2024.

So, depending on why you’re doing it — you may or may not need to.

Either way, I can’t recommend getting prepared for postpartum anymore. I actually recommend a postpartum plan just like a birth plan — I’ll help you make it here:

It Can Reduce Your Risk of an Episiotomy

That study I linked to above showed that it reduces your need for an episiotomy… although honestly, as someone who’s seen thousands of births with lots of providers – a LOT of that depends on your provider.

BUT it seems like every study I read did show a reduction in episiotomies.

Want to know more about tearing — check out these posts:

• Your Guide to Your Postpartum Plan with Free Template
• Postpartum Essentials for a Great Recovery
• Things to NOT Do After You Have Your Baby
• 7 Gross Things About Childbirth
• Signs of Labor

It Isn’t a Magical Perineal Tearing Cure

I think people do it because it will 100% prevent them from tearing.

First off, studies don’t show that — just lowers your risk of an episiotomy a good amount (none of them that I found showed reducing risks of small tears).

However, using warm compresses during pushing, using guided pushing at delivery and sometimes just good old fashioned luck on baby’s size, positioning and how they descend can have a BIG impact on it as well.

The other thing you really need to know about is healing after birth. Most people so tear a bit on their first birth, especially. So, having that knowledge can be SUPER important.

Personally, I wasn’t prepared for it at all. I thought it would feel like a scrape, but I had an extended episiotomy due to a forceps delivery on my first and the pain was unbearable.

I just wasn’t sure how to deal with it at all, and if I’d had more tools at my fingertips I would’ve thrived so much more.

In fact, it’s why — when I made my own prenatal class I included 2 full chapters on life after baby and how to manage it. We talk about tearing, healing and what you can do to recoup faster (including how PT can help). I want that for you — so, come join me in here.

Either way, my presentation on Postpartum Made Easy as the VERY least you should do for preparing for how to heal after having a baby. It’s free (and included with a video in my main class as well).

The post 3 Things to Know About Perineal Massage appeared first on The Pregnancy Nurse®.

Before we dive in, have you thought about your birth plan? Let me help you get it ready:

I want to say that ALL of my babies (3) went over their due date with no signs of labor in sight, so I GET it and I hear how miserable you are. I have some good tips, so keep reading!

I did also want to add that just because someone is dilated, doesn’t mean they’re going into labor any sooner than you. Closed-thick-high cervixes can change very fast, and cervixes open 3-4 cm can stay that way for weeks. It’s really not an indicator that labor is coming…. so, don’t let that bother you!

Want to know more about dilation — check out these posts:

• How To Dilate Faster
• I’m 2 Cm Dilated? How Much Longer?
• Signs You Are Dilating: Symptoms Of Cervical Dilation
• How Dilated Are You When You Lose Your Mucus Plug?
• How Long Can You Stay 1 Cm Dilated?

Ok, now onto the tips!

Forget-about-it (forgedaboudit)

Ok, this one is SO much easier said than done, but the first thing I want you to do is to distract yourself from the fact that you really thought you’d be done by now! When you get busy doing other things, often the thing you’re HOPING will happen makes room to happen.

I have no idea why, but it does.

Here’s a few of my favorite things to recommend to people in those annoying overdue days:

• Review your birth class (or take one — this one can still be done, it’s not too late!)
• Cook — great time to make some freezer meals!
• Go on a walk somewhere beautiful
• Clean (I get it, I’m the worst — but I know this is productive just be sure to use safe cleaning products)
• Watch a favorite movie with someone you love
• Do some prenatal yoga to stretch out those tired muscles.

The LAST thing you want to do is to just sit there and wallow (although I have done that plenty of times, I just sat and cried the entire day before my induction last time). I wish I hadn’t — it was a waste of a lot of time and energy I could’ve devoted some some frozen yogurt with my feet up.

Thinking you have some control is one of the biggest myths of labor & pregnancy.

Fun fact, sitting in your misery actually may counteract any labor hormones your body is producing. Oxytocin is a LOVE hormone, it feels good — and you sitting around feeling BAD doesn’t give it room to do it’s thing!

Another great thing to do? Pack that hospital bag:

Induction?

Ok, the Arrive trial showed that it was safe to be induced at 39 weeks. You didn’t have a higher chance of a c-section than you would if you waited (that’s really boiling it down — I have a whole deep dive into it in the bundle in here).. Now, it did also show that the induction would likely be longer than “natural” labor…. but it did show it was a viable option.

So, to you I ask, do you want to be induced? If so, ask your provider? If they are an in-hospital provider and they refuse ask them why. Some hospitals do have a policy that they don’t electively induce people prior to 41 weeks because of how busy they are (and inductions take extra nurses and room time). BUT it is a viable question to ask from 39 weeks on.

BUT, if you are considering an induction be SURE to get all these questions answered so you have a realistic idea of what to expect:

FAR too many people are caught off-guard by:

• How painful an induction is
• How you’re more “stuck in bed” because monitoring isn’t optional (stop monitoring, we have to stop the induction)
• How long it lasts — it often can be over a day of contractions before things really get going
• How you’re much more likely to want an epidural and the requirements that come with that

Honestly, there’s a lot about labor that catches people off-guard, which is why I recommend EVERYONE take a prenatal class. The Online Prenatal Class for Couples is truly meant to be done in just a few hours… you can still get it done and feel SO much more excited for your birth (and not just because you’ll be done being pregnant).

Keep Moving

It is REALLY tempting to curl up in a ball and feel your misery. I get it, you’re tired, you feel like it’s not fair that you’re still pregnant when you feel like EVERYONE else has gone earlier and already had their baby.

But, that is your WORST plan!

Letting your baby find their best spot in your pelvis often requires moving in new and different ways.

Things like:

• Curb walking
• Rotating on a yoga ball…. (awesome to do while you watch/review your birth class)
• Small lunges (don’t go crazy, they can make your pelvis mad)
• Dancing (probably one of my favorite ways — awesome to involve the whole family)

And, like I mentioned above, cooking (shifting your hips while you’re at the counter), cleaning (being on all 4’s is an awesome movement)…. those can help too!

What NOT to do:

The thing to NOT do is to pretend that you have control over this….

• It’s not your fault that you aren’t in labor yet – this isn’t a mindset game, you can’t MANIFEST this — it is your brain, your baby and your body deciding they’re ready. You don’t have control over those!
• There aren’t magical ways to go into labor that you don’t know about — studies show most of them don’t work at all.

I felt some sort of guilt/shame by the fact that I wasn’t in labor yet when I was overdue (not helped by my mom wondering WHEN I was going to have that baby????). THAT was just plain wrong, and unhelpful.

I was waiting on mother nature, so I wish I had just made the best of it and laid around more with a fan on me.

Wondering if I’m wrong and if some things WILL put you into labor — check out these posts with studies:

• When Should I Start Drinking Raspberry Leaf Tea?
• Can Curb Walking Induce Labor?
• What Is Stripping Membranes? (Membrane Sweep)
• When To Start Eating Dates During Pregnancy?
• Can A Hot Bath Induce Labor At 39 Weeks?

Check out more about putting yourself into labor here.

I think one of the things I’ve learned in all my years on the planet is that we often can’t hurry up something. We have to just live as well as we can until it happens.

Was I good at that? No? But, I wish I had taken that advice to heart more instead of sitting around crying and wallowing. That didn’t do me any favors.

And yes, ultimately I did get induced. I’d been 5 cm for over a week when I was induced, and if I’d let them break my water once I was contracting I bet I would’ve only had like a 3- hour induction, but what a surprise — I wanted to control things.

So, if you’re that kind of person — I see you, and I know how that feels.

I will ALSO say that after going those extra days, my kids tended to be better sleepers than my friend’s kids. They were older, and often ate better. Sometimes I took that as my consolation prize for staying pregnant so long. So, hopefully that happens for you too.

Finally, I just way to say hang in there friend.

The unknown is hard.

The pain of the last days of pregnancy is hard.

People asking when you’re going to have that baby is hard.

It sort of isn’t fair that some people “get out of pregnancy early”…. but I know you want a healthy baby and sometimes this is what that entails…. misery.

Personally, I think you’re doing a great job. Just keep up the good work. And by good work — I mean propping those feet up with a beverage watching a show you love. You deserve at least that.

Note for moms on baby 2+: My kids were really paranoid by the fact for WEEKS they wondered if they would wake-up and I’d be at the hospital. That part weighed on me so hard too. It may have been the hardest to say every night at bedtime that I didn’t know WHEN the baby would come (insert guilt and shame for not being able to get her out earlier). So, if that’s you — I also see you, and it’s hard.

And, of course — I have to say come join me in my class. Couples really do actually ENJOY it. Come read the reviews here. They make me so proud to have prepared thousands of couples for great births. I’d love to do that for you too!

Want to do a vibe check before diving into the whole thing with me, or just want more tips? — check out my free labor pro tips. It’s your first step toward getting in the driver’s seat of your birth.

The post 40 weeks + a day and No Sign of Labor? appeared first on The Pregnancy Nurse®.

Before we get into it, this is just a skim of what I dive into in my book Going Into Labor Made Easy. In there I talk about how your body decides to go into labor and the things you can do to help it along. If you’re really interested in this topic, grab that.

Of course with any of these things you’ll want to be sure they’re OK for you. Has your provider said no sex, or are you allergic to dates? Then, make the right choices for YOU! AND none of these should be tried prior to 37 weeks — before that baby needs to stay inside to develop!

Ok, let’s dive into what can push you into labor:

Dates

So many swear by spicy foods, or eggplant parm — but the studies don’t really show any benefit to any of that. There are some con’s to those with heartburn and possibly over-eating and what comes with that during pregnancy.

Dates, however, have shown to soften your cervix a bit. If I was pregnant again I’d definitely follow the protocol I outline here.

HOWEVER they have to be done for a few WEEKS. So, it’s not like — I want to have this baby tomorrow, let’s have some dates — that won’t work.

It’s really easy for someone to say on social media — take DATES it will put you into labor, but it’s really important to take advice from someone with experience. I’d love to join you for the rest of your pregnancy to give some great advice like this:

Nipple Stimulation

We know that nipple stimulation will make you contract. In fact, in my early days as a labor nurse we had a test (called a contraction stress test) where we would either infuse some Pitocin into you OR have you rub your nipples to create some contractions and then see how baby would respond to them. I don’t see this test much any more, but I do know it will make you contract.

Labor Truth #1: Contractions are different than labor.

While we’re here, let me give you….

Labor Truth #2: Pain is also very different from labor.

So many people think things like jumping jacks will put you into labor, but in reality it puts you into pain and you may still be in that pain when you go into labor, but it’s not the same as going into labor.

There are also a lot of chances of injuries with something like that.

HOWEVER, just constant rubbing of your nipples may not feel great either.

As a reminder, it will likely make you contract, but that doesn’t mean you’re in labor.

You’d need to continue rubbing those nipples to make the contractions, and once you stop they will stop — which means it is not active labor.

And please don’t rub those nipples raw, you’re going to want to use them in the next few days/weeks!

BUT, fun fact did you know that this class has a breastfeeding bonus video so you can understand that AND labor? Pretty handy!

Miles Circuit / Movement

The Miles Circuit (more on that here) has gotten a lot of talk in the past few years as a way to go into labor. In reality there’s nothing really magical about the Miles Circuit — it’s more about the movements of your pelvis in different situations (meaning, if you hate one of the moves on there, you can probably skip it — might not be right for your body).

There are NO studies that show the Miles Circuit will put you into labor (but you’ll see a lot of people who say it works if you google it). You can also see my post on curb walking for similar info.

There is this study that talks about exercise and how if people do it they’re less likely to be induced. HOWEVER there was no earlier labor in those who exercised vs those who didn’t. Meaning, people did NOT go into labor earlier, but they were less likely to be induced.

This is where I remind you that if you “study” (I use that term loosely on a lot of these) anything as people get towards their due date people will start to go into labor. You need to study people at the same gestational age in their pregnancy who did NOT do the activity and compare those. Most of these just don’t increase your chance of going into labor.

Oh, and this isn’t to say that movement isn’t important. I think if you’re not asleep in early labor you should be moving every 30 minutes. Giving baby lots of ways to use gravity with your pelvis in different positions can only be a win! I have some handy labor movement cards in here.

Sex

Many people say that the act that got you pregnant will get you out of being pregnant. It makes sense. Sperm has hormones in it (similar to induction methods) and you’re moving your pelvis, and may even have the big O and then more hormones will release (including oxytocin).

However, this study showed that those who had intercourse didn’t go into labor any sooner than those who didn’t. I feel like I have read studies that people who had it in the final months of pregnancy did have a lesser chance of induction (similar to things like walking or dates) — so that could be an option.

But again — just doing it NOW won’t push you into labor. Although, doesn’t have a lot of downsides — so it’s an option. It can help you as a couple, and that’s always a win in my book. I’m a huge fan of couples!!!!!

Talk With Your Provider

So often I hear people say “I want a natural induction method”. And I sort of wonder why.

Natural induction methods may or may not work. Most often, they do not work and can have some serious consequences.

Have you talked with your provider? They may have a variety of responses:

• You’re too early — really, before 37 weeks this isn’t even something to consider. Baby needs to stay in longer unless something is seriously wrong (and in that case you need the care of medical providers).
• We can do it when you’re 39 weeks. Providers can’t schedule an elective induction until that point (one without a medical reason). But, they can schedule it a week or two in advance, it at least gives you an end date.
• Nope. Some hospitals just don’t allow elective inductions. They don’t have the room for it. And if that’s the case you can look at a different hospital or just wait. Once you hit 41 weeks they will induce you because that is no longer elective — it’s due to being overdue.

But, no MATTER what you’re choosing I’d recommend making sure you talk with them about your plans. They can let you know pitfalls of your own methods and things to watch for. This is especially important with things like Midwives Brew — which can have some consequences to you and baby. So, you need to be informed on them.

Of course, the choice you do with you and your body is up to you, but it’s fair to get their opinion on what you’re trying. That’s what you’re paying them for. They just don’t get to make choices FOR you.

This advice goes for ALL of labor. You’re getting their advice and making choices for yourself. I talk about that over and over in here (showing you how it works in lots of situations) I hope you’ll join me in getting prepared for your birth!

And, if you’re not quite sure you’re ready for that whole thing, check out the free lesson from it. It’s your first step toward getting in the driver’s seat of your birth.

Resources:

Pereira IB, Silva R, Ayres-de-Campos D, Clode N. Physical exercise at term for enhancing the spontaneous onset of labor: a randomized clinical trial. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med. 2022 Feb;35(4):775-779. doi: 10.1080/14767058.2020.1732341. Epub 2020 Mar 29. PMID: 32223479.

Carbone L, De Vivo V, Saccone G, D’Antonio F, Mercorio A, Raffone A, Arduino B, D’Alessandro P, Sarno L, Conforti A, Maruotti GM, Alviggi C, Zullo F. Sexual Intercourse for Induction of Spontaneous Onset of Labor: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. J Sex Med. 2019 Nov;16(11):1787-1795. doi: 10.1016/j.jsxm.2019.08.002. Epub 2019 Sep 11. PMID: 31521572.

The post Can You Push Yourself Into Labor? appeared first on The Pregnancy Nurse®.

If you’re in your third trimester — be sure to grab my printable pack here:

Does Raspberry Leaf Tea Put You Into Labor?

Not really. At least, from the studies.

I didn’t really find one that really showed a reasonable amount of decreased labor or earlier delivery among all the studies I looked at.

Let’s talk about this one by Bowman in 2021. It reviewed 13 studies, including some on animals to show that raspberry tea can cause relaxation in smooth muscle (the uterus is smooth muscle). In all the studies they found no correlation to raspberry tea having any reduction in labor time, or amount of gestation (meaning you don’t go into labor any sooner).

This one by Simpson in 2001 showed no correlation between raspberry tea and gestation or length of labor. Although it did show a reduction in forceps use in labor.

I should say that BOTH studies showed that the tea in either tea form or tablet form was safe. No adverse outcomes were noted with it’s use.

Something that HAS been studied and shown positive outcomes was taking a birth class. The one I recommend is right here.

Should I drink raspberry tea during pregnancy?

So, in those studies they mostly used it in a tablet form. Which makes sense. Tea is so variable as to how much gets into your drink (or frankly, how much you drink). When studying the effects of the tea substance you’d want to use that.

However, I (personally) think that there is something to the “slow down” ritual of making tea. The heating of the water, and waiting for it to steep. Smelling the raspberry smells and reminding yourself to SLOW DOWN.

Note: I am horrible at slowing down — I really struggle with it.

If you enjoy drinking raspberry tea — If it helps you feel more positive and happy with the world — than by ALL MEANS do it. There is very little that can help you do that in your last few weeks of pregnancy I’m excited if that brings some moments of joy into your life.

I’d encourage you to take that time to think positively about your pregnancy, your body, your baby and your circumstances. Envision a wonderful birth and a loving family in your future. I do think that having moments of strong positivity can have a positive effect on you — IF you’re enjoying it.

Grab my positive affirmations here:

But, if you hate tea (looking at you Ted Lasso), then this may not be the “thing” for you. Maybe you’d enjoy a walk, or some yoga, or some time with a scented candle or something.

Can something else put me into labor?

I have reviewed a lot of “can it put me into labor” on this site. Let me state a few facts I’ve found for you:

• Dates can decrease your need for an induction, but need to be started early and often
• Midwives brew has been shown to bump people into labor sometimes, but does come with risks (read: poop, lots of poop)
• The safest ways to induce labor are the ones that are used in the hospital. If you’re ready to be done being pregnant, talk with your provider about what they can do for you.

So, no — eggplant, jumping jacks or a hot bath won’t put you into labor. But you may end up with heart burn, a tired painful body, or being heat exhausted in the process.

I also just did a post where I review 4 things that can help your cervix soften before labor:

Reminder: Pain and labor are two different things. Being in pain is not the same as being in labor — and some people seem to get that confused (looking at you jumping jacks and trampolines old wives tales).

One other reminder is that a lot of these “studies” on things like eggplant are done like this:

We gave 200 women who were 39 weeks pregnant substance XYZ and 100 of them went into labor within the week. Well, SHOCKING — right? People who were almost done being pregnant went into labor.

So, it’s really hard to tell if THAT put them into labor, or being close to their due date and their body giving labor signals put them into labor, right?

Remember that anxiety about labor and birth can STOP labor too — so get prepared!

My Experience with Raspberry Tea:

Yes, I tried it with a few of my pregnancies. No, it didn’t work. but I did enjoy sitting with my feet up and breathing in the tea smells. I enjoyed slowing down and taking my time. For those few minutes I felt a bit more positive about what I was facing.

Drinking tea might be a fun thing to add to your kick counts routine:

If you want to go into labor — let me give you a few thoughts:

1. Your brain needs to be OK with it. If you have a lot of anxiety or fear about birth you may be stopping your body from doing the things. Come join me in here where we get you prepared in just a few hours.
2. The most proven and safest methods of induction are those used in the hospital, so talk with your provider about if an induction is right for you. You need to be aware of what to expect at an induction though (many people are caught off guard by how long and arduous the process is).
3. Children come when they’re ready. That’s true now, it will be true later on. And while it’s frustrating and tiresome, the earlier we learn to accept it, the better. I’m talking to myself on #3 — even as my kids range in age from 23-14).

Those last few weeks of pregnancy are MISERABLE. Do what you can to manage it. Nap more, dream more about what life will be like with this new sweet babe. Be kind to yourself. Don’t expect much of yourself (and remind your family of the same thing). You’re amazing, you’re growing a human!

So, even if that wasn’t the information on raspberry tea you were hoping for, I hope you realized that being kind to yourself is the best thing you can do right now. And feeling prepared instead of anxious or afraid is one of the most kind things you can do for yourself.

And, if you’re not quite sure you’re ready for that whole thing, check out my free prenatal class. It’s your first step toward getting in the driver’s seat of your birth.

Sources:

• Bowman R, Taylor J, Muggleton S, Davis D. Biophysical effects, safety and efficacy of raspberry leaf use in pregnancy: a systematic integrative review. BMC Complement Med Ther. 2021 Feb 9;21(1):56. doi: 10.1186/s12906-021-03230-4. PMID: 33563275; PMCID: PMC7871383.
• Simpson M, Parsons M, Greenwood J, Wade K. Raspberry leaf in pregnancy: its safety and efficacy in labor. J Midwifery Womens Health. 2001 Mar-Apr;46(2):51-9. doi: 10.1016/s1526-9523(01)00095-2. PMID: 11370690.

The post When Should I Start Drinking Raspberry Leaf Tea? appeared first on The Pregnancy Nurse®.

How do I know so much about curb walking?  Hi, I’m Hilary — The Pregnancy Nurse®.  I’ve been a nurse since 1997 and I have 20 years of labor and delivery experience (plus, I’ve had 3 kids of my own).  I know a lot about how the pelvis works as you head into labor and I think I’m a great resource for this one!

Will Curb Walking Induce Labor?

There are no studies on curb walking, unfortunately, so I’m going to have to go off knowledge of the body and seeing people do it on their own.

I do not think that curb walking will INDUCE labor.  That means, that even if you go 5 miles around your neighborhood you will HURT but you likely won’t go into labor.

And, if you take nothing more away from this article than this, it’s that…

Pain is different than labor.

Remember this!

I really think that people THINK they’re going into labor because of how much it hurts after they do stupid things like lots of stairs, or jumping jacks, spicy foods or jumping on the trampoline!  But that isn’t labor.  That’s hurting — needless pain!

However I do think that curb walking can help augment labor, and small amounts of it can put your body in a good place to go into labor.

And while you’re here, grab my Signs of Labor Checklist to see if you’re going into labor:

How to Curb Walk?

It’s just like it sounds (you do need a curb to do it, although I’ve seen some women try to replicate it with high heels I don’t recommend it as your sense of balance will be off).  You put one foot up on the curb and the other one is in the gutter.  You then walk that way, and then turn around and give the other side a chance to be up on the curb/down in the gutter. 

As you can tell, it’s pretty simple!

You know what else is simple? Getting prepared for birth!

How can Curb Walking Help?

I really think it’s the jarring motion of up and then down and then up (etc — be sure to switch sides so not always one side is getting the “down”) may help baby find their best way into your pelvis.

I also think that the angle your hips are at (remember to switch sides) isn’t how we normally are, and that can help baby find a good place, and perhaps help your pelvis open for baby to descend better (possibly also causing you to dilate).

Some people have also reported that the jarring nature of curb walking helped their water break, but I hear many more people that it did NOT do that. I have a whole post on what makes your water break you might find interesting.

How would I use curb walking?

If it was me, and I was starting to feel some cramping and didn’t feel like sleeping I might consider a short curb walk.  I just think that motion can help your baby move more into labor.  I would maybe alternate some curb walking with sitting on a yoga ball and doing some hip circles.  That will also help stretch out those tired leg muscles.

There is also something monotonously comforting about curb walking like we did it in second grade walking home. Take someone you love and go on a nice walk with them and dream about your future.  That will also help the oxytocin flow.

Why won’t curb walking induce me?

In order for your body to decide to go into labor and give birth your brain, your baby and your uterus all have to decide it’s time.  Many “natural” methods of induction really don’t work.  The only proven methods are the ones that we use in the hospital (you can learn more about those in my induction guide).

When your body decides that it puts off hormones to help soften your cervix, it creates contractions that push against that softened cervix to help push baby into the birth canal.

And that’s labor in a nutshell.

What other things can I do to speed up labor?

Other things could be lunges, using the birthing ball (to rotate, NOT to bounce), sleep can also help.  You’re looking for activities to help open your hips and that feel good (because oxytocin wants to flow most when you’re happy).

So, those are my best tips for curb walking.

However, is your brain in gear for labor?  Remember IT needs to get into the game too and if you’re nervous about labor sometimes THAT is the thing stopping you.  

The Online Prenatal Class for Couples is the easy way to get prepared for birth.  It can help your head be ready so when your uterus and baby are ready, your brain’s like “let’s go!”  It can be done in less than 3 hours and it’s GREAT to do while rolling on your yoga ball!

Or, if you’re not wanting to learn ALL about labor grab my guide: Going Into Labor Made Easy where we talk just about my best tips to go into labor!

The post Can Curb Walking Induce Labor? appeared first on The Pregnancy Nurse®.