Im pregnant, what now? Part 10 - Natural ways to induce labour

Lets face it.  Pregnancy drags on forever. Its a great time in a woman's life, but for some of us we just want to get it over with. So today I talk about natural ways to induce labour. Now before I start I want to stress how important it is for both the health of you and your baby that most of the following remedies arent to be started until after 38 weeks gestation unless otherwise stated. Some people may argue that many of the techniques Im about to list have not been proven to work, and that's fine. But theres no harm in trying, now is there?

• Firstly I want to start with Raspberry Leaf Tea, as this was my favourite. Im convinced it worked with Jaryd and helped me to have an easier labour. It is sold in tablet form or as tea bags, and can be taken during the last 3 months of pregnancy, however check the label in case the ones you buy are different. Add some honey to the tea to sweeten it up a little if its too bland for you. Raspberry Leaf works by stimulating your uterus, and making your contractions more efficient when in labour. It is not reccommended to people who are at risk of miscarriage and pre-term labour, and as with all of the following remedies, please see your doctor if you experience any discomfort.
• Curry/spicy foods: Some people swear that a hot curry or those jalapenos they ate last night made them go into labour. There is no evidence to back this up, yet it's still worth a try!
• Walking: By far the best remedy for you and bubs. Drspock.com says that by walking, it helps with gravity to pull your baby down into the pelvis, getting you ready for labour. That brisk walk could be all you need to get your braxton hicks to turn into full blown contractions.
• Nipple stimulation: Some women choose to have their nipples massaged to help their body produce Oxytocin, which is the body's natural hormone which causes contractions.
• Castor oil: One word. BLEUGH!! I got pretty desperate, and was so close to trying this, but then I read how it can make you pretty crook and decided against it. There are a few different variations to this method, being to drink a glass of castor oil (4 parts oil 1 part orange juice) or to make an omelette absolutely soaked in castor oil. (eww) this method works by expelling food from either the mouth or the butt. Either way, its gonna hit you like a mack truck, causing either violent vomiting or violent diarrhoea, and any woman that doesnt go into labour by this i think would be a miracle, Why anyone would want to do this to themselves is beyond me, but each to their own i guess.
• Sex: Hang on, isnt this what got u into this mess to begin with? Well guess what, its what can also get you out of it! A man's semen contains prostglandins, which helps to create and make stronger, contractions.
• And last but not least, if your obstetrician or midwife gives you the go-ahead, you may ask them to strip your membranes at about 40 weeks. Its kinda like an internal examination, and can be quite uncomfortable if your cervix isnt ripe, but I swear it works.

There are plenty of other remedies out there, but these are just some of the most common. Feel free to tell me if youve tried any of these and if theyve worked or not.