When the little one who is awaited does not come, it certainly can trigger anxiety. Nipple stimulation is one way that can be done to speed up labor.
However, not all pregnancies can practice nipple stimulation. Nipple stimulation to accelerate labor can only be done in a healthy pregnancy and the baby is ready for birth. A pregnant woman with a history of high blood pressure, preeclampsia, and diabetes while pregnant should avoid this method.
Triggers the Oxytocin Hormone
Nipple stimulation makes the body feel as if it is reacting to the baby's sucking on the mother's nipple. Nipple stimulation will make the body secrete the hormone oxytocin as a trigger for contractions in the uterus. However, mild and occasional nipple stimulation will not trigger labor.
Research shows that some women can give birth after nipple stimulation, although it is not certain that the results apply to all pregnant women. Another study compared nipple stimulation with other stimulations to speed labor.
As a result, pregnant women who do nipple stimulation can go through stages and labor faster. Research also shows, groups of pregnant women with nipple stimulation are more likely to give birth normally, than groups of pregnant women with synthetic oxytocin induction.
But that must be considered for the success of nipple stimulation is to pay attention to the readiness of the body of pregnant women. The body that is ready to go through labor is marked by the cervix becoming thinner, softer and more open.
Steps for Stimulation
What needs to be kept in mind before deciding to do nipple stimulation to speed up labor is the general health condition of pregnant women. The stimulatory effect is very strong, especially in late trimester pregnancy.
The following steps are performed on nipple stimulation to accelerate labor.
- To do nipple stimulation, you can use a breast pump that resembles baby's mouth sucking. As an alternative, try using your partner's fingers or mouth.
- Besides being done on the nipple directly, the areola or the dark area around the nipple can also be utilized. Use fingers or other palms to massage the areola. Massage can be done directly on the skin or coated with a thin cloth.
- Place your palms around the areola and make gentle circular movements. Nipple stimulation is performed a maximum of three times a day with a total time of 60 minutes. Each stimulation session for each breast is a maximum of 15 minutes. Perform alternately between the left and right breast.
- If during stimulation then contractions occur, stop immediately. Do not continue stimulation if the contractions occur for one minute with each contraction pausing for three minutes. This is to prevent excessive stimulation.
Beware of contractions that occur as an initial stage of labor. Namely if the contractions occur every 15-20 minutes, each of which occurs around 60-90 seconds. The contractions that occur will be strengthened with a shorter time lag contractions and contractions that occur will be longer.
Although classified as a natural stimulation that is useful for accelerating labor, nipple stimulation steps should be consulted with your doctor first. Ask your doctor also about other ways to speed up labor if needed.
