Delivery must be one of the most painful experiences in a woman’s life, but it is also one of the happiest moments. Everyone wants a natural birth for the sake of the health of both the mother and the child. The fact is that the child often comes sooner than the expected date. However, there are still many cases in which the parturition is much later. In this article, Authority Remedies will shed light onthe top 15 natural home remedies for labor.

However, you should ask doctors for advice before applying any methods to induce Labor naturally. Some women may have high-risk delivery and thus, they are not suitable to naturally induce labor. In addition, expectant mothers who induce labor naturally need more care and attention to avoid the worst scenario.

But when you’re pregnant, one of the top concerns would be what the labor and delivery are like. So before learning the best home remedies for labor, let’s find out the most common symptoms of labor.

5 Most common signs of labor

A few of women experience different signs of labor while the others won’t ever. Nobody knows exactly what might trigger labor or when exactly it might start. However, a lot of hormonal and physical changes could signify the start of your labor:

• The release of mucus plug

That mucus plug will store right at your cervix through the pregnancy. And once it starts to open larger, the mucus will be discharged into your vagina and then become evident, slightly pink, or bloody. The condition kicks off soon after the mucus plug releases about one or two weeks later. And the labor won’t begin for hours and even days after you’ve lost the mucus plug.

Or when you’ve been already in the early labor, the cervix begins opening, which means you may feel some slight contractions, belly aches, backache, and cramps.

• You suffer contractions

Through these contractions, your abdominal area turns so hard. Among these contractions, the uterus will relax the most, and your abdomen turns softer. And the particular way that contraction feels is quite various from woman to woman, and probably different from one pregnancy to the next. But your labor contractions often trigger discomfort for a more dull ache in the back and lower abs, together with the pressure in your pelvis.

Most contractions tend to move like a wave right from the top of your uterus to the bottom. Some females will describe those contractions pretty much like your menstrual cramps. Not similar to the wrong labor contractions, the real labor contractions won’t ever pause once you’re supposed to change the position or relax.

Even though the contractions would cause you to feel so uncomfortable, you can relax among those contractions.

• Braxton Hicks contractions

These types of contractions are depicted as the tightening of your abdominal area that arrives and goes away. And such contractions can’t move much closer together, won’t get serious at all with your walking, don’t increase in the period, and do not ever feel that strong over time as they occur as you’re in real labor.

These hicks are also known as the practice contractions. This is because they’re the preparation for the real happening and enabling your chance to practice how to do some breathing exercises.

These would be taught in every childbirth class. But when the Braxton Hicks contractions increase much closer the time of your delivery. They’re usually mentioned as the false labor. Once this happens, it will boost the dilation process.

• The back might get hurt

When you’re similar to many other pregnant women, your back has been hurtful for months. However, once the pain turns out to be so harsh, then it could be a universal sign that you’re suffering from the back labor. This tends to occur in ⅓ of women in the world. As usual, the baby will descend your birth canal with the face that pressed against the mother’s spine.

However, in some particular cases, your baby can descend with the skull that might hit your spine. If so, then what’s the result? It’s going to be the constant pain that can radiate to your abdominal region, but then mainly focused on your back. It doesn’t matter if you experience the back labor or not, experiencing backache is definitely a particular signal that you’re all ready to deliver.

• You’re having diarrhea

In the early part of your labor, the whole body will start releasing the prostaglandins, the hormone-like agents that can trigger the uterus to contract. They also help soften or dilate your cervix. As you know, these prostaglandins can stimulate your bowels, triggering frequent stools and even diarrhea.  

Also, diarrhea can go along with some other signs that help you decide whether your labor is coming closer or not. A few women might notice that the baby has descended, which also means that her head has come down into your pelvic region.

You might lose the mucus plug, which resembles a brown discharge and seem more jelly-like. When the water is supposed to break, the labor could happen for a day. The start of your contractions at intervals can tell you that it’s the beginning of the labor.

What to remember before using home remedies for labor

Go to seek more professional advice from the doctor and note down some of the following points before you decide to try anything else from the above natural home remedies for labor.

• When your pregnancy is a high-risk type, or when you’ve got any particular medical condition, ensure to dodge inducing your labor naturally.
• Keep the hospital bags packed up and maintain your expert informed before availing any method of stimulating the labor, such as medications and herbs.
• For partners, you need to take great care of a pregnant woman whenever inducing labor in a natural way. Once the water breaks, hurry to take her to the hospital instantly and never keep up with the induction procedure.
• Get in contact with a qualified therapist or your midwife in case that you’re supposed to follow any of these natural methods to induce labor right at home.
• When you fail to begin the contractions soon, stop temporarily before repeating the whole process or giving the other methods a shot.
• Never try to induce labor before the gestation period has gone. Before it, your fetus might not be fully matured or ready for birth at all.

Top 21 natural home remedies for labor

Below are top 21 natural home remedies for labor that you had better apply if you have the intention to have babies soon.

1. Pineapple

One of the best natural home remedies for labor is pineapple thanks to the presence of bromelain in this wonderful fruit^[1][2][3]. Bromelain is a special enzyme which makes the cervix softer and facilitates the labor.

To get the best results, pregnant women are strongly recommended to consume pineapples no less than 7 times per day. However, the pineapple juice should not be used because it may lead to diarrhea.

2. Walking

Undeniable, walking is beneficial for the efforts to induce labor naturally. It is the next great natural home remedy for labor that every expectant mother should follow. The activity of walking in mothers can keep the head of the baby towards her cervix, which enables the labor to happen more easily and quickly.

Nevertheless, mothers should consider walking for a short period of time to relax their mind and muscles. It is unnecessary to exhaust themselves by increasing the speed.

3. Cinnamon

It is interesting to know that cinnamon bark is one of the best natural home remedies for labor. It is actually quite popular when women suffer from some problems relating to urination^[4] or Vaginal Discharges.

• Get two cinnamon sticks into hot water.
• Continue to boil the mixture until you do not see the cinnamon sticks anymore.
• After straining the mixture, mothers should consume it several times per day to induce labor naturally.

4. Peppermint

When the delivery comes much later than your expectation, you can make use of peppermint to speed up it^[5].

• Take some dried peppermint leaves and mix it with hot water.
• The mixture should be boiled for several minutes and then, strained.
• Consume the tea a few times per day.

Nevertheless, peppermint cannot be used in the first months of pregnancy since it may bring many toxins to the mother’s livers.

5. Aloe Vera

Aloe vera is another popular natural home remedy for labor. It can provide many essential nutrients and vitamins for the mothers’ body to boost their immune system^[6][7]. It also enhances lactation and the uterine walls to help women induce labor more easily. You should consume it in the form of juice to get the best results.

6. Banana

Foods that contain a great amount of potassium are believed to have positive impacts on the efforts to induce labor naturally^[8]. Therefore, banana seems to be one of the greatest natural home remedies for labor. It is better to get potassium from a natural source like banana, rather than supplements, right? Expectant mothers ought to consume 2-3 bananas per day.

7. Lavender Oil

Lavender oil has been used in the attempts to induce labor naturally for ages, even before the intervention of medications during pregnancy^[9][10]. Its aromatic smell is another wonderful advantage.

• Apply some drops of lavender oil into your hands.
• Use the hands to massage gently yourself.

8. Licorice

Scientists found out the presence of prostaglandins in licorice and it is this substance that makes licorice become one of the most effective natural home remedies for labor. Prostaglandins can cause intestinal contractions and the process of inducing labor will be quickened.

9. Orange

One of the simplest but most transformative natural home remedies for labor is orange. You can consume several cups of the mixture between orange juice and milk to speed up the process of inducing labor naturally. Orange can provide you with a considerable amount of vitamin C to become stronger. Meanwhile, milk can lead to a change in high and low pH level in the body and encourage the labor to take place soon.

You can find more about the benefits of Orange at Top Health Benefits of Oranges.

10. Castor Oil

Although the excessive consumption of castor oil may trigger diarrhea, it is still one of the most effective natural home remedies for labor. This natural oil can make the contraction happen as soon as possible.

You are recommended to use less than 60 ml of castor oil on a daily basis to induce labor naturally and easily.

11. Acupressure

Before the appearance of any medical method to intervene in the pregnancy, acupressure has taken the leading spot among natural home remedies for labor. And until now, it is still super effective to help women induce labor naturally.

One of the most common home remedies for labor I’d like to introduce to you is the acupressure therapy. Aside from relieving your morning sickness and avoiding the bleeding and spotting in the first months of your pregnancy, using acupressure massages is the top method you can rely on to induce the labor.

Bear in mind that before using it, you might like to ensure that the acupressurist to have some experiences working with pregnant women.

As usual, there are some certain acupressure points located in both of your ankles and between the thumb and forefinger that will trigger your muscle contractions, even in the uterus. For this reason, I recommend you to check with your doctor before trying out any acupressure treatment.

If you’re in the period of the initial 10 or 12 weeks, and the last weeks of pregnancy, then you’re more likely to be affected by these acupuncture therapies. In other words, this therapy will help raise the blood flow to your uterus and change the whole hormonal responses as well as stimulate your uterine contractions. Therefore, it can be only used with the approval of your doctor.

12. Climb Stairs

In addition to walking, climbing stairs is one of the best natural home remedies for labor and it can work as efficiently as walking. It can modify the position of your baby to make the delivery happen sooner. You should not, nevertheless, exhaust yourself.

13. Papaya

Papaya finds its place among the most popular natural home remedies for labor. Bromelain which is present much in pineapple can be found in papaya as well and this enzyme is well-known to stimulate the delivery by making the cervix softer. You are recommended to eat papaya a few times on a daily basis, instead of consuming its juice.

14. Cayenne Pepper

Containing a great amount of capsaicin, cayenne pepper can become one of the best natural home remedies for labor. Capsaicin will increase the body’s temperature and the cervical contractions will be induced naturally. As a result, the delivery will occur quickly.

15. Massage

When you take care of an expectant mother, massage should be the most familiar activity during the whole process because it enables the mothers to give birth to the baby much more easily. In the early months of pregnancy, massage will help you stay away from nausea or vomiting. Massage can reduce the depression and maintain a high level of energy to help women stay strong during the labor.

You can read more about Home Remedies for Nausea.

16. Motherwort

Among other home remedies for labor, motherwort is supposed to be the best herb to use when your pregnancy comes to an end. Doing so will make all of the contractions more useful than ever! It also helps regulates your Braxton Hicks contraction, and then pauses the wrong labor.

Just shortly after your birth, motherwort does such an excellent work at calming the nerves and then preventing your potential depression. Feel free to use it in the tincture or simply drinking the herbal infusion.

17. Stimulate the nipple

Do you want to do something simpler than the above home remedies for labor? Use the finger to slightly rub or roll your nipple if you want to induce labor. The whole stimulation would release the hormone that will trigger the contraction – it’s called the oxytocin. Some people claim that it can stimulate strong contractions which might take you at risk. In case you’re truly concerned about this method, how about the experts?

I bet that they will recommend you to rub or roll one nipple at one time, or merely massaging for 5 minutes and then just wait to see what occurs before moving on. I used to try it and had nothing more than the cramps. If you want higher stimulation, how about trying out the breast pump?

18. Stretch and brush the membranes

Your midwife would be the one who will help carry out this basic procedure. Let’s use the finger to insert it into your cervix and then do a slight sweep of the finger a bit. Doing so will help separate your uterus wall and the fluid-filled sac.

This will lead to your labor for hours or even days. A few women claim that it’s a simple and painless process while some others tend to find it quite aching. And how effectively it functions can base on whether you’re super dilated or not.

19. Blue and black cohosh

Blue and black cohosh are two distinct herbs that you can take them both as a tincture. It can help induce labor and regulate your contractions. As I know, a lot of midwives determine to use it during your labor to power up the uterine contractions. Besides, there are a few recent studies that claim these herbs to own bad side effects for both mother and baby.

But I still recommend you to do more research at first. For example, let’s find out more about how blue and black cohosh are supposed to work and the possible risks of availing it. If you determine to avail cohosh, ensure that you don’t take anything else than the manufacturer suggests.

20. Drink a glass of wine  

Just drink up a bit of wine to help you release the oxytocin, which is known as one of the hormones that can signal your body to enter into labor. But bear in mind that drinking during your pregnancy won’t be recommended at all. And don’t forget to check with the doctor at first before starting to do anything.

21. Skipping or galloping

You probably feel slightly self-aware when skipping the house or even your neighborhood. However, don’t underestimate it since doing that works so well based on the similar mechanism that your walking might do. It will utilize the gravity to get your baby into the right position.

Conclusion

“What are the best home remedies for labor?” is the top question asked by many pregnant women for sure. Let’s read through all 21 natural methods I’ve mentioned above and choose one that fits your taste the most. Make sure to consult your midwife or doctor for more great ideas on the greatest ways to induce the labor naturally.