Today’s blog is created because of my niece's posted on Facebook today “Membrane sweep next Tuesday, so Coby will hopefully be here on Wednesday and if that doesn’t work I’m going to be induced the week after!” My niece's post “lit a fire” under me and sparked the creation of this article.
I found myself collecting different articles and clinical reports to showcase valid opinions, you know the "Great Thinkers" on these subjects. One of the best learning, I found in my academia time was I do not need to know everything; I just need to know where to sight it from. You will find most of the links on the reports are from “US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health, Pub Med .gov and Ina May Gaskin, Midwife and Author foloowed by two youtube videos to a a visual expression” As I sit here, in Waterloo region, in Ontario, I pondered, how can my Labour doula learning help my niece in Alberta as she gives birth to her son.
I know, some of you are going to say, there is a great amount of research on waiting for the baby to start the process of labour. However, being a doula also means to support women on their journey of their birthing process. There are many times when a doula needs to remember, it is not their birth or story. The birth story itself belongs to the family and to support them on their way.
I found myself collecting different articles and clinical reports to showcase valid opinions, you know the "Great Thinkers" on these subjects. One of the best learning, I found in my academia time was I do not need to know everything; I just need to know where to sight it from. You will find most of the links on the reports are from “US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health, Pub Med .gov and Ina May Gaskin, Midwife and Author foloowed by two youtube videos to a a visual expression” As I sit here, in Waterloo region, in Ontario, I pondered, how can my Labour doula learning help my niece in Alberta as she gives birth to her son.
I know, some of you are going to say, there is a great amount of research on waiting for the baby to start the process of labour. However, being a doula also means to support women on their journey of their birthing process. There are many times when a doula needs to remember, it is not their birth or story. The birth story itself belongs to the family and to support them on their way.
Meet Cody, Erin, Trinity, and Tanix, they are waiting on little Coby.
As a Great Auntie, I am going to say, I value my niece enough to know she knows, her body and her family’s needs more the I ever possibly could. Here you go my dear niece Erin. I hope this helps you birth you little man. Welcome to the family little Coby, we cannot wait to meet you!
I am sure there are other ways to natural induce labour, but these are the ones, I found and chose to write upon today.
- Sex: “Breast stimulation is especially effective in starting labor at term when it is combined with sexual intercourse. Unless your partner is an abysmally poor lover, this combination is by far the most enjoyable method of induction.” Ina May Gaskin, Ina May's Guide to Childbirth
- Acupuncture/Acupressure: Report “The most popular therapies recommended by midwives are massage therapy, herbal medicines, relaxation techniques, nutritional supplements, aromatherapy, homeopathy and acupuncture.”
- Reflexology: Report “Reflexology services are offered to induce spontaneous labour for women with low risk pregnancies once postdates, reducing the need for medical induction of labour (IOL) and intervention…”
- Induction Massage/Shiatsu: Report “Post-term women who used shiatsu were significantly more likely to labour spontaneously than those who did not (p=0.038). Of those who had used shiatsu, 17% more went into spontaneous labour compared to those who were not taught shiatsu.”
- Sweeping Membranes / Stretch & Sweep: It is known to give a gentle push in the direction of full labour. It may not be completely natural but it is definitely drug free. Report “Membrane sweeping, has beneficial effects on labor and delivery, which is limited to nulliparas with unfavorable cervix requiring PGE2 or Oxytocin alone.”
- Evening Primrose Oil Report “It is often used for several women's health conditions, including breast pain (mastalgia), menopausal and premenstrual symptoms, cervical ripening, and labor induction or augmentation.”
- Raspberry Leaf Report “The aim of the study was to identify the effect and safety of raspberry leaf tablets (2 x 1.2 g per day), consumed from 32 weeks' gestation until labor, on labor and birth outcomes.” I also found this from Ina May Gaskin book, “The strangest request I have encountered was that of a first-time mother who—just before pushing—asked her husband for a jar of peanut butter and proceeded to eat two heaping table-spoonfuls. She then washed the peanut butter down with nearly a quart of raspberry leaf tea and pushed her baby out. I was impressed.” Ina May Gaskin, Ina May's Guide to Childbirth
- Date Fruit Report “Spontaneous labour occurred in 96% of those who consumed dates, compared with 79% women in the non-date fruit consumers.”
- Yoga Positions and Therapy: Yoga Positions to Induce Labour youtube video
- Exersise: Here is a great article on exercises to bring on labour called “8 Effective Exercises To Induce Labor Naturally” and the Yoga Ball as well as some acupress points on the second link
