Having A Midwife Deliver Your Baby? 3 Natural Ways To Induce Labor

If you've decided on natural child birth with a midwife, you may be wondering about labor – particularly how to induce labor if you should go past your due date. You don't want to go past your due date but when you choose a natural childbirth, you might think that your options are limited.

If you're overdue, there are a few natural methods you can use to safely induce labor. Before you worry about accidentally causing pre-term labor, you should know that these natural methods will not induce labor if your body isn't ready. Here are a few tricks you can try to get your labor started:

Acupressure

Acupressure has been used for a variety of ailments, including pain relief. It can also be used to induce labor. In fact, there are two specific acupressure techniques that you can perform on yourself.

The Hand

Spread out your left hand and locate the webbing between your index finger and your thumb. Place your right index finger and thumb on the webbing and apply pressure. Rub your fingers together in a circular pattern for 45-60 seconds. Once you feel a contraction, stop pressure and rest for about 2 minutes. Repeat the process until your contractions are steady.

The Ankle

Look at the inside of your leg. Place your index finger on your ankle bone. Now move your fingers up your leg until your pinkie finger is slightly above your ankle bone. Apply firm pressure to the area beneath your index finger, which should be four fingers above your ankle bone. Apply firm pressure until you feel a contraction. Release the pressure and rest for 1-2 minutes. Continue the process until your contractions are steady.

Walking

You might have heard this but it bears repeating – walking is one of the best ways to get your body ready for labor. Not only will it exercise your muscles, it will also move the baby downwards into the pelvic cradle. If you're having mild contractions, the walking will help stimulate your uterus so that the contractions become more productive.

Sexual Intercourse

The same activity that got you pregnant can be used to induce labor.  Sperm contains high levels of prostaglandins, hormones that can thin and dilate your cervix. In addition to the prostaglandins that are contained in the sperm, your own orgasm releases oxytocin, which is the hormone responsible for contractions. So, if you're feeling up to it, enjoy a few minutes of sex to get your labor started naturally.

If you're ready to have your baby, and you're at least 40 weeks pregnant, you can try these natural techniques to induce labor. Don't forget to let your midwife know what you're trying so they'll be ready to deliver your baby. To learn more, try contacting a company like Women's Healthcare Associates LLC for more information and help.