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Past Your Pregnancy Due Date? 14 DIY Ways To Kick-Start Labour

Whether it’s blowing up a balloon or climbing some stairs, there are lots of novel ways to naturally induce labour. Kate Middleton, take note…

There are a lot of old wives tales about ways to bring on labour, and while some of them don’t have an incredibly successful track record, plenty of them seem to do the trick.

So if your baby needs a little persuasion to leave the comfort and protection of your womb, it might be worth trying one of these methods to jump start your labour naturally – without needing to be induced.

Sailing past your due date with no hint of a contraction isn't fun [Rex]
Sailing past your due date with no hint of a contraction isn't fun [Rex]





Try Acupressure
Some people believe that our bodies are full of pressure points – some of which can be stimulated to tempt the body to function in different ways. It’s thought that for labour, there are a trio of points that cause contractions (the foot, hand and buttocks) so applying pressure to these areas could be a way to bring on labour.

Relax
Easier said than done when you’re the size of a house and dying to meet your baby, but chilling out for a while may help get things going. So, persuade your partner to run you a bubbly bath and concentrate on de-stressing for a while.

Eat Pineapples
Pineapples have an enzyme called bromelain in them, which some experts say can soften the cervix and start up labour. But research shows you’ll need to eat a lot of this fresh fruit to make this trick work. Plenty of other foods including ginger, basil, dates, bananas and oregano are also thought to help trigger contractions so might be worth tucking into.

Chow down on some fresh pineapple and your labour may get going... [Rex]
Chow down on some fresh pineapple and your labour may get going... [Rex]



Eat Spicy Food
We’ve all heard this one – and there seems to be some truth in it.  For years now, women have believed that chowing down on a vindaloo will stimulate the uterus enough to bring on labour and many women swear it worked for them.

Stimulate Your Nipples
By gently rubbing or rolling the nipples, you can release a hormone called oxytocin, which causes contractions to start. It’s the same hormone released when breastfeeding. But according to reports, you will need to do this for around an hour at a time, which can leave you with very sore nips!

Take Castor Oil
Castor oil may well bring on labour, but most medical experts don’t recommend it as it comes with some not-so-nice side effects such as sickness and diarrhea – which are the last thing you want when heavily pregnant. Mums-to-be have been taking it for centuries to start labour as it works as a laxative and stimulates both the tummy (hence the toilet trips) and the womb.

Have Sex
This old chestnut does have a pretty good success rate – and doctors even recommend it to their overdue patients. Sex is thought to ripen and soften the cervix to get things going – plus, it’s more fun than eating a curry.

Sex can help ripen and soften the cervix for birth [REX]
Sex can help ripen and soften the cervix for birth [REX]


Climb Stairs
If walking doesn’t do the trick, try climbing some stairs to get things moving. Lifting your legs higher than you would while going for a stroll can help the baby move into position for birth.

Take Evening Primrose Oil
Evening Primrose Oil is used by lots of expectant mums as it’s another way to easily soften the cervix for birth.

Bounce On A Birth Ball
Bouncing around on your birthing ball gently can help get your baby in the right position for birth – and ready to put in an appearance.

Blow Up A Balloon
Sounds completely bonkers, but blowing up a balloon has worked for many an overdue woman. The theory is that the build-up of abdominal pressure will encourage labour to start. And anything’s work a try, right?

Blowing up a balloon could be the trick to kick-starting your labour [Rex]
Blowing up a balloon could be the trick to kick-starting your labour [Rex]



Do Some Squats
Like the birth ball technique, squatting will help the baby move into position for birth.

Drink Raspberry Leaf Tea
Raspberry leaf tea is thought to strengthen the uterus, helping spur on a shorter labour because each contraction can achieve more.

Go For A Swim
At nine months+ pregnant, you may not feel like doing any exercise but the weight of your baby’s head on your cervix can get things moving. Going for a swim will make you feel weightless (which is a massive bonus when you’re heavily pregnant) or you could try a gentle stroll or a spot of yoga.

How did you kick-start your labour? Let us know your tips and tricks in the comments.

[Royal Baby Watch: Pregnant Duchess Of Cambridge May Be Overdue And Need To Be Induced]

[9 Of The Weirdest Fertility Rituals From Around The World]