Going into labor may take longer than you've anticipated. If you're past your due date for delivery, time is of the essence. During the last stages of your pregnancy, your body grows weary from lack of sleep and discomfort. It's difficult to stand, sit and sleep, no matter which angle you turn. Your doctor may be planning to induce you if your baby doesn't arrive soon. Here are some tips to help you go into labor more quickly.
Instructions
1. Go for a gentle walk or take a hot bath to help you go into labor naturally. A gentle stroll can help you to start dilating, and bathing is relaxing and stress reducing.
2. Consult with your physician before consuming herbs or oils (such as red raspberry leaf, ginger and castor oil) that speed up labor. Be sure to wait until you are at least 39 weeks into your pregnancy.
3. Get a message or visit an acupuncture/acupressure practitioner who's familiar with the acupuncture points of your body (for your particular needs) to help you go into labor more quickly.
4. Perform acupressure on yourself (or ask a friend or your partner to help) by pressing hard on the acupressure points for about five minutes every 30 to 45 minutes. According to Dr. Joel Evans, co-author of "The Whole Pregnancy Handbook," there are two points you can stimulate on your own, the large intestine 4 (between your thumb and forefinger), which you should avoid just before labor, and the spleen 6 (above the ankle bone, inside the shin.)
5. Stimulate the nipples by squeezing them for about a minute. This releases oxytocin, a hormone that speeds up labor.
6. Ask your OB/GYN to strip your membranes if you're over 38 weeks into your pregnancy. According to Dr. Evans, "stripping the membranes" can be very uncomfortable. Women often go into labor within 24 hours after the procedure is done.
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