Labour - Medical & Natural Ways To Induce It!

Pregnancy is usually one of the most important times in a woman’s life. Pregnancies are divided into four terms. These include the early term where the delivery happens after 37 weeks, the full term where delivery happens after 39 weeks, the later term where the delivery takes place after 41 weeks and the fourth or post-term stage where the delivery happens after 42 weeks.

If a pregnancy lasts for two weeks longer that the expected due date, a woman is more likely to experience complications. In such situations, it is recommended that a woman induce the labour or has it done by a doctor.

The medical ways to induce labour are as follows:
1. Cervical ripening helps in making the unborn baby anxious and come out of the womb.
2. Breaking or bursting of the amniotic sac that covers the baby within the uterus. This gets the labour started and is also known as amniotomy.
3. Using oxytocin to induce labour as it tends to ripen the cervix and making more space for the delivery around the uterus by lubricating it further.
4. Naturally occurring chemicals like prostaglandins might be used. These tend to soften the cervix to allow cervical stretching. These can either be delivered to the vagina or taken as an oral medication.

Some of the natural and most effective ways through which labour can be induced are as follows:
1. Relaxation techniques: Self-hypnosis or guided imagery may be useful in inducing labour in certain women.

2. Sex: The uterus tends to contract from the orgasm and release oxytocin. However, women with broken waters or vaginal bleeding should not indulge in this activity.
3. Nipple stimulation: Gently rubbing or rolling the nipple may release oxytocin and hence induce labour.
4. Herbs: Certain herbs like tulsi or turmeric might be useful in inducing labour.
5. Exercise: Taking a light walk or certain exercises might help in inducing labour. This might help moving the baby into the pelvis.
6. Foods: certain spicy foods might help induce labour. However, at times they can also slow it down. One should consult a doctor while doing so.
7. Homeopathy: Certain homeopathic treatments might also be very useful. Do consult a homeopathy specialist before taking any and discussing the side effects if any.

It is highly important that women speak with their doctors or specialists to talk about methods of inducing labour since some of the methods mentioned above might turn out to work for some, whereas for the others, they may not be as useful or could also turn out to be harmful. There are chances that a woman might get highly annoyed because of the delay during the post-term stage. However, one should always give different relaxation techniques a try.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!