So, you've been slow-cooking that new human for nine months, the hospital bag has been packed for weeks, and you're definitely over having your internal organs used as a trampoline: Yep, it's time to serve an eviction notice on bubba and shift that bun out of your oven with these top tips for bringing on labour...
1. Eat curry
A red hot curry may well be the answer to persuading baby to leave the premises, as spicy food may irritate your intestines (as if they're not irritated enough already) and cause uterine contractions if they are ready to start dilating. There's no scientific evidence on this, and don’t eat too much mega hot stuff: if could send your heartburn into overdrive AND give you a case of the squits: not what you need when you're about to push a human into the world. #ugh
2. Try some gentle exercise
Strap on a pair of comfy shoes and go for a stroll (not that there is bugger all else to do right now!), and don't forget to check out our guide to the best country parks around London for lovely ramble inspo. In fact, try any exercise that gets your heart rate up as this can also help relieve stress AND prep your bod ready for the task ahead. It goes without saying that it's probably best to leave running marathons until after you've had the baby though, and maybe stick to yoga and brisk walks instead.
3. Raspberry Leaf Tea
Raspberry leaf tea is the wonder-drink of late pregnancy and widely believed to be a uterine tonic (somehow that doesn’t sound quite as appealing as a gin and tonic). Start brewing from around 32 weeks of pregnancy: this magical beverage may also help bring about shorter and easier labour.
4. Have sex
Okay, so you're probably feeling about as sexy as a teabag right now, but apparently having sex can help kickstart your cervix into labour readiness. Fact: having sex will NOT bring on labour unless your body is ready for labour to be brought on, so it's entirely safe to partake in a bit of love all through pregnancy if you so wish. Or not.
5. Twiddle with your nipples!
Apparently a bit of nipple stimulation produces a whoosh of oxytocin, which may just trick your body into evicting that baby. Maybe one to combine with #4...
6. Eat dates
When we say dates, we're not talking about the kind that can lead to #4 and #5, we mean the edible sort of dates. Studies show that eating six of these delectable little numbers every day from around week 36 can totes help to bring on labour naturally, as well as being a factor in quicker and easier labour when the time comes.
7. Eat pineapple
The humble pineapple could just bring on labour as pineapples produce an enzyme that when eaten helps ripen the cervix. Ripe pineapples for a ripe cervix? Sounds like it’s worth a shot!
So, in summary you need to twiddle with your nipples while having sex while walking around a park eating curry, pineapple and dates, and wash it all down with some raspberry leaf tea. Now, go have that baby!
*Disclaimer* NONE of this is medical science and we definitely can’t be blamed if your nipple fiddling over a cup of raspberry leaf tea doesn’t shift the baby after all…
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