How to Induce Labor Safely
By the time the third trimester rolls around, most women are more than ready for their babies to be born. Some women may even be tempted to get the ball rolling themselves. If you want to try to stimulate induction, talk with your doctor about your plans to see if he has any recommendations or warnings.
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Instructions
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Ask your doctor to check your condition. If your cervix is dilated and you're already having minor contractions, you may be able to induce labor. If you're not yet dilated or contracting, you likely will need medical intervention to get things started.
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Take a walk. The combination of movement and gravity can get your baby into position for labor.
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Have sex. Semen contains prostaglandins, the chemicals in the body that stimulate labor. Having an orgasm can also cause contractions to start.
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Ask your doctor about nipple stimulation. Since this process---which basically involves pinching and twisting your nipples to make your body produce more labor-causing oxytocin---can be intense, it is only safe if you do it under your doctor's supervision.
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If none of these stimulants work, ask your doctor about stripping your membranes. In this process, your doctor manually separates the amniotic sac from the uterus so your body starts producing more prostaglandins. Expect to wait a day or two after this process to see whether it works, since that's how long it can take for the contractions to start.
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If you're still not in labor, you can ask your doctor about medical inducement, which usually takes place in a hospital.
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Tips & Warnings
In most cases, your doctor will recommend induction only if the risks of waiting are significant. If your doctor doesn't want to move forward with induction, take it as a sign that you're having a healthy, normal pregnancy, and try to be patient.
It may be tempting to try herbal remedies to induce labor, but don't do it without your doctor's OK. Herbs used to cause labor can overstimulate your uterus and put your baby in danger.
