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Ask A Midwife

Q. I'm 39 weeks and 5 days pregnant. I was wondering if you could possibly explain how nipple stimulation is effective in stimulating labor and please tell me how its done. Thank you.

A. Sounds like you are getting close to wanting to have your baby. Any sort of nipple stimulation or sexual intercourse can sometimes stimulate labor. The hormones involved with these things also are involved with labor. Nipple stimulation can cause contractions, but not all contractions are labor. Many folks recommend you don't intentionally perform nipple stimulation, as you can cause long contractions that might hurt your baby. You should discuss the details of this more with your health care provider.

Sexual intercourse can help start labor. The prostiglandins can stimulate a natural labor pattern, and are much less intense than what you might do with intentional nipple stimulation.

Pat Sonnenstuhl is a semi-retired nurse midwife with over 30 years of experience in health care (first as an RN, then as an ARNP, CNM). She has experience with hospital nursing/midwifery and home and birth center midwifery.

Two areas of special interest to her are GBS and nutrition.

She is about empowerment, and helping folks find their own answers, what is right for them, not what is right for her. But, she wants you well informed.