7 Ways to Accelerate Labor

To speed up labor, you can use some natural methods such as walking a fast one-hour walk in the morning and in the afternoon, or increasing the frequency of intimate contacts, as this helps soften the cervix and increase the pressure of the baby under the pelvis.

Labor begins spontaneously between 37 and 40 weeks of gestation, so these measures to accelerate labor should not be done before 37 weeks of pregnancy and if the woman has any complications such as pre-eclampsia or placenta previa, for example.

What to do to speed up labor

Some ways to speed up labor include:

1. Have intimate contacts

Intimate contact stimulates the uterus, the production of prostaglandins that help soften the cervix, prepare it for childbirth, and the production of oxytocin that is responsible for promoting uterine muscle contractions. See the best positions in: How is sex during pregnancy.

This technique is contraindicated from the moment the pouch ruptures, by the risk of infection.

2. Walking

Walk or walk 1 hour in the morning and in the afternoon with a brisk pace: the walk helps push the baby down toward the pelvis because of gravity and hip swing. This pressure of the baby under the uterus helps to increase the production of oxytocin, stimulating uterine contractions. Therefore, this technique is most effective in the beginning of labor, when the pregnant woman begins with weak and irregular contractions.

3. Do acupuncture

Acupuncture stimulates uterine activity by stimulating specific points in the body. However, it should be done by an acupuncturist specializing in pregnancy;

4. Take primrose oil

Evening primrose oil helps the cervix to dilate and thinner, preparing it for childbirth. However, its use should only be done under the guidance of the obstetrician, who must also adjust the dose according to the pregnant woman;

5. Take Castor Oil

Castor oil is laxative and therefore, by causing spasms in the gut, can stimulate uterine contractions. However, if the pregnant woman is still not showing signs of labor, she may have severe diarrhea or dehydration. For this reason, the use of this oil should only be done under indication of the obstetrician.

6. Take tea from raspberry leaves

This tea helps to tone the uterus by preparing it for childbirth, so that labor progresses at a good pace and is not so painful. Here's how to prepare in: Home remedy to speed up labor.

7. Drinking Jasmine Tea

Tea prepared with Jasmine flowers or leaves can be used to stimulate labor, and it is recommended to take this tea 2 to 3 times a day. In addition, this medicinal plant is also known for its essential oil, which can be used at the beginning of the part to massage the abdomen, as it relieves pain and cramps.

Other ways to speed up labor, such as eating spicy foods, drinking cinnamon tea or nipple stimulation, are not scientifically proven and may also cause problems in the health and well-being of the pregnant woman such as dehydration, heartburn, diarrhea or vomiting, for example .

There are other ways to accelerate labor used by the obstetrician such as the administration of the hormone oxytocin to stimulate uterine contractions or the purposeful disruption of the pouch by the physician to expedite labor, but these options are generally used after 40 weeks gestation.

Signs that indicate the onset of labor

Signs that indicate that the pregnant woman will go into labor include increased frequency and intensity of uterine contractions accompanied by pain, rupture of the "water pouch", and loss of the mucous plug, which is characterized by the output of a brown discharge through the vagina.

Also see how to relieve pain during labor.

What to do when you go into labor

As soon as the pregnant woman starts feeling these signs of labor, she should go to the hospital or maternity hospital because the baby is close to being born.

Learn what happens during labor until the baby is born in:

• Phases of Labor