Resources:
Natural labor induction is something I feel very passionate about. First, no mother should be attempting aggressive induction techniques until 40 weeks. Remember, a due date is only a rough estimate. Every woman ovulates on a different schedule and babies develop at different rates. Pregnancy can be especially uncomfortable toward the end, but giving your baby a little bit more time to gain some extra weight and mature those lungs can make a world of difference*.
At the 38 week point however, you may begin discussing with your care provider methods of helping your body ready for labor. This is a more important way to approach this. At this stage, Red Raspberry Leaf Tea and Evening Primrose Oil combined with stretching exercises are extremely beneficial.
Once you are overdue and have the blessing of your provider, you may begin to explore other options like Castor Oil or herbs such as Cohosh, however I recommend strongly this is done only under the supervision and with the dosing instructed by your care provider. If used incorrectly, these alternative methods could cause distress in both the mother and the baby.
Personally, my favorite system is the what I called the tea/oil combo. Evening Primrose Oil should be taken orally, three times a day, as well the red raspberry leaf tea can be enjoyed cold or iced and should be consumed frequently. Evening Primrose works by helping thin (or efface) the cervix to prepare for dilation, while Red Raspberry Leaf Tea helps stimulate contractions in the uterus and also effectively tones it. Use of RLT helps reduce post-pregnancy bleeding and helps the uterus return back to its normal size faster. I have personally used both methods during one of my pregnancies and had great results!
*I have had an overdue baby, a premature baby and a term baby, there were huge differences in each child that were very noticeable)
