Ways to Help Naturally Induce Labor

You are past your due date and your provider is talking about induction and yet you do not want to induce if possible. The question that comes after this talk: is there anything I can do to start labor on my own? There is a lot of question about this as some things work well for some people while others have no success. With my first I tried a lot to make myself go into labor, but nothing worked. I have talked to others that the first thing they tried helped them go into labor. Ultimately, only God can start your labor and sometimes He allows your efforts to push you on over.

With that being said, here are some things that may or may not help you go into labor.

First I suggest you pray, because God is the one who will make labor happen!

Walking- This one is completely up in the air as to whether or not it helps, hinders or has no effect at all on labor. Do not walk until exhaustion, but feel free to try walking as it will not hurt you.

Sex- Sex is one of the best options as long as you are healthy for a few reasons. Semen has prostaglandins in it that help prepare the cervix for labor and can then kick you into labor. It also helps with intimacy and preparing you together for what's to come. There are other techniques I will mention that can be implemented during your time together.

Nipple stimulation- This can be very effective as it releases oxytocin, which is the natural form of pitocin, into your body. You must pay very close attention to your body so you do not over stimulate your uterus leading to contractions that are too long or too frequent. This site has a good basic process to follow.

Acupressure- This can actually feel really nice as it is more of a massage technique. There are 2 primary places to use: 1) The webbing between the thumb and forefinger and 2) 4 fingers above the ankle on the inside of your leg. The spot on your leg is really nice for helping to relax while someone massages your ankles. See this link to learn the process.

Food- There are some foods that may help you go into labor. Some that are out there include: pineapple, spicy food, eggplant parmesan, date fruit, curry, Chinese food and licorice. There is no definitive research to back up any of these, but it can't hurt to try.

Blue or Black Cohash- These are herbs and need to be handled with great care. Please consult your healthcare provider before trying one of these.

Castor Oil- This is another method that should be used with great care. You drink castor oil  or add it to your food causing the bowels to be stimulated, which stimulates the uterus. I have talked to many women who have had success with this. It can cause severe diarrhea. There is also some question as to whether or not it can cause the baby to have a bowel movement in utero. Ask your care provider before using it and use wisdom.

These are just a few well known options. Again pray for wisdom and for God to bring out labor. If you are unsure of anything ask your health care provider.

Have you tried to induce labor naturally? What did you use? Was it successful?

Updated from "Are There Ways To Induce Naturally" on February 18, 2014

How Do I Prepare for A Non-Medicated Birth?

This is a question I am asked quite frequently, especially since I have had 5 births without an epidural. I'm sure everyone who has had natural, unmedicated labor has different things they would advise, so here are some general tips.

1. Pray a lot! And when you think you have prayed all you can pray some more. Seriously, I could not have gotten through any of my labors without a lot of prayer. Many of my prayers reflect Psalm 23 or simply asking God for help and strength to get through this contraction.
2. Know what helps you to relax. This is going to be different for everyone. Maybe it's music. Maybe it's having some one massage your back, feet, hands etc. Perhaps silence with minimal lighting. Know yourself and know what is going to help you to be calm in an intense time.
3. Practice relaxing before you're in labor. Set aside a couple times each week at the very least to practice relaxing your body in the type of environment you would like to have for your labor. For example, if you plan to have music, put it on and practice relaxing with it. As you get closer to your due date, make this more frequent, with practice as many days as possible by 35 weeks. 
4. Memorize Scripture. This is such a great way to help you mentally concentrate on the Lord and not your circumstances. Find a Psalm or passage that really speaks to you and your relationship with God and focus on it. 
5. Plan to stay home as long as possible. You might think I'm a bit crazy with this one, but if you are healthy, the baby is healthy, your labor is progressing normally and your water has not broken, stay in your own environment as long as possible. Once you enter the hospital you are on their turf, their timetable and it becomes more difficult to get comfortable and relaxed. I have not had this luxury with most of mine, and am hoping this will be the case for my next one as my third, where I was home the most, was my best as a whole.
6. Do Exercises. These help prepare your body for the stretching and pressure that come with giving birth. I find these very helpful to do regularly, daily if at all possible.
7. Expect it to be hard. I really wish I had been better at this during my last labor. Because I had had fairly easy labors previously, I had forgotten that labor can be very hard. Prepare mentally for the worst and hopefully it will not be as bad as you are expecting.
8. In labor, take each contraction as it comes. Once you think, "Is it going to get worse than this?" you are already on your way to needing medicine. Instead say, "OK, here it comes," then relax as you have practiced. Contractions will get more intense toward the end, generally speaking, but if you take each as it comes, you will likely make it. 
9. In labor, ask your providers not to ask you if you want medication. They generally will tell you what medicine is available to you, but afterward you can say thank you for letting you know and that you will let them know if you need anything. 
10. Know who you want in your room ahead of time. If you want the bare minimum number of people, then arrange that. Let people who might want to be there know that you desire for them to wait until after the birth. If you have unwanted guests and are uncomfortable saying something you can always ask your nurse or provider to be the bad guy and tell people to leave. If you want many, know that some places will not allow more than 3 or so extra people. Find out what the policies are where you are planning to deliver.

What is your advice? How do you prepare for a natural labor?

Revised from "Tips for Preparing for Natural Labor" on "Childbirth Conversations", May 15, 2014

Evening Primrose Oil

I turned 35 weeks this week, which always is exciting for me because it means I'm really close to meeting my new baby and I can start evening primrose oil (EPO). EPO comes from a plant in North America and Europe and is a natural source of prostaglandins. Prostaglandins are what help the cervix ripen to be ready for labor. When I worked in Atlanta, I worked with many women from other countries and learned about this to help prepare your body for labor. I have taken it with everyone of my pregnancies and have started it this week for preparation. I have been very blessed to be able to dilate quickly with most of my labors, but cannot say for sure it is because of EPO or because it's how God designed my body, since I have taken it each time. I highly recommend taking it in preparation, but as with everything else, it may not help everyone.

How do you use EPO?

Starting at 35 weeks you can take two 500 mg capsules per day.
At 36-37 weeks, you can insert 1000 mg vaginally or take 500 mg and insert 500 mg vaginally. I was taught the second way, but the first is also used. You want to insert the capsule(s) at bed time so that it will dissolve by your cervix, not fall out and get the most benefit out of it.
No matter what your plans are for delivery, this can be very beneficial.

Where can you buy EPO?

You can buy it at any natural store, such as Whole Foods or Rainbow Blossom (or whatever is local to your area). This week I found some at Target for the first time, though the dosage is 1000 mg instead of 500 mg. Make sure you pay attention to the dosage you are buying, so that you take the proper amount.

Have you used EPO? Share your experience below.

Tips for Preparing for Natural Labor

Today a friend asked for tips on preparing for natural labor, so I thought I would write briefly about it on here as I am working on getting more regular at posting again. I'm sure everyone who has had natural, unmedicated labor has different things they would advise, so here are some general tips.

1. Pray a lot! And when you think you have prayed all you can pray some more. Seriously, I could not have gotten through any of my labors without a lot of prayer.
2. Know what helps you to relax. This is going to be different for everyone. Maybe it's music. Maybe it's having some one massage your back, feet, hands etc. Perhaps silence with minimal lighting. Know yourself and know what is going to help you to be calm in an intense time.
3. Practice relaxing before you're in labor. Set aside a couple times each week at the very least to practice relaxing your body in the type of environment you would like to have for your labor. For example, if you plan to have music, put it on and practice relaxing with it. 
4. Memorize Scripture. This is such a great way to help you mentally concentrate on the Lord and not your circumstances. Find a Psalm or passage that really speaks to you and your relationship with God and focus on it. 
5. Expect it to be hard. I really wish I had been better at this during my last labor. Because I had had fairly easy labors previously, I had forgotten that labor can be very hard. Prepare mentally for the worst and hopefully it will not be as bad as you are expecting.
6. In labor, take each contraction as it comes. Once you think, "Is it going to get worse than this?" you are already on your way to needing medicine. Instead say, "OK, here it comes," then relax as you have practiced. Contractions will get more intense toward the end, generally speaking, but if you take each as it comes, you will likely make it. 
7. In labor, ask your providers not to ask you if you want medication. They generally will tell you what medicine is available to you, but afterward you can say thank you for letting you know and that you will let them know if you need anything. 
8. Know who you want in your room ahead of time. If you want the bare minimum number of people, then arrange that. Let people who might want to be there know that you desire for them to wait until after the birth. If you have unwanted guests and are uncomfortable saying something you can always ask your nurse or provider to be the bad guy and tell people to leave. If you want many, know that some places will not allow more than 3 or so extra people. Find out what the policies are where you are planning to deliver.

What is your advice? How do you prepare for a natural labor?

VBAC

What is a VBAC?

A VBAC is a vaginal birth after Cesarean (c-section).

Can I have a VBAC?

Generally speaking most women can have VBACs and is a safe option. There are factors to consider, such as how many c-sections have you had and why was the first c-section done, which should be discussed with your provider and prayed over at great length.

What are the benefits to having a VBAC?

• Avoiding more scarring on your uterus 
• Usually less painful recovery
• Shorter recovery period
• Decreased risk of infection
• Being active in the birth of your child

What are the risks of a VBAC?

• Uterine rupture- the previous incision may come open due to the pressure of labor
• Other risks associated with C-sections: increased infection, increase in bleeding, 

When is it not possible to attempt a VBAC?

If you have a vertical incision on the uterus instead of the common horizontal incision providers will not allow you to attempt a VBAC due to the much higher risk of uterine rupture with this type of incision. Also if you have had 3 or move previous c-sections, it is not likely you will be permitted to attempt a VBAC.

Have you had or attempted to have a VBAC? What was your experience? 

Prolonged Labor

Prolonged labor can sometimes be used as a reason to do a c-section, in spite of everything else going well. What is prolonged labor? That is hard to say. Every woman is different and every labor is different. Medically speaking it is greater than 24 hours in a first time labor and greater than 16 hours in subsequent labors. However some can last even longer if there early labor takes a while. 

If you are wanting to avoid a c-section or other medical interventions if at all possible, stay home as long as possible. Doctors will watch the clock and time closely. If things seem to be going well and you are comfortable at home, wait until labor becomes more intense before going in to the hospital, generally speaking. Again pray the whole time and seek God's wisdom in knowing when to go to the hospital, if that's what your choosing. 

Prolonged labor can put added stress on the baby. Again, ask for wisdom throughout. Labors can take 36 to 48 hours if you are slow moving. This does not necessarily mean that anything is wrong, but it could be a sign of complication. 

Have you had long, drawn out labors? Did you have interventions? Share your experience!

Are There Ways to Induce Naturally?

You are past your due date and your provider is talking about induction and yet you do not want to induce if possible. The question that comes after this talk: is there anything I can do to start labor on my own? There is a lot of question about this as some things work well for some people while others have no success. With my first I tried a lot to make myself go into labor, but nothing worked. I have talked to others that the first thing they tried helped them go into labor.

With that being said, here are some things that may or may not help you go into labor.

First I suggest you pray, because ultimately God is the one who will make labor happen!

Walking- This one is completely up in the air as to whether or not it helps, hinders or has no effect at all on labor. Do not walk until exhaustion, but feel free to try walking as it will not hurt you.

Sex- Sex is one of the best options as long as you are healthy for several reasons. Semen has prostaglandins in it that help prepare the cervix for labor and can then kick you into labor. It also helps with intimacy and preparing you together for what's to come. There are other techniques I will mention that can be implemented during your time together.

Nipple stimulation- This can be very effective as it releases oxytocin, which is the natural form of pitocin, into your body. You must pay very close attention to your body so you do not over stimulate your uterus leading to contractions that are too long. This site has a good basic process to follow.

Acupressure- This can actually feel really nice as it is more of a massage technique. There are 2 primary places to use: 1) The webbing between the thumb and forefinger and 2) 4 fingers above the ankle on the inside of your leg. See this link to learn the process.

Food- There are some foods that may help you go into labor. Some that are out there include: pineapple, spicy food, eggplant parmesan, date fruit, curry, Chinese food and licorice. There is no definitive research to back up any of these, but it can't hurt to try.

Blue or Black Cohash- These are herbs and need to be handled with great care. Please consult your healthcare provider before trying one of these.

Castor Oil- This is another method that should be used with great care. You drink castor oil causing the bowels to be stimulated, which stimulates the uterus. I have talked to many women who have had success with this. It can cause severe diarrhea. Ask your care provider before using it.

These are just a few well known options. Again pray for wisdom and for God to bring out labor. If you are unsure of anything ask your health care provider.

Have you tried to induce labor naturally? What did you use? Was it successful?