How to Induce Labor with Castor Oil and Other Natural Ways

There are many ways on how to induce labor naturally, but one of the most trusted ways to induce labor is with the use of castor oil. But why is that so? With this article, we will explore the various natural means on how to induce labor and compare it with the use of castor oil for labor induction.

How to Induce Labor Through Natural Ways

There are several ways to induce labor naturally which were discovered and developed by our ancestors over thousands of years. Some women all over the world are giving birth up to this day without the use of modern or western medicine and they are doing it fine, so it is not a surprise that natural ways to induce labor are as effective as some modern western means. Below are some natural ways on how to induce labor and how they are done in comparison with castor oil:

Natural Ways to Induce Labor	How it Works	How Safe Is It?
Taking Castor Oil Orally	Castor oil, which is a laxative is one of the most effective ways to induce labor because the muscles of the uterus reacts to it the same way the muscles that promote bowel movement does. Usually, it only takes a few hours for labor to begin with the use of castor oil.	Very Safe.
Having Sex	During sexual intercourse, the vagina and the cervix gets stimulated which can result in uterine contractions. More so, if the semen is ejaculated inside the pregnant woman, it can help hasten the ripening or the cervix, which will cause it to open and therefore start labor.	Safe
Nipple Stimulation	Nipple stimulation causes the release of oxytocin, which then can cause the contraction of the uterus thereby starting labor.	Relatively safe, although for women with very sensitive nipples, precautions must be taken.
Acupuncture	A qualified acupuncturist would insert needles to certain specific areas of the body to manipulate the body’s energy into certain actions. There is very limited and inconclusive research that shows the effectiveness of Acupuncture on how to induce labor.	Relatively safe.
Walking (a lot)	Walking works on the premise that gravity and the weight of the baby will help hasten the ripening of the cervix into dilation and the uterus into contraction.	Safe but there is lack of evidence to show how effective this way is.
Herbal Preparation of Blue and Black Cohosh	Usually taken in the form of tea, the use of blue and black cohosh can stimulate the start of uterine contractions. However, for labor to progress, the cervix needs to dilate or open otherwise the stress of the contractions will only serve to stress out the baby and tire out the mother.	Due to a lot of possible complications with the use of blue cohosh and black cohosh after birth, their use is not deemed safe to induce labor.

How to Induce Labor with Castor Oil

As the facts at the table above have shown, although there are several natural ways to induce labor, not all of them are as safe or as effective as the use of castor oil. True, using castor oil on how to induce labor may not be the best way as the use of western medicine has a bit of a higher success rate compared to castor oil’s 58% but it is still a lot better than other natural ways to induce labor. As with anything concerning childbearing and childbirth, whatever method you choose on how to induce labor must be safe, and done in the presence of an experienced natural birth practitioner or a medical doctor.