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Childbirth is a completely natural process, but in some cases women need help before it can happen. One of these aids is to induce labor. But when performing natural labor or other types of labor induction, you should consult your doctor to follow the correct procedure and not affect the health of mother and baby.
1. Labor process
Labor is the process that takes place in the last stage of pregnancy, allowing the fetus and placenta to exit the uterus through the vagina. Towards the end of pregnancy, signs of impending labor include uterine contractions, and as the abdomen becomes stiffer, the cervix begins to dilate. As the pain increases gradually and with regularity and contractions, the uterus relaxes and becomes softer. At that time, the fetus in the uterus also rotates and moves below the mother's pelvis and the first pain appears. Pain can last throughout labor. When the cervix is dilated enough 10cm along with the mother's pushing activity, at this time, the atrium will gradually pass through the pelvis and out.
Labor is divided into types:
Labor in full term when the gestational age is from 38 to 42 weeks and the average time is expected at 40 weeks. At this point the fetus is mature and capable of living independently and healthy outside the mother's uterus Labor in the case of preterm labor with a gestational age from 22 to 37 weeks Labor in the case of preterm labor, when the gestational age is greater than 42 weeks.
2. Some ways to help induce labor naturally
In a study conducted in 201 surveyed mothers who delivered their babies at home, about 50% of mothers tried some natural labor stimulation measures to speed up the labor process. . However, before performing the procedure, it is necessary to consult an obstetrician to ensure the safety of both mother and baby.
2.1. Exercise helps to stimulate natural labor The fastest way to stimulate labor is to exercise with exercises such as walking, climbing stairs... These activities help the baby It is easy to move down to the pelvis and at the same time affects the dilation of the cervix to prepare for childbirth.
When exercise activities are not aimed at stimulating natural labor, it also helps you reduce stress, stay healthy during pregnancy and prepare for the next stages such as labor, delivery and feeding. child.
2.2. Sex Activity You've probably heard of the simple way to induce labor naturally by having sex. When this activity takes place, because the male semen contains a large amount of the hormone prostaglandins - which stimulate the uterine muscles to contract, it will work and help the woman to stimulate natural labor more easily. So let your partner have sex in the vagina.
2.3 Nipple stimulation How to stimulate natural labor for pregnant women? One of those ways is to stimulate women's nipples. When nipples are stimulated before and during labor, it can cause the uterus to contract and speed up labor.
Moreover, nipple stimulation with breastfeeding right after birth also helps the uterus to shrink back to its original size faster. In addition, when the mother breastfeeds the baby early, the milk will come in faster and more often. Therefore, the mother or someone with support should perform nipple stimulation and massage or can use breast milking tools to stimulate the nipple with strong intensity to help stimulate milk production more.
2.4. Amniocentesis for natural labor Medical staff may perform amniocentesis to speed up labor. Although this is just a procedure that should be used in a medical setting, it is not necessary to use medication when performing this action. Doctors can use fingers to separate the amniotic membrane from the lining of a woman's uterus. This action also helps the process of releasing the hormone prostaglandins more and faster and helps to stimulate labor better. And during the amniotomy, the pregnant woman may feel more abdominal pain and have amniotic fluid with a little blood.
However, in case a pregnant woman at home has amniotic fluid and bleeding similar to a menstrual cycle, she should immediately contact a specialist for timely support.
2.5. Applying acupuncture and acupressure methods to stimulate natural labor Acupuncture can stimulate the release of oxytocin in a woman's body. In a randomized trial, 400 women used acupuncture or amniocentesis, or both, before going into labor. And the results showed that there was no significant difference in the results of the 3 groups of women, but most of the women in this study gave birth naturally and did not need the support of obstetric intervention. .
In oriental medicine, doctors believe that acupressure has the ability to stimulate labor and relieve abdominal pain during childbirth. However, the most important point of acupressure to induce labor is that it must be performed early and with regular frequency to be effective. According to statistics, there are quite a few acupressure points that can be pressed and are considered safe for pregnant women at 37 weeks. Therefore, if it is very close to the due date, pregnant women can perform this method for spontaneous labor. course. In all cases, when performing this method, pregnant women should ensure that they are guided by qualified and skilled oriental medicine doctors.
2.6. Consume hot and spicy foods Hot and spicy foods can cause a woman's body to release more prostaglandins through the digestive process. This hormone will help stimulate faster and stronger uterine contractions.
2.7. Using castor oil Eating castor oil is considered an ancient remedy to induce labor in women. Even so, studies report this method only works for up to 50% of women with full-term pregnancies. Moreover, using castor oil can help pregnant women with constipation because the composition of castor oil helps laxatives better. However, when using castor oil you should consult your doctor.
2.8. Using Evening Primrose Oil Although primrose oil itself is unlikely to induce labor, these oils can make the uterus softer. Therefore, pregnant women can use these oils to drink or put directly into the vagina to be effective. However, there are quite a few health workers who recommend using cherry blossom oil for pregnant women because it makes the labor process easier, but there is still very little evidence for this oil and more research is needed. In-depth research confirms its role.
2.9. Tea made from red raspberry leaves Midwives often suggest that pregnant women drink tea made with red raspberry and evening primrose oil as their due date approaches. This tea is known to calm the uterus and help normalize irregular contractions and induce labor. However, more research is still needed to prove the effects of tea on pregnant women.
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