10 Of The Quickest Ways To Go Into Labor Tonight

Are you past your due date with still no sign that labor is going to start soon? Are you looking for ways to go into labor tonight? Or does your doctor want to book you in for a medical induction at 42 weeks and you are desperately trying to avoid that? If you want to read about the quickest ways to go into labor overnight so that you can be done with the waiting, then you’ve found the right article!

Ways to go into labor tonight

After speaking to a lot of new moms, I’ve written this article on the fastest ways to induce labor, both naturally and medically. I’ve included some great stories from new mothers, together with both medical or natural induction methods and their pros and cons.

Because, let’s be honest, the last weeks of pregnancy can be so hard! Your belly is so big that you can hardly sleep anymore, you are constantly exhausted and, I am guessing, you can’t wait to finally meet your little one. Plus, if it’s your first pregnancy, even though you have your birth plan and hospital bag packed and ready, you might be getting pretty anxious about the upcoming birth.

So, let’s take a deep breath and have a look here at how you can safely speed things up.

Related:

• 15 Signs that Labor is 24 to 48 Hours Away
• The Ultimate Hospital Bag Checklist (for Mom, Baby & Partner)
• Printable Natural Birth Plan Template (FREE Word + PDF)

Why Should you Induce Labor?

First thing first, before I describe the various options available, it’s important to understand why you may want to induce labor. Here’s my top list of why you might want to consider inducing either naturally or medically.

1) You are Past your Due Date

Other than the fact that you may be feeling like a beached whale by now, the most common reason why women are looking for quick and easy ways to go into labor tonight is that they have passed their due date (read our guide to calculating your estimated due date).

A due date, or EDD (estimated day of delivery), is exactly that: an estimate. It is usually calculated as 40 weeks from the first day or your last period, or based on your baby’s size when you have an ultrasound (read our guide to what happens in a 37 week ultrasound scan and a 10 week ultrasound scan). But it’s nothing other than an estimate – it’s not a target!

Only 5% of women deliver on their EDD and most women giving birth for the first time tend to go into labor after 41 weeks. So, if not hitting your due date is the reason why you want to induce, try to relax: you baby and body might just need a few more days to get ready.

2) You want to avoid a Medical Induction at 42 Weeks

Lots of moms, myself included, start to freak out when they approach the 42 weeks of pregnancy. This is usually the cut-off for many doctor and midwifes after which they will book you in for a medical induction.

This is because, after 42 weeks, the placenta may not work as well as it did earlier in pregnancy and can no longer provide enough oxygen and nutrients for your baby, plus there is a greater risk of your baby dying before or shortly after they are born. So, if you want to avoid a medical induction, the ways to bring on labor at home before the 42 weeks mark might help and are worth a try.

3) Medical Reasons

Last but not least, your health provider may recommend inducing labor for medical reasons, such as:

• Your placenta is separating from the uterus or you have an infection in the uterus
• Your water breaks (which is an early sign of labor), but labor doesn’t start within a certain timeframe
• You have health problems such as diabetes or high blood pressure, etc.

If this is the case, they will usually recommend a medical induction on a specific date, but that doesn’t mean you can’t try the natural methods listed below to help you provide ways to go into labor tonight. Just make sure that, before you try anything, you talk to your doctor or midwife first.

In particular, confirm that the method you are attempting below is safe for your condition, and that your pregnancy is at the optimal time to induce.

What Triggers Labor To Start?

Medical researchers have long investigated what triggers the start of labor; it’s not an easy question to answer but currently it’s believed that the release of a chemical triggers your hormones to start the process (medically, this is called the initiation of parturition). In most cases, this only happens when both your body and your baby are ready.

Get This Baby Out Tonight: 10 Ways Of Inducing Labor

Here’s a list of the quickest ways to go into labor tonight; I have divided these into medical induction and natural methods, so that they are easier to tell apart.

Just remember none of these are guaranteed: even a medical induction can fail. However, the number of success stories with the methods listed below is why I have added them to the list.

Natural Ways To Go Into Labor Tonight

I will start with the natural inductions as, if you landed on this page, I am guessing it’s most likely because you want to find out the fastest way to induce labor at home naturally, without medication. If you are also interested in medical induction methods, you will find these towards the end of the article.

1) Having Sex

Having sex is a well known method to induce labor naturally, and it can often work overnight! A 2006 study actually found that the women who were sexually active at term did tend to deliver sooner than those who did not have sex. Plus, the need for labor induction was also reduced.

This is how it works:

• Human seminal fluid contains lots of prostaglandins (hormone-like substances) that, when deposited near the cervix, can help ripen (soften) it to prepare for dilation and may even cause the uterus to contract, therefore helping labor begin.
• Additional prostaglandins are released by the woman during sex.
• When a woman comes, or when her breasts and nipples are stimulated during sex, her body releases oxytocin, which can help cause contractions and speed up labor.

Synthetic prostaglandins and Pitocin (a synthetic form of oxytocin) are actually both used as methods of cervical ripening for medical labor inductions. So, if the synthetic forms of these hormones or hormone-like substances work, why not try them the natural way first?

Just make sure your water hasn’t broken yet (to avoid infections) and your doctor or midwife has given you the green light. And if you are not up for it (having sex at 40 weeks might not be that much fun anymore!), cuddling and kissing your partner (or masturbating!) can also help by increasing your oxytocin levels.

Sex worked for me. My water broke that night at 37 weeks.

Kristers, Babycenter

My son was born at 37 + 3 , five hours after …… rough sex.

Shellie (6), Netmums

2) Swallowing Semen

Believe it or not, if you are wondering how to induce labor fast at home, swallowing your partner’s seminal fluid might work even better than having sex. I know this might sound gross to many of you (and you may think it’s a theory invented by men just to get a BJ!), but I had to add it to the list – it’s worked for so many women!

The reasoning behind it is the the prostaglandins in it are absorbed much more easily and quickly through the stomach then they are from the cervix. So, if you are up for it and don’t mind it, might be worth a try.

Both BearHuntingMomma (What to expect) and Seamama75 (Babycenter) went into labor within hours of swallowing semen and BearHuntingMomma mentions friends of hers have done the same thing successfully!

3) Castor Oil

Castor oil is a vegetable oil derived from the castor bean (Ricinus communis), a plant native to Southern Asia. It has been used for centuries for pharmaceutical purposes, particularly to help relieve constipation.

Castor oil is also often recommended by many doctors and midwives as a natural way to induce labor, as it works by stimulating the bowels, which irritates the uterus and causes contractions. There’s actually been multiple studies that found that castor oil can be very effective in inducing labor within 24 hours.

There’s no set dose for taking castor oil to induce labor and most of the comments I got were from women who only took 2 tablespoons. However, studies of castor oil for labor induction usually involve taking 4 tablespoons at 40-41 weeks of pregnancy. The liquid is then mixed with something else (juice, for example) to mask its bad taste.

The biggest downside about castor oil is that women may experience some of these side effects: diarrhea, nausea, vomiting (which can all cause dehydration) or stomach cramps. So, women who have a sensitive stomach or other gastrointestinal conditions should avoid this induction method.

Also avoid taking it before going to bed, just in case you end up having any of the side effects: you don’t want to spend the whole night having to run to the bathroom! And, if you do end up getting dehydrated, remember to drink lots of water to replenish the liquids you’ve just lost.

I took it with my son at 4pm and woke up in full labor with my water breaking at 2am. I took the recommended dose I believe: two tablespoons and mixed with grapefruit.

stephaniedavies, What to expect

I took castor oil with my last baby. I was 38.5 weeks. I took two T. Spoons mixed in ice cream at 6:00pm and had him at 8:19am.

3rdpregnancymommy, What to expect

4) Reflexology and Acupressure

Acupressure and reflexology are both techniques which involve applying pressure to specific points on the body for the purpose of addressing health complaints. And, while they are not exactly the same thing, they both provide an option to speed up the process and potentially even helping you as a way of going into labor overnight just by targeting similar pressure points.

The one pressure point that’s common to both techniques is the skin / webbing between your index finger and thumb on your hand. It’s referred to as Hoku in reflexology or LI4 in acupressure (LI stands for large intestine) and, in fact, it affects the behavior of the large intestine which, in return, will stimulate uterine contractions.

You need to apply soft pressure on the area with your thumb and massage the point for one minute, take 1 minute break and start again. It will feel tender and you will know the spot when you find it!

Acupressure also has other points that are believed to help start the process that you could try. You can read more about them here.

Bookworm32485 from Babycenter found that applying pressure to the LI4 point after 38 weeks helped her start contractions within 15 minutes!

5) Nipple Stimulation

Now, if you remember from reading about having sex to induce labor, when a woman comes or her breasts and nipples are stimulated, her body releases oxytocin, which can help cause contractions and speed up labor. While if you make love to your partner your whole body gets stimulated, nipple stimulation on its own also works as a way of inducing labor overnight.

According to Healthline, you should limit the stimulation to 5 minutes only, wait another 15 minutes before trying again and only do one breast at the time to avoid hyperstimulation. In fact, when contractions happen too frequently and last too long in labor, your baby may become distressed and will require medical interventions to be born safely.

Finally, remember to also use this method once labor has started if it looks like contractions are starting to die off a bit – it will really help speed things up!

Jam41qpk from Netmums used nipple stimulation the night before she gave birth and her contractions started within 30 minutes!

6) Breast Pump for Inducing Labor

Using a breast pump is another one of the fastest ways to induce labor and it works by stimulating the nipples, the same ways as the method above.

Medela recommends using your breast pump for about 15 minutes on each breast and to switch between breasts consistently. If you don’t start having contractions within about an hour of using the breast pump, try again the following day.

The main disadvantage of using a breast pump compared to nipple stimulation is that, particularly if it’s you are expecting your first child, it can turn up to be more uncomfortable than anything else. If you’ve never used a breast pump before, it may take you some time to figure out how to use it properly so that it doesn’t hurt: I remember it took me a while!

Not to mention that it can be a substantial investment! So it may not be worthwhile getting one just to induce labor, unless you also plan on using it to feed your baby expressed breastmilk.

I was 38 weeks with #3 and miserable, a friend of mine told me to use a breast pump. 7:30pm I tried both sides for ten minutes, by 11:30 I was ready for bed but started contracting. By 7:45am I was on my way to the hospital. Call it coincidental but I am on baby #4 and will try this again.

nessajo00, Babycenter

7) Acupuncture

Finally, another natural method to go into labor faster is having acupuncture treatment. Similarly to acupressure, acupuncture works by targeting specific points of the body, but with fine needles instead of fingers.

The principle of acupuncture is to open the energy channels within a woman’s body. And because most of these channels run through the pelvic floor, the muscles and organs in that area receive improved circulation, which helps labor begin spontaneously.

In Asia, acupuncture has been used for centuries to jump-start the process as a way of going into labor! I have also personally tried it and I can tell you it really worked.

My acupuncturist said that it would take 3 sessions to work though. But, exactly like she said, the night after the third session I went into labor, and my baby was born before the end of the following day.

One thing to be aware of is making sure you are not already in early labor (check you if you have any of these signs!), otherwise acupuncture can have the same side effect as nipple hyperstimulation and cause contractions that are too frequent and last too long.

Daphne.osuna from Babycenter went into labor within a few hours of getting her acupuncture session and she was 3 weeks overdue. She also pointed out that, even if it doesn’t help speed up the arrival of contractions, it can still help with relaxation.

Medical Labor Inductions

Let’s now have a look at medical labor inductions, aka medical inductions, which are performed by healthcare professionals. These can’t be done by yourself at home and, like we’ve seen above, they can carry higher risks and chances of complications compared to natural methods. However, they might be worth considering depending on your circumstances.

Also, be confident in knowing that your obstetrician will calculate the likelihood of the procedure being successful and make sure there aren’t any reasons why you should not have it done. This will minimize the risk of complications.

Note: not all induction methods are listed here, but only the ones that work faster according to stories from other moms who have already gone through it. If you want to find out more about other inductions methods, you can discuss these with your doctor or midwife.

8) Membrane Sweep / Stripping

A membrane sweep, also called cervical sweep or membrane stripping, consists in your midwife or obstetrician putting a finger into your cervix and making a circular or sweeping movement to separate the amniotic sac from the cervix to trigger labor to start. In fact, the “sweep” makes your body release prostaglandins, which help soften and open the cervix for delivery.

While it can be quite an uncomfortable procedure and can cause some light bleeding, it is usually very effective and most women go into labor overnight.

The membrane sweep is the least invasive of all the medical inductions, and is often referred to as a natural way of inducing labor instead, because it doesn’t involve the use of any drugs. It is also a very safe procedure with little risk associated to it.

At 39 weeks, my OB suggested sweeping my membranes. I was told that most women go into labor within 24 hours after the procedure. Basically, the doctor inserts their finger during an exam and makes a circular motion around your cervix. Some women report minor pain, but I didn’t have any. Within hours, I started having contractions and it pushed me into labor. With this particular pregnancy, I didn’t tried anything else, so I knew that the membrane sweeping played a key role. My second son was born the next morning and I was so relieved to no longer be pregnant!

Kimberly, The Savvy Mama Lifestyle

9) Foley Bulb Catheter

Another one of the quickest ways to induce labor overnight is having a foley bulb induction. This method consists in your doctor inserting a catheter into your cervix: once inside your womb, they will inflate the balloon with saline solution, which puts pressure on your cervix and encourages dilation. The catheter then falls out by itself once your cervix reaches a 3cm dilation.

While in most cases this method is used without medication, therefore making it another very safe and almost “natural” induction, it is sometimes used in conjunction with other labor-inducing medications.

Similarly to he membrane sweep, this procedure can also feel quite uncomfortable, particularly at the time when the catheter is inserted into your cervix. After that, if will feel like having a large tampon in!

I had a foley bulb catheter placed as a more natural induction method with my second when I was 41+5 and drank the midwives brew. It worked amazingly! Water broke at 3:45 am and he was born at 8:13 am!

Siobhán Alvarez Borland, Mimosas & Motherhood

10) Pitocin Induction

Last but not least, a Pitocin induction means your doctor or midwife will use Pitocin (a synthetic version of the hormone oxytocin) to start labor contractions. This is given to you intravenously in your arm, and the dose gets gradually increased until you have contractions every 2-3 minutes. After that, you either stay on that dose throughout labor, or you are taken off it.

While this induction method can work extremely fast and be very effective, it is also true that it has various risks, such as: overstimulation of the uterus, infection, rupture of the uterus, fetal distress, etc. It is also well known for making women experience a very intense and painful labor, because contractions are much more frequent and stronger compared to a natural labor.

Bbear14 from What to expect started Pitocin at 12pm, but contractions didn’t really started until 7pm when her water broke. She said it was tough but manageable and managed to get through labor without pain medications.

Natural or Medical Induction: Which is Guaranteed for Inducing Labor?

The term “labor induction” is usually used to refer to a medical induction, which is different from inducing labor naturally.

With a medical induction, your doctor or midwife will stimulate uterine contractions before labor begins on its own in a more invasive way compared to a natural induction. There are various methods in which this can be done: either by giving you medicines (for example, by mouth or intravenously), by separating the amniotic sac from the wall of the uterus (stripping or sweeping of the membranes), or by breaking your waters.

A medical labor induction has some risks associated, such as a higher risk of infection, contractions coming too close together (which will lower your baby’s heart rate), a higher risk of serious bleeding after birth, etc. Medically induced labor is also usually more painful than natural labor because uterine contractions are quicker and much stronger. So, if you are planning on having a natural birth without epidural, you might want to give an induction a second thought.

On the other hand, natural ways to induce labor are not invasive at all and, usually, the worst that can happen is that they don’t work and you just keep waiting for the signs that labor is going to start soon.

Most of these don’t really have any scientific evidence to back them up and are not proven ways to induce, but there is a reason why they are so talked about! And that’s why I have included storied from real moms here, who have personally experienced the benefits of the natural induction methods as a way of going into labor.

Related:

• 23 Tips for a Birth without Epidural
• How to Give Birth Naturally without Pain (17 Tips from a Mom who did it!)

When is it Safe to Induce?

The last thing I want to touch on is when it is actually safe to induce labor.

Unless your own health or the health of your baby is at risk, induction before 39 weeks is usually not recommended. This is because babies born at or after 39 weeks have the best chance at healthy outcomes compared to babies born before then (which are considered to be premature babies).

So, for the moms out there who want to speed things up, please wait until you are 39 weeks pregnant at least! Even better if you wait at least until your EDD, which is at 40 weeks, before trying any of the methods below.

And always remember to discuss and confirm these with your healthcare provider to make sure that, whatever you try, is safe for both yourself and your baby.

Summary Of Ways To Go Into Labor Tonight

I’ve described my list of the fastest ways to go into labor, whether you want to do it naturally at home, or with the help of medical professionals and/or medications. I am sure that if you are reading this post you probably can’t wait for baby to come out, so I hope this list provided you with some clarity on the induction methods that are available to help you.

As a final comment, be aware that all these methods only work if your body is already ready to go into labor, whether you are aware of it or not. In fact, your cervix needs to be ripe (at least 2 cm dilated and 50% effaced or thinned out) and facing forwards, or they will likely fail.

Unfortunately there is not much that you can do to actually get your body to gear up for labor: it needs to get there by itself. What you can do though, is get things started sooner rather than later once it is finally ready. That’s also why it’s probably best if you wait until you are at least 40-41 weeks pregnant before you start trying anything.

In the meantime, try and relax as much as you can (you won’t have much time to relax once baby comes!), make sure you have your hospital bag ready with your birth plan, you have downloaded an app to time contractions for when labor starts, and you’ve ticked off everything from your newborn baby checklist. Oh, and don’t forget to start getting ready for postpartum as well.

For more tips and information on how to get through labor, also check out these related posts:

• 23 Tips for a Birth without Epidural (Yes, you can do it!)
• How to Give Birth Naturally without Pain (17 Tips from a Mom who did it!)
• How to Achieve a Confident Birth
• Perineal Massage during Pregnancy: increasing your chances of an Easier Labor
• The Most Powerful Birth Affirmations for a Positive Birth Experience

For more information on postpartum check out these posts:

• What to REALLY expect with your Postpartum Recovery
• Best Postpartum Pads (for Bleeding & a Quick Recovery!)

Are you a pregnant mom towards the end of your pregnancy and have any questions about the induction methods listed above? Or have you gone through another fast way of inducing labor that’s not listed here and that you would like to share with other moms? Then please let me know in the comments below – I’d love to hear from you!