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| Yes | 29% | 35 votes | Total: 120 votes | |
| No | 71% | 85 votes |
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Add to FavoritesWhen I found out that my husband and I were pregnant it was the greatest feeling in the world. But by the time I was thirty-six weeks pregnant, I couldn't wait to go into labor. When I spoke to my mid-wife about self induced labor she laughed at me and strongly discouraged it. So of course I turned to some of my close friends who are moms of two and three they gave me some simple ideas of how I could induce myself at home. I tried every thing under the moon to start my contractions. I drank a bottle of Kastrol Oil (it did nothing for me, I didn't have one contraction or a bowel movement); I drank raspberry leaf tea (which come to find out you can supposedly drink your whole pregnancy and it's supposed to strengthen your uterus for delivery), I tried pumping colostrums with my or course my breast pump (I didn't even have one contraction) nothing like that worked at all. The only two things that I know worked for me were sex and taking long walks. My husband and I had sex non-stop the last four weeks of pregnancy. My daughter was born a week early. I would definitely recommend sex for any one who is trying to thin out their cervix. There is something in sperm that help to thin out a pregnant woman's cervix. Now I'm not saying to go out and have unprotected sex with as many people as one can. My husband and I also went on about two mile walks each day, I know being huge and pregnant it's sometimes a hard thing to do; but my mid-wife told me it would help with delivery or even help her slide down into position more quickly. I know that I had a really easy labor and a very short delivery. Now I don't know how true all of that is, but I know when I went on long walks it made my legs feel better and they didn't twitch as much when I was trying to go to sleep. Then when it came to delivering our little angel it took my thirty-five minutes to push her out with no stitches and not that much pain, just a lot of pressure.
Learn more about this author, Elizabeth Verhine.
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No
There are many older ways to induce labor. Castor oil is one such method, but there are others. Inducing labor can be dangerous and can affect a lot of different results. This should only be done by a doctor in methods that the doctor feels is safe.
Natures Time.
While doctors often claim to have it all figured out and they present a due date, they really aren't superior to nature. Whether the due date is determined by an ultrasound, your last period, or your development it can be very wrong. The truth falls into the fact that pregnancy for human women lasts between 37 weeks (considered full term) and 45 weeks (now considered over due). The baby can come naturally and healthy any time throughout this period. We aim for 40 weeks. However, due dates can be off. It isn't a good idea to hit your 37 week mark and decide you are done. Or for that matter, to hit the 40 week mark and be the one to decide you are done, because your due date could be off and the baby might not be ready.
Safety.
Many home inducing methods are dangerous. This can cause issues for the baby and the mother. In fact inducing can be dangerous in general and should only be done by a doctor who knows what he or she is doing. There are many things to consider, but most important is the safety of baby and mom.
Dangers.
Some methods of inducing labor at home are down right dangerous. They can cause infections and other issues. It is important to avoid such dangers. It is much better to follow the advice of your doctor.
Supervision.
L abor can go slow or fast when inducing. It becomes even more complicated when you add some of the home inducing methods. It is important that you are being supervised by someone who knows how to take care of you and your baby. Inducing labor should only happen when you are being supervised by a health care professional such as your doctor or midwife.
Care.
You may need care for you and for your baby. This is something that is available at the hospital. Should you induce yourself, you might not be able to make it to the care you need, when you need it.
Inducing labor at home sounds like a good idea, the sooner the better. But truth be told, it is dangerous. There are things you can do said to speed up labor processes that aren't dangerous. These things include walking and having sex. These are safe and often recommended by doctors. However, if your doctor doesn't recommend it, you shouldn't try it. If you feel it is safe and wonder if it would help you, ask your doctor and figure out what he or she has to say about the matter. He or she may have suggestions to make your time easier, but inducing labor without his or her help is dangerous and should be avoided.
Learn more about this author, Danelle Karth.
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