Taking the Mystery out of Induction of Labour
What is induction of labour?
Induction of labour is any process that exerts external influence to try and start the body’s process of labour and birth.
Getting things started yourself
This may include anything you try to do yourself such as having sex or eating curry and anything you have done by a holistic practitioner such as a chiropractor, acupuncturist or reflexologist to help your body do what you want it to do.
Medical Induction
It also includes the ‘stretch and sweep’ or ‘membrane sweep’ procedure which involves your care provider inserting their (gloved) finger into your cervix and separating the membranes holding your waters away from the cervix with a circular sweeping motion. This is sometimes presented as if it’s separate from the medical induction of labour but it is as part of the induction of labour process as it is an intervention with the object of starting labour off.
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Informed Pregnancy, Birth and Beyond. 