We've all heard that taking a stroll can help to induce labour.

 

It seems to be an excellent way to position the baby for delivery and a means for safely inducing natural labour.

 

But does it actually function? Does moving around cause labour? Should you give it a try? Find out by reading on.

 

Can Walking Cause Labor Start?

 

It's crucial to understand this fundamental truth: labour won't begin on its own until both your body and your baby are prepared for delivery.

 

It's challenging to determine when this level of preparation has been attained.

 

Our bodies have been preparing for the real thing for the weeks or days before active labour, even though we are frequently unaware of it.

 

Babies must also be prepared for birth. They are building the framework for breathing air outside the uterus, gaining fat, and fine-tuning brain development in the final weeks before birth.

 

There isn't much solid proof that walking causes labour.

 

The best time to start walking to induce labour is when you are already in early labour or on the verge of going into labour.

 

It is thought to assist gravity in bringing your baby down and exert pressure on your cervix to cause dilation.

 

The first and most important stage of labour, cervix dilation, is thought to be aided by the downward pressure of the baby's head on the cervix.

 

The head-down, chin-tucked-in, back-facing position that your baby should be in for birth can be encouraged by your upright posture and the rocking motion of walking.

 

Walking can help mild contractions become stronger and more frequent if you're currently having them. The oxytocin hormone, which is in charge of contractions, can be stimulated by the regular movement of the baby's head on the cervix.

 

Walking can also make you feel more at ease and relaxed because it lowers your levels of adrenaline hormones, which can prevent the production of oxytocin.

 

How might walking cause labour to start?

 

It makes sense that walking might trigger labour or at the very least facilitate it a little.

 

We are built to stand up and move about, after all. We spent the entire day on our feet before we built this magnificent world with automobiles, workplaces, and air conditioning.

 

Women in the past would have therefore been up and about whenever the due period approached.

 

That's why, unless your doctor has instructed you otherwise, walking while you're almost ready to give birth is still entirely safe. But don't go overboard. It might be exhausting to walk, especially when you're almost due, and you don't want to exhaust yourself in case you end up going into labour.

 

Your unborn child is affected by gravity when you are standing, and as you walk, they will follow you. The baby will gradually migrate into the ideal delivery position, which is lower in your womb and against your cervix, as a result of gravity and every movement of your body.

 

Oxytocin, the hormone that governs and controls your contractions, can help stimulate the production of oxytocin when you're pregnant. According to legend, the baby's head pressing on the cervix—especially in the rhythmic way that comes from walking—causes the body to produce more oxytocin, which can aid in starting labour.

 

Guidelines for Walking to Promote Labor

 

Although there may not be much research demonstrating the link between walking and inducing labour, hundreds of women vouch for it.

 

If you opt to walk to induce labour, make sure to go by the following advice:

• Wait till the end of your pregnancy (after 38 weeks)
• Put on a pair of relaxed shoes with non-slip soles. Your feet may become very uncomfortable if you wear shoes with poor support, including those with open backs.
• Because your equilibrium is likely to be impaired, try to only walk on flat, non-slip surfaces.
• Do not force yourself to hike up or down steep hills. Endurance marathons should not be performed in late pregnancy.
• Extreme temperatures make it unsafe to go for a stroll, especially in hot weather when dehydration is a common occurrence.
• While you're walking, make sure you're getting enough fluids.
• Have a walking companion if you can to give you moral support when you need it.
• Put on relaxed, breathable clothing.

 

Be cautious about distances and terrain if you haven't exercised a lot while pregnant. Long-distance walking or bush hiking is not the best activities at this time.