The last weeks of pregnancy tend to be especially long. And it is that when the countdown to labor begins, nerves, uncertainty and the desire to end the heaviness and discomfort of the last stage also arrive.
If we reach week 40 and delivery has not yet occurred, it is common to start hearing about induction, further altering the emotional state of the future mother. But is there anything in our power to do to trigger labor naturally?
We have talked about this with the midwife Carla Quintana, founder of ‘Matrona for me’. Carla has been trained and worked in London for many years, and is currently dedicated to accompanying, visiting and assisting women during their pregnancy and postpartum, ensuring that their birth experience is as respected and natural as possible.
Only five percent of babies are born on their due date
The approximate duration of pregnancy is 280 days of gestation, more than nine months (ten lunar months), or what is the same, 38 weeks from the moment of fertilization of the ovum and 40 weeks from the date of the last menstruation ( FUM).
Therefore, 40 weeks is considered as the ‘probable date of delivery’ (PPF), but the truth is that few babies are born exactly on that date. According to the Association El Parto es Nuestro, only four to five percent of newborns do so, while the majority come into the world between weeks 38 and 42 .
However, upon reaching the 40th week without having gone into labor , many women begin to hear about induction, although the midwife explains to us that the causes of induction must obey a medical criterion, and that labor should not be provoked if there are no complications with the pregnancy and the woman is not between the 41-42 week.
“It is essential to ensure that there are no complications of any kind, such as gestational diabetes, a baby with delayed growth, high blood pressure … or any other medical criteria that professionals consider. If there were, it would be necessary to induce when the doctor consider, but if there is not, you can wait a little longer for the woman to go into labor naturally “
“After 42 weeks the placenta begins to age and calcify. It is true that in some women this phenomenon can occur earlier, but it usually happens around week 42, and in this case the placenta would stop properly nourishing the baby “.
So, if you have met your FPP and your baby does not show interest in going out, pay attention to the advice that Carla Quintana offers us to try to provoke labor naturally.
Methods that work to advance labor naturally
When it comes to “the methods that work”, Carla refers to those scientifically proven that would help the baby to fit into the birth canal or to produce natural oxytocin that starts the contractions.
Relaxation, calm and tranquility
The main advice that the midwife offers us is to try to live this last stage with the least possible anxiety . And is that if the pregnant woman is nervous, the body will secrete adrenaline to act as a defense and adrenaline acts as an inhibitor of oxytocin, which is the hormone responsible for starting labor.
“I would also recommend calm and open-mindedness to all those women who live through pregnancy obsessed with having ‘a natural birth’. I think it is important to know all the possible options (induction, instrumentalized delivery, cesarean section …), to be informed and not collapse if it were necessary to resort to it to have our baby “
“Because unfortunately, I find many women who believe that ‘they are not good mothers because they have not been able to give birth in a natural way.’ Cesarean section or forceps are advances in medicine and we must not forget that when their use is justified, they help to save lives “
Laughter and good humor
It seems incredible, but something as simple as laughter helps to remove emotional and physical blocks, while allowing us to release oxytocin. For this reason, the midwife recommends that you look for something that amuses you and makes you laugh , and let yourself be carried away by the well-being that produces a good laugh.
“It is scientifically proven that laughter can help trigger labor when it does not arrive. Laughing a lot releases oxytocin, the love hormone, and as we said in the previous example, it is always more beneficial to be at ease, calm and happy, that nervous and anguished. “
Walking, exercising and dancing
Walking is one of the best known and most used tips when trying to speed up labor. The act of walking or dancing, and more if it is on uneven terrain, where there is more movement of the pelvis, can help the baby to lower and latch on, pressing on the cervix and helping to start (or accelerate) the dilation.
If there is no winding terrain in between, it can be useful to go up and down stairs or dance by moving your hips. And it is that the mother’s movements to the sound of music will not only help the baby go down the birth canal by softening the cervix, but will also stimulate the production of oxytocin.
“It has always been said that physical exercise helps to go into labor naturally. Going up and down stairs, moving the hips and the help of gravity , allows the baby to fit in and go into labor .”
Have sex
If the couple feels like it, their waters have not broken and there is no medical contraindication that prevents it, sexual intercourse is one of the best methods that exist to provoke labor naturally . And it is that making love with your partner will cause you to release oxytocin, the uterus to contract with orgasm, and the prostaglandins contained in the semen help to shorten the cervix.
“With orgasm we produce oxytocin, the love hormone that triggers labor. In addition, man’s semen has prostaglandins, a substance that helps to soften the cervix. And curiously, in an induction of labor the first thing that is he does before putting in oxytocin is to put prostaglandins on us . “
Pleasant massages and nipple stimulation
And again we return to oxytocin as a key point when triggering labor; the one that occurs when our partner gives us a pleasant and relaxing massage . And it is that “as happens when we make love, stimulating the woman’s body during pregnancy with caresses or massages from the partner, will raise their oxytocin levels, while relaxing them and making them feel at ease, ” he says. The matron.
And if the woman does not feel the breast especially sensitive, the nipples can also be caressed and stimulated, because as with breastfeeding, oxytocin is generated that causes contractions of the uterus. It can be done by hand, with a breast pump, or if another older child is breastfeeding, we can offer the breast more often.
Methods not scientifically proven
Next we will talk about the methods that are not scientifically proven to work , despite the fact that many women say that it worked for them. In any case, it is always advisable to previously consult with the doctor or midwife:
“Sometimes advice is seen on the Internet that can be dangerous for the mother and the baby, but many women put them into practice because they are desperate. You always have to consult with the professional beforehand, and not be guided by what you read or others they tell you “
Certain foods
It is said that certain foods such as chocolate, some herbal teas or spicy foods are stimulants when it comes to triggering labor, but the reality is that there is no scientific evidence that they work.
“It is common to hear about chocolate as an exciting substance that could advance labor . What happens is that when we drink chocolate, the baby moves more and this perhaps would help to break the bag and the labor process to begin” , explains the matron.
“As for spicy food, what happens is that the intestinal mucosa is irritated and the movement of the intestines is favored. This could in turn cause uterine contractions and trigger labor .”
” The infusions of raspberry and ginger leaf are also highly recommended to stimulate the uterus and generate contractions. As we say, there is no scientific evidence that they work but as they do not have any risk for the mother and the baby, if we like it and we You want to take an infusion or some of these foods, nothing happens to do it . “
Acupuncture and acupressure
Acupuncture consists of inserting very fine needles into specific points on the body, while acupressure is a technique consisting in applying pressure to specific points with the help of the fingers. The use of these methods to advance labor generates great controversy , because although there are studies that indicate that they do not work, many women have tried it and affirm that it has given them results.
“Acupuncture is a growing technique and many pregnant women go to these specialized centers to undergo sessions that will make them get rid of induction. But personally I do not recommend it , since there is no scientific evidence .”
“There are other techniques that are acupressure and moxibustion . The latter is used to turn the baby when it is not correctly positioned, and thus avoid cesarean section. These techniques are used daily in other countries , and although I personally do not see risks (of In fact, in the case of moxibustion I would recommend it before trying the external cephalic version), it is very important that the woman is clear that it is not scientifically proven, and that she should always, always consult with her doctor before undergoing them “ .
What doesn’t work to cause labor
And finally, the midwife reminds us of what not only does not work, but can harm us when we go into labor naturally, and these are nerves, stress and anxiety.
“We have commented on it at the beginning, but I once again emphasize the importance of staying calm in the last stage of pregnancy, enjoying the last moments with a tummy. If we start to get nervous because the days go by and the labor does not start, we begin to release adrenaline and inhibit the production of oxytocin, which is the hormone that will help us to deliver . “
” It is also important to take care of yourself, eat well and be well hydrated and, as we have said, accompany all this with physical exercise, emotional well-being and calm, very calm .”
Photos | arizona
Acknowledgments | Carla Quintana, midwife and founder of ‘Matrona Para Mi’
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