How to Naturally Stimulate Contractions

Once you are past your 40th week of pregnancy, you may feel impatient and anxious about the arrival of your baby. If you are at least 41 weeks pregnant, it is safe to induce labor. To avoid using medications that may be painful to stimulate your contractions, first try a variety of natural methods for inducing labor. These methods have been used for decades by licensed midwives for a more natural pregnancy and birth plan.

Things You'll Need

• Herbal tea

Show More

Instructions

• 1

  Stimulate your nipples either manually or with an electric breastfeeding pump. For manual stimulation, roll the nipples between your fingers for two minutes and rest for three minutes. Continue this for 20 minutes.

• 2

  Have sexual intercourse, as long as your membranes have not ruptured yet. It is safe to have sex to help induce labor once you are overdue. The prostaglandin present in semen has shown to help stimulate contractions for labor.

• 3

  Get a pregnancy massage by a licensed massage therapist or your partner. Stress has shown to inhibit contractions, making a massage beneficial for offering relaxation and stress relief.

• 4

  Drink herbal tea, such as blue cohosh, to help induce labor, as long as you are under medical supervision. Do not drink herbal tea without consulting your doctor or midwife ahead of time. Herbs such as blue cohosh, cumin and red raspberry leaf have shown a positive effect in stimulating contractions, according to MaternityAcupressure.com.

• 5

  Exercise in a variety of ways, such as walking, swinging on a swing, bouncing on a birthing ball or doing pregnancy yoga. Avoid strenuous exercise during this advanced stage in your pregnancy.