VIDEO Inside pregnancy: labour A 3D look at how your baby will be born. A 3D look at how your baby will be born.

(Nishi 2014)

(Levett et al 2016)

Alternative methods of bringing on labour

(Smith et al 2013)

(CKS 2012)

(Tiran 2011)

(Singh et al 2014)

(Magon and Kalra 2011)

(Chaudhry et al 2011, NCT nd)

(Mozurkewich et al 2011)

(Nishi et al 2014)

(Nishi et al 2014)

Induction methods which may be harmful

(Hall et al 2012)

(Hall et al 2012, Kelly et al 2013)

(BHA nd)

(NHS 2015)

(Dante et al 2014, Hall et al 2012)

(Dante et al 2014, Hall et al 2012, Tiran 2014)

What is a cervical sweep? Your midwife can perform a cervical sweep to get labour going if you're overdue. Find out what it involves. More labour and birth videos

BabyCentre mums’ unusual methods

Blowing up balloons: the theory is that the build-up of abdominal pressure encourages labour to start.

Bouncing on your birth ball or driving your car down a bumpy road would seem to rely on the same theory of shaking things up a little.

Watching a weepy film and having a good cry. The release of hormones is supposed to help.

Wearing your best knickers (sod’s law will ensure that your waters break in them!)

Visit our community

Last reviewed: July 2017

References BHA. nd. Labour and childbirth. British Homeopathic Association. www.britishhomeopathic.org [Accessed July 2017]



Chaudhry Z, Fischer J. Schaffir J. 2011. Women’s use of nonprescribed methods to induce labor: a brief report. Birth 38: 168–171. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov [Accessed July 2017]



CKS. 2012. Dyspepsia - pregnancy-associated. www.nice.org.uk [Accessed July 2017]



Dante G, Bellei G, Neri I et al. 2014. Herbal therapies in pregnancy: what works? Current Opinion in Obstetrics & Gynecology 26(2): 83-91. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov [Accessed July 2017]



Hall HG, McKenna LG, Griffiths DL. 2012. Complementary and alternative medicine for induction of labour. Women Birth 25(3): 142-8. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov [Accessed July 2017]



Kelly AJ, Kavanagh J, Thomas J. 2013. Castor oil, bath and/or enema for cervical priming and induction of labour. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 24(7): CD003099. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov [Accessed July 2017]



Levett KM, Smith CA, Bensoussan A et al. 2016. Complementary therapies for labour and birth study: a randomised controlled trial of antenatal integrative medicine for pain management in labour. BMJ Open 6:e010691. bmjopen.bmj.com [Accessed July 2017]



Magon N and Kalra S. The orgasmic history of oxytocin: love, lust, and labor. Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism15(Suppl3): S156–S161. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov [Accessed July 2017]



Mozurkewich EL, Chilimigras JL, Berman DR, et al. 2011. Methods of induction of labour: a systematic review. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 11: 84. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov [Accessed July 2017]



NCT. nd. Tips on encouraging a straightforward birth during labour National Childbirth Trust. www.nct.org.uk [Accessed July 2017]



NHS. 2015. Homeopathy. NHS, Health A-Z. www.nhs.uk [Accessed July 2017]



Nishi D, Shirakawa MN, Ota E, Hanada N, Mori R. 2014. Hypnosis for induction of labour. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 8: CD010852. onlinelibrary.wiley.com [Accessed July 2017]



Singh N, Tripathi R, Mala YM, Yedla N. 2014. Breast stimulation in low-risk primigravidas at term: does it aid in spontaneous onset of labour and vaginal delivery? A pilot study. Biomed research international 2014: 695037. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov [Accessed July 2017]



Smith CA, Crowther CA, Grant SJ. 2013. Acupuncture for induction of labour. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 8: CD002962. www.cochrane.org [Accessed July 2017]



Tiran D 2011. Induction of labour - the dilemma for complementary therapists working with pregnant clients. Positive Health Online. www.positivehealth.com [Accessed July 2017]



Tiran D. 2014. Raspberry leaf tea in pregnancy. Information for mums-to-be. expectancy.co.uk [Accessed July 2017]





For the past 40 weeks you’ve been waiting for this moment. Your birth plan is written, your bag is packed , and you’re sure that any minute now you will feel your first contraction . And then... nothing. Not even a twinge.There is something to be said for being patient. If you can manage to stay relaxed, your body is more likely to be able to produce the hormone oxytocin in sufficient quantities for labour when your baby is ready to come. It's also possible that your labour may progress more smoothly and with fewer complications. But if an induction date is looming, you may feel like giving your baby a gentle nudge.There are many theories about how to kickstart labour naturally. A few of them have a little scientific evidence behind them. Others are just myths with no basis in fact. One or two are actually unsafe and should be avoided. Here's an overview of the methods you may come across:Acupuncture involves the insertion of needles into specific points of your body. This is thought to stimulate the energy within your body to act on a specific organ function or systemFind out more about how acupuncture is used to try to bring on labour.Curry is often suggested as a means to bring on labour. Eating spicy food may stimulate your gut, and therefore prompt your womb (uterus) into actionFind out more about how curry may bring on labour.Pineapple contains the enzyme bromelain, which is thought to help soften your cervix and bring on labour. In theory, eating large amounts may help to get things goingFind out more about how pineapple may bring on labour.Nipple stimulation is when you gently rub or roll your nipples to encourage the start of contractions. The idea is to mimic the suckling of your baby. This releases oxytocin, a hormone that causes contractions to startFind out more about how nipple stimulation may bring on labour.Sex can be tricky when you have a big bump. But enjoying sex and having an orgasm could trigger the release of oxytocin, a hormone that in large quantities causes contractions. Many women believe this will get labour goingFind out more about how sex may bring on labour, or see whether it worked for other women in our .It's thought that the pressure of your baby’s head pressing down on your cervix from the inside could stimulate the release of oxytocin, a hormone that causes contractions. Being upright also encourages your baby to move down on to your cervix and to get into the right position for labourFind out more about how walking may bring on labour.Hypnotic relaxation has long been used to reduce pain perception in labour but there is no evidence that it works to get things goingThe theory is that it may help women who are extremely anxious about giving birth. This is because feeling very stressed may prevent us from producing oxytocin, a hormone that’s needed to start labour and help it progressHypnotic relaxation is therefore thought to help women with high levels of anxiety relax so labour can start. But more research is needed into how effective it isAt the least, using self-hypnosis podcasts, apps or downloads may help to relax you and take your mind off things for a while if you’re frustrated with being overdue.Although some mums swear by these methods, health professionals warn against their use in bringing on labour, as they all carry potential risks for you and your baby. If you’re interested in any of these options, always discuss them with your midwife or GP Castor oil has been used to try to bring on labour for centuries. It’s thought that it acts as a laxative, stimulating both your gut and womb, thereby kickstarting labour. However there's pretty much no evidence that it worksWhat’s more, health professionals don't recommend taking castor oil, because it may make you nauseous and give you diarrhoeaFind out more about castor oil and labour.Homeopathic remedies, such as pulsatilla and caulophyllum, are often used to try to kickstart labour. Though some mums say they found them helpful, there’s no evidence that they work. If you’re considering this option, make sure that you consult a registered, qualified homeopath as well as your midwife or doctor.Find out more about homeopathic remedies and labour.Herbal remedies, such as blue cohosh and black cohosh, are much stronger than homeopathic remedies, and should not be used during pregnancy. Blue cohosh in particular has been linked to complications for babies at birth. You should always get professional guidance before using herbal remedies. Experts advise against taking any kind of herbal remedy to bring on labourFind out more about herbal remedies and labour.Raspberry leaf can be taken as a tea or in tablet form from 32 weeks in gradually increasing doses. It's thought to prepare your body for childbirth, by helping to tone the muscles of your womb (uterus).However, raspberry leaf should not be used to bring on labour when you are at term or overdue. The sudden stimulation can cause overly strong contractions and may distress your baby.Find out more about raspberry leaf and labour.Here’s a selection of quirky methods that other mums said they found helpful – although frankly we’re not convinced!While you're waiting for your baby to make an appearance, head over to your birth club to chat to other BabyCentre mums-to-be!