This guide outlines how to go into labor quicker, with safe methods to promote the contractions.
People are individuals and therefore unique in their characteristics and development: This even applies to unborn children. Anyone who has the expected due date in mind quickly forgets this fundamental characteristic of life and fixates on the date.
So it’s no wonder that many pregnant women who are past the 40th week of pregnancy and have therefore exceeded the deadline are worried and want to know how to go into labor quicker. For this understandable reason, some people want to promote natural contractions or even trigger labor — and perhaps without any need.
Waiting for the baby in the 41st week of pregnancy (40 weeks +) can be nerve-wracking and stressful. However, it is normal — and can affect up to 14 percent of pregnant women. Like all “individualists”, some babies require more time than others: this fact alone is not a cause for concern.
So if you’re doing well overall and feel comparatively fit, there’s no reason to encourage or induce methods for how to go into labor quicker. The level of development of the child and the readiness of the mother’s body determine when it is time for birth.
The interaction of the child’s and mother’s bodies reliably ensures the optimal time and the ideal course of birth. Interfering with this perfectly balanced balance created by nature is not only unnecessary, but can also have a disruptive effect in individual cases. However, there are situations in which it is advisable to promote labor — ideally in a gentle and natural way.
How to go into labor quicker: When does it make sense?
The most important advice for every pregnant woman who wants to know methods for how to go into labor quicker is: First talk to your midwife or gynecologist. Speak openly about your fears and worries and report how you feel or whether you have any physical problems.
Midwives and gynecologists know exactly when it is helpful to stimulate contractions using gentle and natural methods for how to go into labor quicker. You can assess when an unborn child simply needs a little more time in the womb. The further past the 41st week of pregnancy, the closer the network of preventive examinations becomes , so that doctors and midwives can recognize when the time has come to induce labor.
The decision to actively promote labor is made, for example, if the expectant mother suffers from severe and persistent symptoms, if there is a risk of inadequate care for the child, if pregnancy poisoning is to be expected or, under certain circumstances, in the case of gestational diabetes. In order to prevent medical induction in the hospital, doctors and midwives will try to actively promote or even trigger labor in these cases.
The general rule for natural remedies for how to go into labor quicker is that the gentle methods only help if the mother’s body and the unborn child are ready for birth anyway. In addition, they often only take effect after one or two days.
It is therefore not necessarily advisable to combine the different methods. However, the gentle measures can be used repeatedly and in parallel: If you pay attention to how your body feels , you don’t run the risk of excessively intensifying contractions.
How to go into labor quicker: gentle and natural ways
Movement
Walks, cleaning the house and climbing stairs: moving around even in the last phase of pregnancy is good for the health of mother and child — and can also promote or even trigger labor. If you are consciously aware of your body, you will automatically avoid working too hard.
Overexertion not only makes the subsequent birth twice as stressful. It can even cause labor to pause. The body naturally knows that if you are weak, you should not subject yourself to the strain of childbirth.
Long walks or light pelvic floor exercises on a sitting ball ensure that the child’s head slides deeper into the pelvis. This stimulates the cervix and the body releases the labor hormone oxytocin, so are a safe method for how to go into labor quicker.
Belly dancing classes, yoga, climbing stairs and cleaning the home are also popular. This meets the expectant mother’s natural nest-building instinct, which occurs frequently. Note: The following applies to all movements that trigger labor: Please do not overdo it!
Bathing in the tub
Warm water relaxes all the muscles in the abdomen and pelvis and thus gives the uterus the strength for real labor pains. The water in the bathtub should not exceed 38 degrees and can be enriched with herbs or essential oils.
Note: Please never bathe alone at home when pregnant! It can cause contractions to start faster and stronger than expected. In addition, some pregnant women are prone to circulatory problems, which occur more frequently in warm water.
Bath additives that are believed to help with how to go into labor quicker include:
- Cinnamon leaves or cinnamon leaf oil
- Clove oil
- Ginger root oil
- Persian rose or lavender essential oils
Massage
Pregnant women can massage their stomach themselves or ask their partner to do it as a strategy for how to go into labor quicker. The following also applies to this proven remedy: it is gentle and beneficial — and in the “worst case”… nothing happens.
However, if the massage helps, its effect is usually delayed and does not trigger labor until about two days later. First, wet your stomach with water and then rub essential oils into the skin.
Note: Listen to your (gut) feeling: Everything that is pleasant is good. The muscles of the uterus should be gently stimulated and not “kneaded”. A recipe for abdominal massage can be:
- 10 ml almond oil
- 2 tsp cinnamon oil
- 2 tsp clove oil
- 2 tsp ironroot oil
- 2 tsp ginger oil
Sex
Not everyone still feels like having sex when the pregnancy is well advanced and the way your body feels is strongly influenced. However, sexual intercourse is effective for how to go into labor quicker — in several ways.
The woman’s movement and orgasm stimulate the muscles of the uterus and relax the muscles in the abdomen and pelvis. Through sexual arousal, the female body produces the hormone oxytocin. Sperm also contains certain tissue hormones called prostaglandins. They soften the cervix and cause the cervix to open. For this reason, prostaglandins are also used during medical induction of labor.
Note: If it’s fun and feels pleasant, then sex is probably the most natural, least problematic and most effective way to promote labor.
Pregnancy teas
Tea with certain herbs can help with how to go into labor quicker, if drunk shortly before the upcoming birth. Drink (pregnancy) tea with:
- Cinnamon
- Cloves
- Ginger
- Verbena
- Sage
- Anise
- Fennel
- Lovage
Foods
If you want to induce or promote contractions, you will find a number of effective foods, herbs and spices that have an influence on the uterus for how to go into labor quicker. Enjoy a fresh pineapple: an enzyme it contains is said to soften the cervix and thus stimulate contractions. Or refine your meals with:
- Chili or cayenne pepper
- Cinnamon
- Ginger
- Cloves
- Marjoram
- Coriander
Labor stimulation by experts
Some remedies and methods that induce contractions are very effective, but should only be used by trained people, doctors and midwives and alternative practitioners.
Cervical massage
Midwives or doctors can gently massage the cervix as a method for how to go into labor quicker. They are trying to loosen the “ ovum pole” — the lower end of the amniotic sac, which lies directly behind the cervix. In addition, the pregnant woman’s body is stimulated to produce the labor hormone oxytocin.
Nipple stimulation
Your partner can also stimulate the nipples to induce contractions — but only if a professional obstetrician is present and gives advice. Nipple stimulation can greatly promote contractions, so caution is advised. Like many other remedies, it only works when the cervix is ready for birth, but then it is very effective and within an hour.
Clove oil tampon
A tampon soaked in diluted clove oil is sometimes used as a method for how to go into labor quicker. It is inserted into the vagina by a midwife, obstetrician or doctor and ensures that the cervix becomes soft and pliable.
Alternative methods
Alternative practitioners or midwives with knowledge in the field of alternative medicine can use acupuncture , homeopathy and reflexology to help “start” contractions and “encourage birth”. Acupuncture can also help speed up the overall birth process.
Not recommended: special cocktails
There are many recommendations circulating in internet forums about remedies that promote contractions, but we advise you against them. This refers to alcoholic stimulants: sparkling wine, red wine and malt beer are raved about as tried and tested remedies, and their relaxing effects are also praised. Remember: Alcohol may have an effect on labor, but it will definitely have an effect on your baby.
Midwives occasionally use a so-called “contraction cocktail ”. The active ingredient in it is castor oil. Due to its laxative effect, this stimulates the intestines and thus the muscles of the uterus.
Contraction cocktails are not a “home remedy”. You should never mix them yourself and should always be used under the supervision of a midwife and doctor.
Conclusion
The “miracle of birth” takes time. If you “just” want to induce contractions during your pregnancy out of impatience for how to go into labor quicker in order to determine the delivery date yourself, you should think about it very carefully.
Promoting labor can put mother and baby under stress or affect the delicate, natural processes in the body. Your baby is as individual as you are and the birth you will experience together will be as unique.
Don’t focus too much on the pregnancy calendar and the expected due date. Don’t let yourself be disturbed and trust in your body and in nature!
Photo by Andre Furtado
