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!

Transcript

Inducing Labor With Old Wives Tales

Speaker 1 0:00

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 2:13

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 3:13

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 4:43

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 5:43

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 6:17

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

Methods to Induce Labor Naturally

Speaker 1 7:53

five days .

Speaker 1 7:53

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 8:54

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 9:41

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 10:34

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 11:41

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 12:10

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 13:06

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 13:38

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 14:37

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 15:29

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 16:09

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 16:54

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 18:06

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 18:47

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 .

African Labor Inducing Methods and Folklore

Speaker 1 19:16

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 .