If you don't want to run the risks associated with medically induced labour, then I urge you to give acupressure a try for inducing labour at home. It works for most women and it certainly worked for me. I went into labor quickly and painlessly and felt totally stress free. Acupressure solved my fear of labor and so it could for you. For more information check out my website at http://www.bundlesofjoymaternity.com.

When you feel as big as a bus and the least little task leaves you feeling out of breath, plus you're constantly tired because you can't get to sleep at night, then it is only natural to wonder about methods of inducing labour at home. Now, whilst it's ok to try and hurry things along a bit, it is important that you don't do so until you are at least into your 40th week of term. This is because your due date may be inaccurate by up to a couple of weeks, and to bring a baby into the world too early could be detrimental to his well being.

My mother used to say that when a baby is ready he'll come, and I am sure that is true, but it still doesn't prevent the majority of women from wanting to get the delivery over as soon as possible and have their new born in their arms. When it comes to natural methods of inducing labour at home there are several things to try that women swear by, such as sex, eating spicy foods, warm baths and taking castor oil, to name but a few. I'm going to discuss these in more detail below:

Sex

Although having sex is probably bottom of your agenda right now, there is a certain amount of truth that this act can naturally induce labour at home. The reason behind this is that male sperm contains a hormone called prostraglandins which when deposited on the cervix (as in when a male ejaculates during intercourse) can help ripen and soften it preparing it for labour. Additionally, when a woman orgasms she releases a hormone called oxytocin which in turn forces the uterus to contract stimulating the onset of labour.

Spicy Foods

Some women swear by eating a hot curry prior to going into labour, but to be quite honest, this is more likely to give you heartburn or make you vomit. In fact, scientists are now saying that it is probably best to steer away from hot spicy foods because they release a chemical as they travel through the body, that fights against the natural endorphins which are presently in the body and that act as natural pain relievers. Taking in spicy foods as a means of inducing labour at home could be detrimental to a woman's ability to have a pain free birth.

Warm baths

Taking a warm bath helps to relax the body but there is no evidence that it brings on labour.

Castor Oil

Women have been taking castor oil for centuries, and I tried it myself during my first pregnancy. Firstly, it is very unpleasant to take, even when mixed with a fruit juice, and secondly it causes diarrhea and stomach cramping. This in turn can spread to the uterus, tightening the muscles and inducing contractions, but this is not always the case. What can happen is that is causes the woman to dehydrate due to the diarrhea and this can leave her feeling tired and unwell and not so able to cope with the stress and vigour of labour.

So are there any other methods to try that really work?

A relatively new method of inducing labour at home that many women are trying is acupressure. This is similar to acupuncture but uses thumbs and fingertips to massage specific pressure points, instead needles. Acupressure is particularly effective because it works with the emotions as well as the physical side of things and a session of acupressure will leave you feeling relaxed and with a great sense of well being. Because of its simplicity, even a novice can learn the techniques for maternity acupressure with just a few basic instructions. A pregnant woman can perform acupressure on herself or enlist the help of a partner. Some women only require one treatment of acupressure to go into labour, whilst others will need repeated treatments with the majority going into labour within 48 hours.