However, doctors prefer not to use these methods unless they are medically necessary. A look at nipple fissures, cracks in the skin of the nipple and areola. Included is detail on the prevention, and how they are related to pregnancy.
A look at third sometimes called supernumerary nipples, a relatively common condition where an individual has an extra nipple.
Included here are…. What are the recommendations for how long women should wait before resuming sex after pregnancy? How does giving birth affect sex?
Factors influencing…. Most deliveries happen safely, but sometime a complication can occur. Common problems include failure to progress, excessive bleeding, and placenta…. However, this is not always the case, and…. Does nipple stimulation help to induce labor? Overview How to Other techniques When to see a doctor Some people believe that nipple stimulation can induce labor.
Can nipple stimulation induce labor? Share on Pinterest Nipple stimulation may mimic breast-feeding and cause the brain to release oxytocin. How to use nipple stimulation for labor. Other labor induction techniques. Share on Pinterest Castor oil may stimulate uterine contractions. The results revealed that Some may go into labor right away or others might not experience consistent contractions for a few days. For others, using a breast pump to induce labor may have no effect and not bring about labor at all.
Eventually, you will begin to experience strong, consistent contractions because this stimulation helps release oxytocin from your brain — which in turn often causes the uterus to contract. Once these contractions begin, stop pumping and let labor continue naturally. If your contractions stop or slow significantly, use your breast pump for about five minutes on each breast until the contractions increase to about five minutes apart. Overstimulation can have an adverse effect, so talk with your doctor before pumping to induce labor and carefully follow their direction for using your breast pump to induce labor.
Do not try to induce labor at home or use your breast pump to induce labor — even if you are at or past your expected due date — if you have not first discussed this option in detail with your doctor. Nipple stimulation increases levels of the hormone oxytocin. Oxytocin is produced in a part of the brain called the hypothalamus and is secreted by the pituitary gland.
Sometimes referred to as the "love hormone," oxytocin is released when people have physical contact with other people. It also plays a role in:. Oxytocin stimulates the uterus to contract and begin labor. Oxytocin also increases the production of hormones called prostaglandins , which further increases contractions.
The synthetic version of oxytocin, Pitocin, is frequently administered to pregnant people to induce or help progress the labor process. The increase in oxytocin from nipple stimulation can cause contractions that may kick start labor if the pregnant person's body is prepared to give birth.
Medical induction of labor is usually done when there is a need for it but can be done electively in certain situations. This may include:. Inductions for these purposes are performed by healthcare professionals and usually involve medication or medical procedures.
In some cases, such as a pregnancy that is past its due date but is not yet post-term, trying nonmedical ways to induce labor such as nipple stimulation may be recommended by the healthcare provider before doing a medical induction.
There isn't a definitive answer as to whether nipple stimulation is effective for inducing labor. There aren't a lot of studies on the subject, and the ones that do exist have low sample sizes, are not extensive, and are out of date. It is also difficult to measure the effectiveness of natural induction methods because they are performed when a person is full-term and they may have given birth whether or not they had tried to start labor using these methods.
A study found that nipple stimulation appeared to shorten the length of labor and decrease the instances of cesarean sections. The study involved pregnant participants and divided the participants into three groups:. Despite inconclusive evidence, many healthcare providers recommend it as an option for their clients who are full-term. Ninety-two percent of the respondents named labor augmentation as their reason for suggesting nipple stimulation.
Most healthcare providers agree that nipple stimulation only has the potential to be effective if the pregnant person's body is ready to give birth.
Indications of this include:. During a healthy, uncomplicated pregnancy, nipple stimulation is unlikely to cause premature labor or miscarriage. In fact, many people choose to breastfeed another child while pregnant. While oxytocin is released with breast stimulation, in an uncomplicated pregnancy, the uterus only becomes sensitive to it when close to labor.
Breast or nipple stimulation is not advised during pregnancy if:. Using nipple stimulation to try to induce labor in a full-term, healthy pregnancy is generally considered safe. There is, however, a possible risk of uterine hyperstimulation when contractions come too close together , which could cause fetal distress. This risk is low with nipple stimulation and seen more often in medical inductions, but because of the potential for fetal distress, many experts recommend doing nipple stimulation under the supervision of a healthcare provider who can monitor the baby and parent.
Before trying nipple stimulation to induce labor, make sure:. No studies have been performed on the safety or efficacy of nipple stimulation to induce labor in people with high-risk pregnancies. Always check with a healthcare provider before trying any method of labor induction.
Call your healthcare provider or go to the hospital if you experience any of the following either before, during, or after trying natural induction methods:.
There are a few different ways to do nipple stimulation with the intent of labor induction. The goal is to mimic a nursing baby. This technique is similar to hand-expressing breast milk when breastfeeding.
Similar to manual nipple stimulation, a breast pump mimics a nursing baby and can help with the release of oxytocin. Pumping may extract colostrum from the breast—this is not a concern. There is no universally agreed-upon pattern for nipple stimulation, but one pattern that is recommended for either manual stimulation or pumping is:. While it doesn't mimic a suckling baby, erotic nipple play licking, sucking, fondling, etc. It's also a nice way to connect with your partner.
Instead of mimicking a nursing baby, you can try really breastfeeding. This is usually done by parents who are already nursing another child.
The jury is still out on whether nipple stimulation is an effective way to induce labor. While some suggest there may be some benefits to nipple stimulation, the studies are sparse and include small sample sizes, outdated information, and other issues that make it difficult to make concrete conclusions.
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