At 39 weeks, I had enough of being pregnant. So tired. So huge. So ready. So I googled "how to induce your own labor [1]." I found methods online that other women swore worked to coax their babies into making their long-anticipated arrivals. Some tried-and-true techniques were too outside of my comfort zone to entice me to attempt them, like taking castor oil [2] to stimulate the bowels and possibly contractions, too. Pass! But other home remedies to induce labor seemed simple enough, and since I was so miserable, I felt ready to try (almost) anything!
Of course every woman is different, but from eating an entire pineapple [3] almost every day for a week to stimulating my nipples for hours on end, here are the five things I tried in an effort to finally meet my baby and the effect they had on my burgeoning body. Ultimately, only one thing ended up actually working to induce my labor. Read on to find out what it was!
Eating an Entire Pineapple
I'd read online that eating pineapple, which contains a proteolytic enzyme called bromelain, can help soften the cervix and induce contractions. I love pineapple, so I was game to try this natural method to give my labor a kick-start. I bought several fresh pineapples from the grocery store, cut them up, and dug in night after night. One evening, my tropical snack did induce some fairly strong contractions [5], but they stopped after about an hour.
The verdict: Eating pineapple may get things going, but for me, the effects didn't lead to baby.
Walking
Walking supposedly releases oxytocin, a hormone that induces contractions. Along with gravity being on your side, this easy form of exercise is what many women are convinced brings about labor. I probably walked 10 miles in the final week of my pregnancy. The good news? Walking kept my mind off of waiting to go into labor [6]. The bad news? I usually had to pee within a few steps of leaving my house!
The verdict: The more I walked, the more pressure I felt on my pelvis. But still, no baby.
Having Sex
The act of intimacy releases oxytocin, that crucial hormone needed for contractions to start. Semen may also soften the cervix, and having an orgasm [7] can get things going, too. So my husband and I got busy nightly, and while I enjoyed connecting with him, my huge tummy made finding a comfortable position comically difficult.
The verdict: Good times, but our baby stubbornly hung in there no matter how much lovemaking we logged.
Stimulating the Nipples
Another oxytocin booster involves, well, playing with your nipples. You can look up how to do this "properly" to induce labor, but I kinda just winged it while watching TV or standing in the shower. I felt pretty silly, and it got uncomfortable since my breasts were sore in late pregnancy. But I figured if squeezing and fondling my boobs would lead to my baby's birth, then what the heck?
The verdict: I was still pregnant after stimulating my nipples and more than just a little over touching myself for no reason.
Waiting
I learned through my experimentation with home methods of inducing my labor that baby will come when baby is ready. So waiting is really the only thing that worked to bring on my labor. A few days before my due date, my son was finally born. Hallelujah!