There is only a 5% chance your child will be born on their due date. Most children don’t show up on this preselected day since they develop differently with some opting to arrive early while others need a little more time. A normal and healthy childbirth takes place anywhere between 37 and 42 weeks with more babies born on the late side – especially if baby and mother are healthy and the pregnancy has progressed well. However when the due date comes and goes and labor hasn’t begun, many mothers start to get a little antsy, not to mention impatient to get the show on the road.
Truthfully there is no cause for concern until 42 weeks has passed. Even then the majority of women can still deliver their babies safely. There is however a slight increase in the likelihood that the child could be delivered stillborn and it is this fact that understandably gets women very nervous. Because of this possibility many doctors are likely to schedule inductions for their patients soon after their due date has passed. The induction process involves the administration of drugs that mimic hormones that are naturally released by the body during labor.
Yet many naturally minded moms-to-be prefer to try to induce labor with more subtle techniques. The main reason for this being that medicated inductions tend to bring on very strong contractions that risk causing distress in the baby. Once distress is observed in the fetus, medical interventions such as c-sections are often employed.
The following techniques are often recommended by midwives, doulas and naturally minded doctors to help instigate labor once a woman is overdue. The induction techniques are all safe but you may want to check with your primary practitioner to be sure the treatment is the right choice for you.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture with a trained professional is a great way to get the labor process going. During pregnancy, certain acupuncture areas are avoided by practitioners because they may actually induce labor. Once a woman is passed her due date these same areas are specifically targeted with acupuncture needles. Lower back, thumb region, feet, calves and shoulders have points that can gently get the body ready for contractions.
In some cases one session is all it takes to bring on labor whereas 2-3 separate sessions – often daily or every other day – is more common.
Acupressure can also be used to get similar results. Acupressure means using the pressure of hands on certain areas to stimulate the movement of energy in the body. It works on the same principles as acupuncture. The major points for acupressure are the calves and the area just beside the thumbs.
Mugwort
Many naturopathic doctors that specialize in prenatal care also like to use the herb mugwort in conjunction with acupuncture. The smoke from the burning mugwort is blown onto the acupuncture needles as a means of getting it into the body. The burning of mugwort works by stimulating the production of oxytocin which encourages labor.
Homeopathy
Certain homeopathic remedies are also recommended for women that go past their due dates. Caulophylum and pulsatilla are two commonly used remedies given to women who are past due to initiate labor.
Rigorous Movement
If labor fails to start at the appropriate time, many midwives recommend their clients engage in some form of physical activity. Sometimes walking can do the trick but oftentimes the activity needs to be above their usual level of effort to have the desired effect. Hiking, swimming, and dancing are among activities women can partake in to get their hormones and therefore labor going.
Sex
Although sex may not seem that appealing an idea for many couples at this late stage, it can assist in starting labor for two separate reasons. Firstly, men’s semen contains prostaglandins that help to soften the cervix which needs to open to allow baby to come out. Secondly, reaching orgasm can help kick-start contractions in full term women because orgasm is essentially a series of mild contractions.
Evening Primrose Oil
This fatty acid is a great source of prostaglandins which help to prepare the cervix for labor. Evening Primrose Oil can be taken orally or applied directly to the cervix to work its wonders. Women can take up to 2000mg a day once past their due date. For topical application a gel capsule can be opened and then rubbed onto the cervix.
