Back on the farm when Ma was delivering babies while milking the cow and shucking the corn (we've always been multi-taskers), Ma certainly wasn't reading up on what the type of birth the (then-nonexistent) Internet was telling her she should have. Instead, she relied on what worked for others for thousands of years before her: trusting the innate wisdom of her body and following its lead. Although I don't know if you have a cow handy, and much less whether you milk it, I do know there was a lot of wisdom to Ma's natural approach. When the time comes, you can trust your body, too.
What happens, though, when your body just isn't ready to have your baby, and (shuck that corn!), it's time, already? When labor just isn't coming despite the calendar *and* your body giving all the signs that baby is ready, there are natural ways to induce labor if your doctor is getting "uncomfortable" waiting (oh, the irony), and if you have no medically necessary reason to be induced.
Here are a few of the popular, time-tested natural ways that "Ma's" around the world have tried to induce labor. I tried these methods, too, when I was closing in on eight (8!) days past my due date. These might help your body and your baby agree that YES, it's time to deliver!
- Acupuncture/acupressure (gave me contractions, but didn’t send me into labor)
- Long, brisk walks (gave me contractions, but didn’t send me into labor)
- Sex (gave me contractions, but didn’t send me into labor...and please don't tell my parents that I ever had sex; I'm told that fantasies of immaculate conception work both ways)
- Spicy food (gave me bad breath, but didn’t send me into labor; on the bright side, it didn’t give me any more of those stupid, unproductive contractions)
After those didn't work for me (but have for many mommies!), I tried more desperate measures:
- The earthquake simulator at the local museum (the magnitude of 9 did nothing but send every observer of my "extreme pregnancy condition" into near cardiac arrest; I don't recommend this tom foolery, regardless)
- Hand washing the floors (gave me contractions, but didn’t send me into labor--and yes, I consider manual labor at what felt like 400 months pregnant a desperate measure)
- Castor oil (didn’t try this one; I figured I’d end up vomiting the baby out if I tried a teaspoon of it--plus, it looks to be much better as a beauty product than something to consume)
- A visit to a chiropractor who can give you a pelvic adjustment (THIS is what ultimately worked for me in conjunction with the next point, although you have to find a chiropractor who knows how to work with pregnant women – not just any chiropractor)
- Stripping your membranes (your doctor does this; it doesn’t feel awesome and makes you kind of cramp-y, but it’s not terrible)
Needless to say, always consult your healthcare provider for guidance. When the time is right, however, know that your baby will, indeed, come out. Your body will know just what to do. If anything is, childbirth is the epitome of improvising!
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Our local guest writer is Sarah R. Moore, a creative and technical writer, an editor, a recovering perfectionist, and a bold and confident introvert. She’s an optimistic world traveler who loves her family, both biological and not, and who cherishes snail mail. Follow her blog at dandelion-seeds.com.
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