Nipple stimulation. Acupuncture. Rose-leaf tea.
When it comes to inducing labour, the myths are myriad. It’s fair enough, given the extreme discomfort mums often endure during the third trimester. ‘I’d do anything… anything to get this baby out of me’.
Lots of sex. The spiciest of curries.
But… does any of it really work? Can you really force a baby out, or is it all crazy-talk to give uncomfortable mothers SOME illusion of control over the situation.
So. We did the sensible thing, and asked a professional, midwife Cath Curtin, to clear up the issue once and for all.
Listen: Bec Judd and Monique Bowley speak to Midwife Cath about inducing labour at home, and if any of the myths ACTUALLY work. (Post continues after audio…)
“As far as acupuncture, raspberry leaf tea, having sex, all those things… we don’t encourage you to do anything really, because it just makes women stressed. And no one needs to be stressed,” says midwife Cath.
“You may have acupuncture and go into labour the next day, or you may have no acupuncture and go into labour the next day.”
She goes on, “There’s some women who can do absolutely everything, and nothing happens.”
Ultimately, it comes down to one thing, according to Curtin.
“When the apple’s right, it will fall.”
If we're reading between the lines correctly, labour seems to be far more linked to biology than it does to the spiciness of your Beef Vindaloo.
"A lot is to do with the position of the baby in the pelvis, in the uterus... how the head or the presenting part is on the cervix."
Do you disagree? Do you swear by a hack for inducing labour? Let us know in the comments below.
You can listen to the full episode of Hello Bump, all about the ninth month of pregnancy, below:
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