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You’re meant to go into labour when you are between 37 and 40 weeks pregnant, but not everyone is that lucky. About one in five labours in the UK are induced artificially, but it is believed by many that you can start your labour naturally at home.
What is an induced labour?
An induced labour is one that is started early artificially in hospital.
If you don’t naturally go into labour by 42 weeks, you will be offered induction.
This is because there is a higher risk of stillbirth of complications if you go past this timeframe.
You may also be induced for a number of other reasons, for example if your waters break early, if you have a health problem, or your baby isn’t doing well.
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Induced labour is said to be more painful than labour that starts without induction.
Women who are induced are also more likely to ask for an epidural.
Induction is started by a tablet or gel being inserted into the vagina.
If you haven’t had any contractions after six hours, you may need to try another tablet or gel.
Sometimes women are put on a hormone drip to speed up the labour.
How can I make my baby come early?
If you don’t fancy being induced, some people believe that you can speed up labour at home by yourself.
Many people believe that sex helped to induce their labour.
One theory behind this is the idea that sexual activity releases oxytocin which might jumpstart uterine contractions.
If it is a man you are having sex with this is apparently even better because the prostaglandin hormones in semen could prepare the cervix for labour.
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Exercise is another activity rumoured to induce labour by raising your heart rate.
Going for a walk or doing some yoga could help you along the way.
Acupuncture and acupressure has helped a number of women to speed up their labour, some studies show.
There is also the dietary aspect, with some women swearing by drinking castor oil or eating dates.
However, according to the NHS there are no proven ways of inducing labour at home.
The site says: “You may have heard that certain things can trigger labour, such as herbal supplements and having sex, but there’s no evidence that these work.
“Other methods that aren’t supported by scientific evidence include acupuncture, homeopathy, hot baths, castor oil, and enemas.
“Having sex won’t cause harm, but you should avoid having sex if your waters have broken as there’s an increased risk of infection.”
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