The Jeune Maman Podcast
The Jeune Maman Podcast is an audio-journey of the intricacies of Senegalese-American motherhood. Host Aissatou Guisse reflects on her own experiences and shares those of others around her, with the goal of sharing information, imparting wisdom with the help of guest speakers, dispelling myths, and much more!
The Jeune Maman Podcast
E26: Old Wives Tales for Inducing Labor - Do They Work?
In this episode, I talk about 9 Old Wives Tales for inducing labor! Some I've tried and others I haven't! Tune in to find out what worked for me!
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Hello, hello listeners, and welcome back to the Jumma Maw podcast, where we talk about all things pregnancy, postpartum motherhood, tips and tricks and more from a Senegalese, american perspective. I'm your host, isis Huggisei, and in today's episode I'm going to be talking about inducing labor old wives tales. So what are old wives tales? These are things that people have sworn up and down can trigger labor. So if you are in week 36, 37, 38 of pregnancy maybe not 36, that's a bit early. But if you are at the tail end of pregnancy and it's just not coming, naturally these are things that have been said to trigger labor and get you across that finish line. So in today's episode, I'm going to be telling you what some of those old wives tales are. If I've tried them and if they work for me, let's get started. Wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute. Before we get started, let me tell you, guys, that I am not a doctor and this is not medical advice. These are things that I'm just talking about from my experience. I have to give that disclaimer because somebody's going to come out here and say you told me if I did this, it would work. No, this is just my experience. Talk to your healthcare provider if you have any questions around how you can trigger labor, wish. They're not really going to tell you what you can and cannot do, they're just going to give you medical advice and most of it is to wait. Wait for labor to start or they're going to induce you. Anyways, if you are interested, keep watching for some of the things that are said to have triggered labor first people in the past. So the first one that we have is okra water. So this is basically where you take fresh okra, you cut off the tops, you can chop them up if you would like, but you get a big water bottle, fill it up with water and put the okra in there, and then you put it in the fridge overnight and then the next morning you drain it and you drink that water. The claims here is that it can actually make labor go faster. So it's not necessarily an induction method, but it is a way to make labor go faster and for when that baby is coming out, for it to slip right out. Isn't that wonderful. It's not backed by science, that's just what they're saying on the streets.
Speaker 1:So I did try this, starting at 36 weeks. I think it was for me. I was drinking the okra water pretty much every single day and I was nervous about the taste and the texture. Nobody wants to drink slimy water. But surprisingly it wasn't that bad and what I did was I wasn't sipping on it. I would literally like get my big jug, do the whole filling it up, put it in the fridge overnight, drain it the next day and then I would like pour one big glass, stand there, brace myself and just drink and just chug it away and then I would drink regular water throughout the day. So I did that, starting at 36 weeks. I mean I think it worked because I didn't have a long pushing period. When it was time to push, within like 10 minutes, my baby was there. But I can't attribute that to just the okra water. But I mean I can't say that it didn't work. I can't say that it did. I let know that I tried it and my baby came right out. So do with that information which you will.
Speaker 1:The next tail is dates. So starting at 36 weeks yes, 36 weeks. They say eating six to seven dates per day is known on the street to help you kick off labor. So the research behind this is because dates has an oxytocin like effect on the body which can increase sensitivity to the uterus. So basically the uterus is what needs to go into hard drive for you to go into labor and deliver your baby, those contractions. Oxytocin is what helps the uterus make those contractions, do those contractions and basically eating dates, starting at 36 weeks onward, can kind of help stimulate those uterine contractions. It's also known to reduce now this is a little bit backed by science it's known to reduce postpartum hemorrhage the way that oxytocin does. So overall, dates is a really good thing to just eat if you like the taste of it. Some folks don't like the taste, so they're blended into a smoothie. But science does say that eating dates can be a very good way to help kind of ease into labor Religiously as well, since we're talking about the Senegalese American perspective, senegalese majority Muslim from the religious standpoint, in Islam as well, eating dates is highly recommended once you get into that tail end of labor sorry tail end of pregnancy as well.
Speaker 1:It's also recommended to take a little bit of a day, chew it up until it's very mushy and then to put it on the roof of the baby's mouth when they're first born. But I tried to do that and I was discouraged against it, but that is something that is a thing out there. So if you do the research and you find out that you want to do that, definitely encourage you to make that decision once you've done the proper research. As far as the dates, I did try this. I love dates, so it was no brainer for me to get to that point of my pregnancy where I could be eating six or seven a day and I didn't go into labor spontaneously. So I don't think any of these things actually worked, if I'm being honest. But it was a nice thing to do. It has a lot of health benefits. Maybe I'll put it somewhere here if I end up feeling like it, but otherwise, dates are backed by science as a good thing to eat, starting at 36 weeks of pregnancy.
Speaker 1:The next wives' tale is red raspberry leaf tea. So they're saying that drinking copious amounts of red raspberry leaf tea, more than four cups of 250 ml a day, is said to trigger contractions. I did not try this. Sorry, I can't speak from experience, but that is another wives' tale that they're saying if you drink red raspberry leaf tea at the end of your pregnancy, you could go into labor. Well, you could trigger contractions, which is what causes you to go into labor. So it's a sequence.
Speaker 1:The next one, which is probably going to be the most recommended by any medical professional, is walking Good old movement. So this is tried and true for a lot of people. It may not start labor per se, but it can definitely help progress labor. So once you do get to that point where you start having contractions and your body starts going into labor, the best thing that you can do is keep moving. You want to make sure that you are shifting your hips as much as possible, because that's what's going to help the baby fall into position, that's what's going to keep the pressure on your cervix so that it can dilate and soften and ripen and all those things. So movement is a good thing and that's why a lot of doctors will just recommend that you take walks towards the end of your pregnancy. If you are able to, if you get to a point where you can't walk because it hurts too much or you're just unable, you can simulate the swaying of the hips by sitting on an exercise ball and swaying from left to right, circular motions, all of those things. You just want to make sure that you're not staying still, because that's not going to help progress labor any. So you want to make sure you keep moving, whether it's walking, exercise ball, requesting a peanut from your care team once you go into the hospital. There's a lot of different ways that you can keep moving, even if you have the epidural. So make sure you talk to your provider about how you can continue to progress labor and make sure that you get that baby out of there as soon as possible, because that's what you want is your bundle of joy in your arms in the healthiest, safest manner, but also in a quick manner. Nobody wants to be in labor before five days.
Speaker 1:This next one is some people's favorite method because it's a two for one. You can kill two birds with one stone and it is sex. Yes, child, they're saying. Having sex can either push you into labor or I don't know. Let me just read my notes. So they're saying that semen contains prostaglandins I think that's how you say it and this is a hormone that can help ripen, which is what you need to happen to the cervix. It can help ripen the cervix and this could possibly lead to contractions. So, similarly, they say an orgasm releases the hormone oxytocin. That is what stimulates the muscle of the uterus to contract. So basically, in your uterus it needs to contract and that contraction is what pushes the baby down and gets it out. So, all in all, having sex is said to trigger contractions and help push you into labor.
Speaker 1:Now I just want to say here that it might be the last thing on your mind when you're so close to having a baby to think about having sex Like it literally might be the last thing on your mind. But some people, they still have a high sex drive and so this kind of works for them and other people it's enough for them to have sex without thinking about the joy of it, just because they just want to get over that finish line. That badly, I don't know. I don't know what to say about this. One yeah, if you feel like having sex, go ahead and have sex. It could just be two for one, deal by one, get one, I don't know. The next one that I have is nipple stimulation. You could couple that with the having sex one.
Speaker 1:Anyways, this can trigger, this may trigger, contractions. So actually in my research, when I was in the middle of trying to push the baby out, like just get the baby out of me. I did look up what nipple stimulation could do and basically it's those contractions again. And it wasn't until after I gave birth that I realized how true this was. When you are breastfeeding, in those early days, you can literally feel your uterus contracting the same way you were having contractions before. They're not going to be as intense, but you can literally feel your uterus contracting and shrinking back to its size. It's an amazing like not amazing like in a good way, like it doesn't feel good, but it's like an awesome feeling. You're just like wow, like the way the body works is absolutely fascinating. But nipple stimulation can help trigger contractions and may lead you to labor.
Speaker 1:So, basically, if you are near or past your due date, ask your OB about trying nipple stimulation. Yeah, so, not something that you want to try like 36 weeks or 37 weeks, if you just want to let things right out, naturally, but once you get you know near or past your due date, this could be something that might be helpful to you. So ask your OB about that. The way that you do it is you can use a milk pumper, so manual or electric or, like I was mentioning, vss you can kill two birds with one stone. Basically, just be careful because around 36 weeks of pregnancy lactation can begin. So if you are going to be trying nipple stimulation with the, go ahead from your doctor that you're collecting in a colostrum that you that may be coming out of your nipples at that point, so at 36 weeks is when milk production, lactation begins, typically for a lot of women. So if you are doing that nipple stimulation, like I mentioned, just make sure you have a cup ready or a bottle ready to collect any milk. That first milk that comes out is very, very beneficial for your baby. So make sure you're not wasting that.
Speaker 1:For me, I did try to collect colostrum but I did try to do nipple stimulation to induce labor. I didn't have a lot of colostrum and it's not going to be a lot anyways but it basically was like not enough for me to collect. Like by the time I saw something it was too late and it was already steeped into my clothes. Sorry if that's TMI, but that's what this podcast is. So, yep, I did try nipple stimulation for colostrum collection, but not for inducing labor.
Speaker 1:The next wives tale that we have is spicy foods. So it is believed that feasting on pad Thai or chicken wings, mother and suicide sauce. Where did I get these notes from? May fire up your digestive system and bowels and consequently your uterus. This sounds like a recipe for disaster. I'm not going to lie. Um, it just sounds really uncomfortable. So, basically, you want to give yourself the shits so that your uterus will react and contract. I don't. I don't think that's a good idea. If you naturally like spicy foods, then go ahead, but for many pregnant women, heartburn is a big, big, big problem. So spicy foods and heartburn might not be a good idea. So I don't know. Use your discretion on this one. I didn't try it because I did have bad heartburn, so I didn't really need to add anything else on top of that.
Speaker 1:The next one that we have is castor oil. This is similar to the spicy foods route. Basically, you want to upset your stomach to the point of no return so that your uterus will just revolt. My notes say this unpleasant tasting vegetable oil is essentially elixative. Yo. The last thing you need while you're pregnant is to have the runs, oh my God. So it says when taken early, you can try this. Whatever.
Speaker 1:I'm not going to talk about disguising the flavor, because I don't think anybody should try this and let me know, unless you want to, um, but it can cause cramping in the intestines which surround the uterus during the latter stages of pregnancy. This is supposed to lead to uterine muscle spasms and labor. So basically, like I said, you want to give yourself the runs and have a shit vest and that is supposed to keep you into labor. Oh, my God, um, I mean, hey, it's each his own, but I do have to mention, for castor oil, the side effects. So this is not recommended for first time moms. This is not recommended for 36, 37, 38 weeks. This is like last ditch effort. If you are 41 weeks, labor is not starting naturally for you and you get the sign off from your OB. I don't know that any OB would sign off to this, but this is not something that you try first. This is like last effort.
Speaker 1:You get a real desperate if you try and cast oil because the side effects include severe cramps, dehydration and diarrhea. Like I'm telling you, the latter stages of pregnancy are so uncomfortable by themselves. The last thing you need is to add diarrhea and cramping and dehydration on top of that. It's not even healthy for the baby. So I don't know. Don't go overboard. Ask your doctor, talk to someone that you trust, who is a medical professional, who knows your medical history, before you go down this path, because it might not, it might be the path of no return, like once you kick this off. It might be that your baby is coming and you're just going to have a horrible experience because you're dealing with labor and all these other uncomfortable symptoms. Don't do that to yourself.
Speaker 1:And finally, what I have here is acute pressure. So acute pressure is a form of touch therapy used in Chinese medicine. The therapist targets specific pressure points on the mother's body, causing the baby to descend, press into the pelvic, thereby righting and dilating it and initiating contractions. There are some that are directly designed, designed to directly stimulate contractions, and it can also promote relaxation and relieve tension during labor. So this is kind of another two for one deal as well, where you're getting a massage that can also help kick you into labor.
Speaker 1:I didn't try this, but I mean any, any type of massaging. Maybe I did, because I mean I got my feet rubbed every day. That was nice you guys should get pregnant again but I got my feet rubbed every day, got back massages. So I mean, you know, maybe it wasn't the way that acupressure is done typically, but any type of massaging, any type of just body pain relief and relaxation, is going to be good for mama and baby towards the end of pregnancy, throughout all the pregnancy, but especially towards the end of pregnancy when your whole body is aching and all you need is some relief. So acupressure is definitely something that you can talk to your doctor about, make sure it's safe for you and, if it is, go ahead.
Speaker 1:So for me personally, I was induced at 38 weeks in one day, so I didn't get far enough to try any of these measures really outside of the dates the okra water, the acupressure slash massage I was not that desperate. I mean, I was pretty desperate, I'm not going to lie to you, but I was not that desperate to the point where I was willing to try anything that wasn't signed off by my OB or that would just cause me extreme discomfort just for the sake of having my baby. What was another week if I waited 38 weeks? What was another day if I waited all those days? So, thankfully, I had a healthy baby girl through induction method, but hopefully with my next baby, inshallah, whatever that is, I can try some of these methods or just go into spontaneous labor, where I don't have to get induced and I can attribute it maybe to walking a lot or something like that. But either way, healthy mom, healthy baby is the goal. So it doesn't really matter. Just make sure that you are taking care of yourself, you're taking care of your body and you're taking care of this newborn baby that is going to be in your arms, inshallah.
Speaker 1:Like I mentioned, most of these are recommended for second, third or fourth babies. During that first one, you just don't know what you don't know, so it's better to err on the side of caution and not add more complications to what you're already going through. Talk to your OB. The most you need to do, probably for your first and second one this is just my advice is maybe drink that okra water, because it can't hurt for the baby to slip right out. Get your dates, walk, have sex and get a massage, like. If you do those things, you should be fine on your first one. Then, once you start having a little bit more experience under your belt, you can maybe get involved to try new things.
Speaker 1:But that is what I think in terms of old wives tailed inducing labor. I'm sure there are more out there. Just a quick search. This is what it pulled up for me. I'm glad that I didn't have to get to the point of having to try a lot of things. I know that when you get to be 40 weeks pregnant 41 weeks that is a very tiring experience. From what I've heard and I can imagine so I could see why folks try different things.
Speaker 1:I would love to hear from Senegalese people out there if you tried anything that was specifically African or like not even just Senegalese people, but any Africans. If you tried any labor inducing methods that maybe you weren't mentioned in this episode or are very specific to the African culture. I would love to hear about that as well. And I think that's all I have for you today. I really wanted to just come on here and talk about these because I think they're so interesting. When you get to that point in pregnancy, all you can think about is the end of pregnancy, the end of pregnancy. So thank you guys for bearing with me as I talked about my experience, as I talked about these old wives' tales, and if you have any other suggestions, recommendations. If you are an OB out there and you heard me say something that's like no, no, no, don't do that. Also, feel free to let us know. We are a community, so let's share the information where we can, and I will see you guys in the next episode.
