How to advance labor naturally

There are many ways to advance the birth of the baby in a natural and safe way for the mother and the child, which have been implemented by future mothers over the years, because, at the end of the weeks of gestation, there are still They do not experience labor symptoms.

The gestation process of a woman is characterized by being quite complex and full of a series of physical and emotional changes, beginning with general discomfort, cravings, mood swings, bulging of the belly, among others. Likewise, the expectant mother must begin to prepare the baby basket, her room, her name that she will place on it, etc.

For its part, for an average of 280 days, the fetus must develop organs and limbs, create mobility, among other aspects. In this way, at week 38 of pregnancy, the baby will be ready to be born, weighing approximately 3200 grams and about 51 centimeters tall. 

Likewise, there are mothers who reach the 39th week of pregnancy without experiencing any symptoms, which is not considered dangerous, because this extra time is used by the baby to enrich its nutrient reserve.

However, those who exceed the barrier of 40 weeks should consult their family doctor, since, from week 42, the placenta begins to calcify, which is counterproductive for the unborn child, due to that the feeding generated through the umbilical cord will not be the same as during the normal time range of gestation. In this sense, the ideal is to induce labor in a natural way, through a series of techniques, exercises, postures and food intake.

Recommendations to advance labor naturally

If your pregnancy has reached week 39 and the baby still shows no signs of wanting to come out, you might want to start thinking about how to induce labor naturally. Here are some recommendations.

walk and dance

Among the most recommended exercises to advance childbirth is the daily walk and dancing moving the hips to the favorite rhythm of the future mother. This is because, with the movement made, the baby will begin to go down the so-called birth canal until it fits, which results in the induction of labor.

For this process, in which the uterine canal is softened by the descent of the baby, to be carried out successfully, the expectant mother will need to walk for at least two hours a day, preferably on uneven ground in the open air. Likewise, she can go up and down stairs.

Whatever the case, you must wear special footwear that protects the feet and provides a correct grip, to avoid unexpected slips. However, during the last weeks of pregnancy, women’s feet tend to retain fluid and look swollen, so you will probably have to learn the step-by-step of how to enlarge hiking boots, or any other shoe that is comfortable for you. 

If this topic interests you, we will explain it briefly. You just have to take a ziploc bag and pour water into it, then seal it and put it inside the shoe. Then, put the boot in the freezer until the water solidifies and let it melt to remove it. Of course, this is one of the many tricks that exist.

Pilates ball exercises

As we mentioned before, keeping the pelvic region moving is essential for the baby to fit in, due to the effect of gravity, and to give way to the dilation process necessary to give birth. In this sense, there are some simple exercises to do, with the help of the well-known pilates ball.

You can start by sitting on the ball being very careful not to tip over. Thus, it is possible to release the accumulated tensions in the pelvic bone. Also, if you lean over the ball, you will relax the pelvic muscle system, which will gradually favor the descent of the baby through the vagina.

Another of the postures to advance labor with the pilates ball is to sit on it, but with your legs open and your back straight. Afterward, she rocks her pelvis back and forth or vice versa. Remember to perform this therapy daily and you will enhance the long-awaited dilation. To this, you can add the squatting position, in which you must support your hands on the ball, to maintain the stability of the body and facilitate the pelvic opening.

Pelvic floor contraction

Performing the pelvic floor contraction daily, for periods not exceeding 15 minutes, turns out to be a highly recommended procedure to strengthen said area and induce labor naturally. In addition, according to experts, it helps prevent tears during childbirth.

have sex

Contrary to what many people may think about having sex during pregnancy, carrying out this physical act in the last week of pregnancy is recommended to stimulate the cervix, due to the contraction experienced after orgasm. In addition, the semen expelled by the man fulfills the function of shortening the cervix, thanks to the action of prostaglandin.

chocolate and spicy

There are some foods that have the power to advance labor contractions. For example, it is said that when a pregnant woman consumes chocolate in any of her presentations, the baby tends to increase her mobility, which allows her to break the bag so that labor can begin.

For its part, spicy food during pregnancy is responsible for generating a slight irritation at the level of the intestinal mucosa, which immediately causes a movement in the gastrointestinal tract. In this way, contractions are promoted.

These are just some of the main recommendations to induce labor in a natural way. Similarly, by meditating, sharing with pets or loved ones, laughing and crying, the pregnant woman will be releasing natural oxytocin, which is the female hormone responsible for dilating the cervix to give way to labor.