by Connie Banack

First, RELAX! Forget due dates. Due dates are simply an educated guess, did you know only 4% of births happen on the "due date"? Your anxiety is pumping adrenaline at high levels into your system and this could very well be further delaying any progress or starting. Concentrate on the wonderful feeling of the baby's movements inside you and how productive labor will be when it does begin. I know this all sounds a bit repetitive...however, the more you struggle to initiate labor the more your body becomes stressed and a body that is stressed will not start labor simply as a built in natural defensive response to perceived "danger". Even though you might not be in actual danger, your stress levels tell the body that danger is imminent and this further delays the natural release of oxytocin into your system. Go take a warm bath, eat a favorite meal, drink plenty of fluids and let nature take its course. The best things in life take their time.

In dealing with natural induction this list will start with the safest and least interventionist and will explain each method and the pro's and con's of each.

Start with relaxation techniques, to get you relaxed then use some visual imagery of labor beginning. I have a friend who swears by a good cry- she gets a tearjerker form the video store and has a good bawl to relieve tension. She has had 3 children and went at least 1 week overdue with each of them. The most important thing to do is to find a way to relieve tension. Tension works against labor. Relieve it, let everything go, and you may be surprised to find yourself in labor.

A bumpy car ride may sound like an old wives tail, but if the baby is not in a good position, your sitting and relaxing while being moved by the car through bumps has worked.

Spicy food has been suggested, and if you are not prone to heartburn from spices why not give it a try. One word of caution though, heartburn during labour is not enjoyable!

Before proceeding further, this is only a list of suggestions. Please consult with your doctor before trying any of these methods.

Prostaglandin
The next step is prostaglandin. Prostaglandin is the hormone that softens the cervix, preparing it for birth. It does not stimulate your uterus, thus is very safe. Two ways to introduce prostaglandin are:

Making love with your husband or partner once a day, don't get up right away after and elevating your hips is a good idea. This let's the prostaglandin in your husbands (partners) semen coat your cervix that helps to ripen it. Also semen orally has been said to help, as prostaglandins are absorbed orally as well as vaginally.

Take Evening Primrose oil (gel-caps) orally 3X's per day and insert 2 in the vagina at bedtime--you must stay laying down or else they fall out. It doesn't START labor, only prepares the cervix. You buy it at just about any health food/vitamin/herbal type store. It comes in capsules that look just like vitamin E. You can also massage it onto your cervix. You can start taking about 2 - 3 capsules orally daily at almost 38 weeks. Then about a week later started putting it on your cervix as long as the bag of waters is intact. If your water breaks and labour does not start soon, do not bath (shower instead), avoid sex and anything that could introduce germs into your vagina including vaginal checks.

Prostaglandin induction (using an artificial prostaglandin gel) is the first step usually taken for induction in the hospital to soften the cervix, making it more favourable for an induction with an artificial oxytocin drug.

Oxytocin and Emenagogues

Oxytocin is the hormone that your body uses to stimulate uterine contractions during labour. It is also the synthetic form of oxytocin that is used for induction and augmentation in the hospital. You must use caution when using these! After trying one, wait several hours to see if it has worked. If it is used too much or too often labour may become too intense for you and baby. If you experience any side effect, discontinue immediately!

Nipple stimulation is a well-known method of contracting your uterus. Used by midwives for centuries, it not only stimulates the uterus during labour, it is very beneficial after the birth to aid in expelling the placenta and thus avoiding hemorrhage. Do nipple stimulation for 15 minutes at a time every three or four hours. As this method uses your natural oxytocin, it is the safest form of induction.

Accupressure on the Spleen 6. For more information on this, ask your Doula or a good reference to this is The Birth Partner by Penny Simkin.

Blue or Black Cohosh are emenagogues. It is often seen as a last ditch method, but if artificial induction is threatened this is a much more natural form of induction. Don't use it if you are anemic or have a history of postpartum bleeding, high blood pressure or excessive blood loss during birth. 3 to 4 drops under the tongue every 4 hours. Use only with the acceptance of your doctor.

Hey, go ahead and have that glass of wine you have been dying to have! At this point it may relax you-hopefully enough to bring 'em on!

Castor oil

One of the very possible side effects of using castor oil or an enema is the mom having bad diarrhea with cramps that can lead to dehydration, which is why my midwife suggests steering clear of it! I've also heard that it is believed to be associated with a higher risk of the baby passing meconium before or during the birth, but have seen no conclusive studies on this.

Castor oil cocktail. Take one large glass of orange juice [good for you in many ways!] mix in three teaspoonful of castor oil and one teaspoon of baking soda. It gets nice and foamy. Almost like pop, it goes down much easier than [gag] swallowing castor oil by itself. BTW, it works by stimulating the bowels, which in turn stimulates the uterus, so Metamucil works too and is much easier to take!

An enema also works the same as castor oil, and though invasive, it may be the one to do the trick.

Disclaimer: All information is provided for educational purposes only. Consult your physician regarding the advisability of any opinions or recommendations with respect to your individual situation.

**Connie Banack has been involved in the birthing community in Alberta for over 8 years. Connie is a certified Childbirth Doula, Postpartum Doula, and Childbirth Educator through the Global Birth Institute (GBI). She recently achieved her Globally Registered Perinatal Doula certificate (the highest certification possible for doulas internationally) and is working towards completion of her Lactation Counsellor certification. Connie and her husband have four children.

FONTE:Canadian Doulas

Marcadores: dicas, indução natural, parto