How to Start Labor?

If you are watching the calendar and the hands of the clock because you’ve expected your baby to be born already, you are most probably interested in on how to start labor. If your baby is less than a week overdue, then doctors will likely advise you to just hang tight. And because the estimated due date is usually truly just an estimate, this is good advice.

However, if you’re already into your 42nd week of pregnancy, and especially if you are facing the risk of being medically induced, then it might be good to learn a little bit about how to start labor.

Medical induction is usually done using Pitocin and Oxytocin administered as gel and via IV drips. Unfortunately, it's very common, that this medical procedure fails to start labor, and leads to Cesarean section. This is why when it's necessary to start labor, you should first try natural labor inducing methods.

If you're severely overdue, or your doctor wants to induce your labor, here are some tips on how to start labor.

Medicinal herbs are powerful plants, and potentially poisonous. Thus, instead of self-care with potentially toxic herbs, seek the guidance of an experienced herbalist if you want to start your labor with herbs. Some herbalists are specialized in pregnancy care, while other medical practitioners could take a hard line, saying that pregnant women should only use food herbs, not medicinal herbs. Recommending herbs for medicinal usage during pregnancy should be left to qualified herbalists and midwives.

Some of the most well known herbs for inducing labor are Black Cohosh and Blue Cohosh. Evening Primrose Oil and Flax Seed Oil are also used quite often. Also, Castor Oil is very quite effective when it is swallowed - but it has an awful taste and it causes a serious diarrhea. Tastier items like spicy foods and fresh pineapple, kiwi and mango may not work quite as well, but adding them into your diet can be a much nicer way to help start labor.

Acupressure is based on the same medical philosophy as acupuncture. Acupressure involves the application of pressure onto specific, sensitive points along your skin. Acupressure uses fingers and thumbs, as opposed to needles in acupuncture, to stimulate specific acupressure points to start labor.

Giving birth to a baby is such a fragile thing that you will want to ensure the safety of you and your baby. This is why using acupressure to start labor is a favorite technique among pregnant women. Labor acupressure is soothing and has no side effects, when done according to basic instruction. Thus, acupressure is strongly recommendable than medical induction, or the many other "at-home" remedies.

To discover more on how to start labor, click here.