The Real Secret to Start Labor

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Almost every woman who has been pregnant will agree that the final weeks of pregnancy seem to drag on FOREVER. Surely you will be the first woman in history to be pregnant forever.

So what is the real secret to start labor?

Time

Not the answer you want, right? Waiting is the last thing you want to do, but it is the only guaranteed method to start labor. First of all, think of your due date as an estimate. In fact, research shows that most women give birth 3 to 5 days after their estimated due date. It can be hard not to feel like your due date is set in stone. It can also be hard not to be impatient when well meaning family or friends ask, “Haven’t you had that baby yet?” Feel free to answer with the appropriate amount of sarcasm or sass. When labor does begin, it is everyone’s goal for baby to arrive thriving.  One of the best ways to make this happen is to allow baby to continue to develop in utero until the perfect cocktail of hormones starts labor. A new study has identified two proteins that play a part in successful breathing,  and are released in a baby’s lungs in order to initiate labor. Furthermore, your body will work most effectively in birth when labor is able to begin on its own. Trying to start labor before your body is ready can lead to further augmentation and interventions, which all come with increased risk.

If you search online for ways to start labor, you will find a myriad of tricks. For most techniques, there is not enough evidence to support their effectiveness. For some, like eating eggplant or having sex, there is no harm in trying them. They can be fun distractions. However, please consult with your care provider on the safety of trying things like castor oil or black/blue cohosh. If you are so frustrated that you woke up pregnant again this morning, try to slow down and enjoy these last days. You WILL have a baby soon enough. From that point forward you will be grasping to slow down time. Your family unit will never again look like it does right now.  Take some time to savor what it looks like now. Then, perhaps when you least expect it, your labor will begin and you will begin the journey to welcoming your baby.