HEALTH TIPS 2020 IS PROVIDING HEALTH TIPS ABOUT WEIGHT LOSS, MEN HEALTH, PROBLEM, WOMEN HEALTH PROBLEM, FOOD, VEGETABLE, ETC How Nipple Stimulation Works to Induce Labor
Should I try nipple stimulation?
Whether you’re still waiting to reach your baby’s due date or the 40-week mark has already come and gone, you might be curious about natural ways to induce labor.
With your doctor’s approval, there are some ways you can get things rolling at home. One of the most effective things you can do is actually nipple stimulation.
Here’s what you need to know about this practice, how to do it, and what questions you’ll want to ask your doctor.
Note: If you have a high-risk pregnancy, nipple stimulation might be dangerous. Always talk to your doctor before trying any induction techniques.
Is it safe to induce at home?
In a study published in the journal Birth, 201 women were asked if they tried to induce labor naturally at home. Of the group, about half said they tried at least one method, such as eating spicy food or having sex.
You should always speak to your doctor before trying any induction techniques. That being said, the majority of home induction methods aren’t backed by scientific evidence, so their effectiveness is mostly measured by anecdotal accounts.
The effectiveness of nipple stimulation does have some solid scientific evidence. But depending on your medical history, the method may or may not be safe for you to try.
If you’re concerned with going far past your due date, here are some questions you might want to ask your doctor:
What monitoring do you use after 40 weeks?
What types of natural or at-home induction methods do you recommend, if any?
What types of induction methods do you perform medically if labor doesn’t begin on its own?
At what point would you consider medically inducing labor if it doesn’t begin on its own?
At what point do you recommend I come to the hospital once contractions begin?
What’s the deal with nipple stimulation?
Rubbing or rolling your nipples helps the body release oxytocin. Oxytocin plays a role in arousal, initiating labor, and bonding between mother and child. This hormone also makes the uterus contract after labor, helping it return to its prepregnancy size.
Stimulating the breasts may also help bring on full labor by making contractions stronger and longer. In fact, in traditional inductions, doctors often use the drug Pitocin, which is a synthetic form of oxytocin.
In a study published in Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing, a group of 390 Turkish pregnant women was randomly assigned to one of three groups during their labors: nipple stimulation, uterine stimulation, and control.
The results were compelling. The women in the nipple stimulation group had the shortest duration of each phase of labor and delivery.
According to the study, the average duration was 3.8 hours for the first phase (dilation), 16 minutes for the second phase (pushing and delivery), and five minutes for the third phase (delivery of the placenta).
Even more interesting, none of the women in the nipple stimulation or uterine stimulation groups needed to have a cesarean delivery.
By comparison, many women in the control group needed other induction methods, like synthetic oxytocin, to get things going. Over 8 percent of women in the control group had a cesarean delivery.
How do I perform nipple stimulation?
Before you get started, note that this method of labor stimulation is only recommended for normal pregnancies. Its effects in late pregnancy can be powerful.
On the other hand, light or occasional sucking or tugging on breasts during earlier pregnancy is not likely to bring on labor.
Step 1: Choose your tool
For the best results, you want to mimic a baby’s latch as closely as you can. You can use your fingers, a breast pump, or even your partner’s mouth to stimulate your nipples.
If you have an older baby or toddler who is still nursing, that might also provide good stimulation.
Shop for a breast pump.
Step 2: Focus on the areola
The areola is the dark circle that surrounds your actual nipple. When babies nurse, they massage the areola, not just the nipple itself. Use your fingers or palm to gently rub your areola through thin clothing or directly on the skin.
Step 3: Use care
It is possible to get too much of a good thing. Follow these guidelines to prevent overstimulation:
Focus on one breast at a time.
Limit stimulation to just five minutes, and wait for another 15 before trying again.
READ MORE:
0 Comments