Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 4: Inducing labor at home
• Part 2 of 4: Introduction to hospital delivery
• Part 3 of 4: Inducing labor - complementary / alternative medicine
• Part 4 of 4: The risks
• Tips
• Warnings

Although gynecologists agree in most cases that delivery is best done naturally, sometimes nature needs a little push. You can safely try to initiate labor at home, but it is advisable that you also know what to expect during an introduction in the hospital.

To step

Part 1 of 4: Inducing labor at home

1. Make love. This is often recommended by midwives, although reliable research into its effectiveness is lacking. The theory is based on the assumption that the woman's orgasm induces labor. Also the prostaglandin in the man's semen, if it comes into contact with the vagina (so take care of it!), Would trigger labor.
   • However, there is a catch: don't resort to this solution if your membranes are already broken. You run the risk of an infection. In other cases, you can use this method whenever you want.
2. Massage your breasts. Stimulating your nipples can release oxytocin, one of the hormones that trigger contractions. Massage your breasts for 5 minutes and do this throughout the day.
   • Massaging your breasts does not initiate labor. But if the cervix has already softened, it can speed up delivery.
   • Do not overdo this method - too much stimulation can result in overly vigorous contractions.
3. Go for a walk. The gravity of this posture, in which you are standing up and your hips back and forth, helps the baby to descend further. Walking can also help speed labor if you're already in labor.
   • Try to avoid exhausting yourself. Because giving birth is a physically demanding process that demands a lot from you. Save your energy so that you are not fatigued when the real work starts.
4. Also know what is not working. There is a lot of baker's talk about what works and what doesn't to induce labor. Here's a quick list of things not to try:
   • Castor oil, which irritates your intestines. Labor will not start, but you will probably feel very nauseous.
   • Spicy foods. There is no scientific research showing that eating spicy foods induces labor.
   • Certain herbs such as black cohosh or evening primrose oil. Not enough research has been done on how these herbs work, and herbs that contain substances that resemble hormones can even be harmful. Talk to your doctor before taking herbal supplements on your own.

Part 2 of 4: Introduction to hospital delivery

1. Stripping. The gynecologist will then insert a gloved finger into your uterus and slide his finger along the wall of your uterus, causing the membranes to separate from the uterine wall. This is an outpatient procedure that can be performed in the gynecologist's treatment room, after which you go home and wait for the delivery to continue.
   • You may experience some menstrual blood afterwards; don't worry about that. Contact your doctor if you lose more blood than you are used to during a period.
   • This is the only method of inducing labor that does not take place in the hospital. All other methods discussed in this section are subject to close medical supervision and are expected to deliver within hours.
2. Take medicines to soften the cervix and increase dilation. If your cervix is ​​not yet showing signs that labor has already started, the gynecologist can prescribe a number of medications to help you with this. The following drugs are similar to the hormones that induce labor:
   • Misoprostol, which can be taken orally or vaginally.
   • Dinoprostone, which can be taken as a vaginal suppository.
   • Oxytocin, which is administered intravenously. A delivery supported by oxytocin can be even faster than a natural delivery, especially in first-time mothers. Be aware, however, that the baby may experience various difficulties with this method, which may require an emergency caesarean section.
3. Request a Foley catheter to dilate the cervix. If you prefer not to take medication before delivery, the doctor can dilate the cervix with a balloon catheter. A small tube with an empty balloon is then placed in the cervix, after which the balloon is inflated.
   • A balloon catheter is usually left in place until the cervix has opened wide enough for the balloon to fall out on its own, usually about 3 cm.
4. Breaking your waters. An amniotomy, in which the doctor gently punctures the amniotic sac with a sterile plastic hook, is usually performed when the cervix is ​​open and the baby is well descended, but if your membranes have not yet broken by themselves.
   • The gynecologist will carefully monitor your baby's heartbeat and make sure there are no umbilical cord complications.

Part 3 of 4: Inducing labor - complementary / alternative medicine

1. Try acupuncture. Scientific research seems to indicate that acupuncture induces labor naturally in some women. . The risks are minimal - if acupuncture doesn't work, you are still free to find another way to induce labor.

Part 4 of 4: The risks

Be aware of the results and the risks. According to the DCD, the American Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 5 women in the United States are hospitalized. An introduction is preferable to a caesarean section, but it is not entirely risk-free. Below you can read what you need to know about it:

1. Note that most doctors do not initiate induction early in the due period without a medical reason. Induction of labor before the due date is rare, and most are given after 39 weeks. Maybe the gynecologist will consider it if you live so far from a hospital that you may not be able to get help in time for a natural birth.
2. Know that the reasons for medically inducing labor vary. The most common are:
   • Your due date has already passed one or two weeks, and your water hasn't broken yet. At that point, damage to the placenta is a greater risk than inducing labor.
   • You have an illness or physical complaints that make it dangerous for the pregnancy to continue, including pre-eclampsia, high blood pressure, gestational diabetes or a lung disease.
   • Your water has broken but you are not having contractions yet.
3. Be aware of any complications. Inducing labor does not automatically lead to complications, but the chances are increased. On the other hand, if you are going to give birth in a hospital or birth center, the medical team is aware of these risks and they know how to deal with them appropriately.
   • The chance that you will have a caesarean section is increasing. If you start an induction and it doesn't go anywhere, a caesarean section is often the only option.
   • Maybe your baby has a low heart rate. Some medications used to induce contractions can affect your baby's heart rate.
   • You and your baby are more at risk of infection.
   • There may be umbilical cord prolapse. In that case, the umbilical cord descends to the birth canal earlier than the baby, which can cause an oxygen deficiency.
   • You probably have more bleeding after delivery than during a natural delivery.

Tips

• Take your rest. Giving birth is exhausting. When you know you'll have an initiation in about two days, use that time to get some much-needed rest.

Warnings

• Don't make love if your waters are broken. This can cause the baby to get an infection.
• In all cases, the methods of induction carry the risk of a caesarean section or uterine rupture if you have had a caesarean section before.
• A pregnant woman should not initiate labor herself before the 40th week.