Simple, Non-invasive, Labor Induction Ideas

My husband and I made the conscious decision after the birth of our first child that we would never again succumb to the pressures of labor induction. Barring real medical necessity, we are content and convicted to allow our babies to arrive in their own time. Making the choice, however, to allow labor and delivery to set its own course is not the same as experiencing it.

My second child arrived five days after her estimated due date. Despite reaffirming that our child would arrive when the time was healthiest and right, it was emotionally wearing to wake up each day and wonder how many more days I would have to endure the mantel of pregnancy. Her arrival could not have come any sooner, in my opinion.

We are now expecting our third child, and as of today I am officially 4 days "post date." I find myself wavering between emotional extremes. In one moment I am content to wait for baby to arrive, and in the very next breath I find myself impatient, exhausted, and frustrated that this child is choosing to remain cocooned in my womb.

It has gotten to the point that both my husband and I have begun to speculate why baby refuses to make his or her appearance. Our reasoning has moved beyond rational and despite an effort to remain level headed, it has become almost a game to figure out why baby hasn't arrived.

Could it be because I have not folded and hung all the laundry? Maybe baby is waiting for me to paint my toenails? I was discussing this with a friend of mine and she suggested I tweeze my eyebrows and shave my legs. She swore, whole-heartedly, that her child refused to be born until her legs had been decently groomed.

In the spirit of such thoughts I have compiled a list of important tasks that must be completed prior to baby's arrival. These are all ideas that have either been suggested to me, or have worked for me in the past:

Complete all unfinished business. This list can include laundry, budget balancing, and any non-toxic house painting that has been on your "to-do" list for much too long. My personal favorite in this category is to wash the baby clothes; multiple times, if necessary. I do this in order to communicate to baby that I am genuinely ready and not just faking it. Be sure not to forget to wash baby socks and organize them by size, style, and color. The more meticulously obsessive you are the more likely baby will arrive sooner than later. Or so the theory asserts.

Inside of this category is the arbitrary kitchen floor scrubbing on hands and knees. More than one mother has sworn to me that mopping the floor on hands and knees is the ticket to baby's arrival.

Take time for some personal grooming. It is my belief that babies can sense when mother is finally ready. If that means painting toe nails, shaving legs, and tweezing eyebrows, then that is what it takes. Personal grooming is obviously a very individual and specific thing to each mother. For some, this may mean a new haircut. For others this means ironing clothes and wearing matching socks. If you think it will help baby realize that you're not the haggard pregnant woman he/she has come to know, then it is worth a shot.

Start a new hobby. By far this is my favorite category in unconventional labor induction. While pregnant with my eldest daughter I tried my hand at knitting. When my second daughter came after her due date, I took up sewing baby slings. This time around I have tried to learn a new skill at rag rug making. The new hobby you choose is a personal decision. Whether you decide to mold pottery or collect stamps, the entire point is to distract you from your "late" state. Plus, this new hobby may be exactly the prompting your child needs to decide to arrive.

Redecorate or reorganize furniture. This can be anything from re-arranging furniture in the living room, to a complete nursery make-over. For many, this category is similar to completing unfinished business. For others, this category serves as permission to finally get the TV. in the corner you always intended it to be in the first place.

Make room in your life for recreational activities. Take up dancing and swimming, preferably at the same time. Rent funny movies and allow yourself to laugh. When you have a moment, make time for "togetherness" with your spouse. Not only do you have the added bonus of all the labor inducing affects of semen, but it may be a while until the plumbing is in enough working order post-birth, that you'll appreciate taking the time, now, to come together.

Do not neglect your physical and emotional health. Hire a counselor or visit a religious leader and work through emotional blockage. Go walking and climb stairs. Visit a Chiropractor to have your hips balanced and follow it up with a massage. This piece of advice may actually have some medical merit, but also serves the dual purpose of giving the waiting mother something to do for herself and no one else.

Babies will come when the time is right for their arrival. And each individual pregnancy comes with its own individual story. My last piece of labor inducing advice is to laugh when you feel like laughing and cry when the mood arises. For no other reason than you need the release.

My second child made her arrival after I broke down crying in the middle of a Target parking lot, after a night of togetherness with my husband and a breakfast of spicy food at a local Mexican Restaurant. This third baby has his or her own plans on what is needed to arrive. Until I hit upon that perfect combination of non-invasive labor inducing activities, I'll keep trying.