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With a full term baby still inside me I'm starting to get a little bit crazy. I'm to the point where my normally graceful walk has turned into full-fledged waddle and three hours a day is enough to exhaust me and put me out of commission. All I can think about is that I want the pregnancy to be over, and in doing my research I'm not the only one. In reading people's suggestions for encouraging labor I start to wonder a little bit about their sanity and I've split the ideas into three categories for simple elimination. Harmless But Useless Fortunately the suggested foods will not hurt you or the baby, but won't really make a difference in when the baby comes either. Spicy food will not trigger labor, but if labor commences shortly after eating that Mexican dish you may not enjoy the side effects. Some even say the capsaicin in the heat-producing peppers can inhibit your body's own pain relief hormones from working. Another commonly suggested food is pineapple, more specifically large quantities of fresh pineapple. Depending on the season pineapple may be hard to find, but eating it is fairly benign. Large amounts may make your stomach acidic causing unpleasantness if labor does begin. The science behind the idea is faulty, though, and some scientists even think that the active ingredient can inhibit the process of labor. My suggestion is that if you like these foods eat them as you normally would; just don't go overboard or expect too much from them. Dangerous Or Unpleasant I understand the desperation in those final weeks, but could never bring myself to try something like castor oil. I don't think that the people that do try it know what they're getting themselves into. Castor oil is a laxative, and the idea is that your uterus will engage in sympathetic contractions as your intestines contract. Unless your cervix is already prepared to birth your child, you will be suffering through diarrhea for no reason. In my opinion even if your cervix is ready to go this is a bad idea. Diarrhea and labor simultaneously sounds like the worst combination possible. Another that falls in this category would be nipple stimulation, which needs to be practiced for three hours per day in order to be effective, I've heard. I can only imaging the soreness that would result. And doctors caution that the contractions caused by this activity can be stronger and more painful. Downright Silly You know that we're desperate when the ways to get the baby out become more and more juvenile—goofy really. Jumping up and down and swinging at the park both sound like fun, but have no real merit when it comes to bringing on labor. If tension is what is keeping you pregnant then they may work. And they may be a good idea just for the laughter and joy that can come from sitting at a park watching the kids run around while you enjoy remember the freedom of your own childhood, gliding through the air on the swings. Just be realistic about your expectations. The only suggestion for encouraging the onset of labor that seems to have any scientific merit is sex, and by all means if that sounds fun at this stage of the game all the more power to you. The rest of us will laugh as we look up anything that may bring the end nearer, and cringe as we realize how awful some of the ideas really are. You, like me, have probably come to the conclusion that patience is the safest route. As much as I hate waiting it seems like the best idea I can find. Author Credit: Gabriella Gometra writes about sundry products, like http://4wheelertires.org, which has information about 4 wheeler tires and ATV mud tires.
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