Nipple Fondling To Stimulate Labor

by | Mar 23, 2013 | Happy Uterus | 2 comments

Have you read the book Spiritual Midwifery by Ina May Gaskin? It’s a fascinating book full of birth stories originally published in the 1970’s.  Ina May Gaskin and other self-taught midwives formed the Farm Midwifery Center, one of the first out-of-hospital birthing centers in the US.  Their work influenced and empowered generations of women to embrace birth as a spiritual and natural part of life rather than a clinical, scary or disconnected experience.

If you get a chance read Spiritual Midwifery and watch the breathtaking documentary  Birth Story: Ina May Gaskin and The Farm Midwives.  It’s beautiful and moving beyond words to see babies birthed.  Heck, I even cried at a “How to Catch a Baby” class when midwife extraordinaire Laura Erickson at Alma Midwifery simulated birthing a doll!  Even if you aren’t planning on having a baby, it’s good to know what to do if you’re ever in an emergency situation and you have to “catch a baby” (deliver a baby).

In Spiritual Midwifery, couples recount their stories of how they smooched  during labor and had a good ‘ole time to stimulate labor.  Don’t get me wrong it wasn’t all cuddling, kissing and nipple sucking at the births.  There was lots of pooping, mucus plugs, and occasionally arguing but, for the most part, the women described their experiences as psychedelic and orgasmic (granted this was the ’70s).

There is a reason for all the smooching, love making and nipple fondling-to stimulate labor! Human semen contains prostaglandins (hormone-like compounds) that ripen the cervix in preparation for labor.  “Stimulation of the nipples causes oxytocin to release, which in turn causes uterine contraction. Women can stimulate their own nipples or have their partners do it for them, either manually or orally. Stimulation of the nipples should be suspended during rushes unless a woman desires it…Natural prostaglandin “injections” are quite economical and can be combined with nipple stimulation.”- Ina May Gaskin.

1970’s terminology defined:

rushes=contractions

natural prostaglandin injections= ejaculation of sperm into the vagina

smooching=kissing

psychedelic=awesome

 

Margo The Wandering Womb in Downtown Portland- Some sneaky nipple stimulation going on in this photo. Margo says, stimulate nipples wisely to avoid getting an elbow to the face.  Just sayin’

Check out this TED Talk with Ina May Gaskin. Lots of wisdom here!

Books by Ina May Gaskin:


For more natural tips visit my article Abdominal Massage-Preconception through Postpartum and scroll down to the “38 weeks and beyond” and “labor” section.

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2 Comments

  1. Donna
    Donna on July 25, 2013 at 3:24 pm

    Love your writing style. So funny and warm.
    Hubby and I had us some lovin at the start of labor. I figured it would do no harm and if nothing else it would help. Besides it would be a few weeks before we’d be able to partake again! Don’t know if that did it but labor was fast and baby came out easy peasy.

  2. Barbara Loomis, LMT, RES
    Barbara Loomis, LMT, RES on July 25, 2013 at 3:32 pm

    That’s awesome Donna! Thanks for sharing, good idea to “stock up” before the baby arrives. 🙂

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