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Natural Ways to Start Labor

Updated: Jun 15, 2022


Are you being told that if your baby doesn’t come by 40-42 weeks you will have to be induced?

Pregnant person waiting for birth

Do you want to try everything you can to avoid an unnecessary induction?


Check out my tips to use natural ways to initiate labor or to get labor moving along:


1. Food


Food is very important for us, it provides nourishment and helps us grow our babies. But how does this relate to initiating labour? Some say certain foods can thoroughly stimulate your digestive system, which can also stimulate the uterus. Some other say it has to do with hormones that are secreted while eating certain foods, like prostaglandin.

Some ideas to try are:

  • Eggplant Parmesan – Scalini’s, an Italian restaurant in Atlanta ensures over 300 babies have birthed their babies within 48 hours of eating their Eggplant Parmesan. You will get a copy of this recipe when you take my HypnoBirthing Childbirth Education Classes!

  • Ginger Cookies – if you would like to get a copy of my special recipe, follow this link!

  • Hot & Spicy foods (Mexican, Italian, Chinese)

  • Pineapple

  • Dates - eating 6 dates pr day for starting at wee 36 helps your cervix be ready for labour and birth (Razali, N., et al. 2017)


Mexican food, spicy food can help labor start


2. Sex, Sex, Sex - Make sure your water hasn’t broken before trying this!


I know at this point, having sex can probably be one of the least things you want to do. However, semen is a natural source of prostaglandin. Synthetic prostaglandin is used to “encourage the cervix to ripen”. So, having natural prostaglandin can only be more efficient than the synthetic version.


If you are not interested in having sex, you can do some nipple and/or clitoral stimulation. When doing this, and especially when the pregnant person reaches an orgasm, their body will release oxytocin and there can be an increase of uterine activity; which can lead into the beginnings of labour.



3. Walk, walk, walk


Walking and being upright can help your baby to move down onto your cervix so that they are in the right position for labour and birth. It also helps baby’s head to apply the right pressure in the right place so that the cervix can start thinning and opening.