Connect the Dots Ginger | Becky Allen: Old Wives' Tales To Evict Baby

Friday, April 25, 2014

Old Wives' Tales To Evict Baby

Are you one of those mommas who is READY to be Done being pregnant. We all get to that point. I was there the day before I was induced with Mason. I couldn't get comfy, I was excited to meet my little man and I just wanted him out. But to avoid the induction I tried a few Old Wives' Tales to try to self induce. They didn't work for me but some of these are worth a try if you really want to push the evict button on your little one. 
*Disclaimer: I am not a doctor. I am me, providing a speaking outlet and I have my own opinions. Consult your doctor if you have any questions about self induction or at least please, let them know prior to if you are going to try some of these so they can tell you the pros and cons.*
Please keep in mind that babies cook for their own time. If the baby is not ready to come out, then these will likely not work. Also think about possible healthy problems that can happen with an early baby. You due date is an ESTIMATED due date and can be off as much as 2 weeks either side of the EDD.*
Let's talk about sex, baby! - Yep, what got you into this can certainly get you out of it. Interesting thought. At this point if you are seriously considering eviction you probably feel huge and not sexy at all and don't want to even think about sex, but yes sex can help you out. Semen contains prostaglandins, a hormone that can help ripen (soften and open) the cervix and possibly lead to contractions. 

Also having the big "O" can release the hormone oxytocin, which is the natural form of pitocin, by the way and can help stimulate contractions.  (AVOID sex if your water has broken or there is bleeding. Great for lead up to due date.) Helps to strengthen your relationship with your partner too, considering that you won't be having sex 4-8 weeks after you have baby.
Nipple Stimulation: Another pleasurable thing. These are good for you and your partner to help strengthen your love for each other and it can be fun! Gentle rubbing or stimulating can release oxytocin, which can help stimulate contractions. (caution: contractions brought on in this manner may be long and intense and cause baby stress including slowing the fetal heart rate. So please don't go overboard with this.)
HOT! HOT! HOT Spicy Food- Cinco De Mayo is right around the corner. Go to your fav Mexican restaurant and enjoy some spicy tamales or hot sauce. Or check out Spicy Thai food or chicken wings smothered in super spicy hot sauce. Spicy foods help fire up your digestive system and bowels which can cause contractions. What do I mean by "fire up?" It will make you have diarrhea, especially if you are not used to eating spicy spicy food. I did this with Mason and I had weird contractions for 3 hours then they stopped and nothing more. It will possibly cause heartburn too or intensify your heartburn.
Go Tropical with Pineapple- Eating pineapple can also start labor because of the enzymes found in it called Bromelain. When eaten it can help soften the cervix. But you need to eat about 7 full sized fresh pineapples to get the desired amount and possibly well before that point you will probably have burned your mouth from the acid in the pineapple. So eat cautiously. But I still like to eat some pineapple for fun, or a virgin pina colada! YUM! 
Teas- Red raspberry leaf tea, or I am currently drinking the Earth Mama Angel Baby Third Trimester Tea, which has red raspberry leaf in it can help trigger contractions. It really helps to prep your uterus for contractions or as Earth Mama says to nurture all those mama parts gearing up for the joyous arrival of your angel baby.
Castor Oil- EWWWW! Is all I have to say. I tried this with Mason, didn't work. And it was ewwwww!!!It is an unpleasant-tasting veggie oil like laxative. Same side affects as eating too much spicy food. It will give you cramping in the intestines, it will clean out your bowels completely. It is a laxative. You can possibly suffer from dehydration because it cleans you out so efficiently. Keep in mind when your body recognizes that you are going into labor it will do this automatically, and nicely and everything will release. (laboring on the toilet is one of my fav things) 
Walking , Running, or Wogging: It may not start heavy contractions, it may make you lose your mucus plug which then can start contractions. Or you could have your water break on a walk. Walking is just good for you because as your hips sway from side to side it can help correctly position the baby farther down into the pelvis which can trigger the body into starting to dilate and then you know the rest. But it is still good for you! You will probably notice some Braxton Hicks contractions when you walk. I just decided last night that they are useful for helping to nudge the baby down since they usually occur at the top of the uterus. This is my thinking because my baby is super high and doesn't want (I don't want him) to engage quite yet.
Acupressure/Acupuncture: There are specific pressure points on your body that can cause the baby to descend and press onto the cervix which will the make softening and effacing and dilation occur. Some acupressure techniques are designed to directly stimulate contractions. Find a massage therapist or acupuncture that specializes in prenatal therapy and tell them, please use the pressure points. I am going for weekly massages right now, since covered by my insurance and in a few weeks time I will be asking for pressure points to be used. (after I discuss with my doctor of course) 
A few others that might help-
A bumpy car ride to help break your water.
Walking under a full moon to help break your water. 

Evening Primrose Oil taken orally and/or vaginally can help soften and efface. Usually started around 37 weeks pregnant until baby comes. I use a shampoo, John Master's Organics, with its main ingredient is EPO (found it at Whole Foods Market). Get a little aromatherapy everyday. 
A local bakery in my town has a claim to fame for getting pregnant women into labor by eating one of their lemon cupcakes. 
So here you have it, a fun list on how to evict that baby! Do you have any other Old Wives' tales I missed?

Thanks for reading! Also if you want to read more posts on all things pregnancy and baby check out the pregnancy tab at the top or just click here
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