Have you Tried Curb Walking to Induce Labor?

Sharing is caring!

Any pregnant women who have reached or passed their due date look for ways to induce labor naturally. You may have tried walking, eating spicy food, drinking raspberry leaf tea but have you tried curb walking to induce labor?  Try it if you want to go into labor tonight!

According to CDC, the rate of non-medical induction in the united state is whooping 23% and that is because pregnant women are full-term or past their due date.

That sounds scary!!

Induction for non-medical reasons has been shown to significantly increase the rate of the c-section, labor interventions, and hospital stay for new mothers (1). Letting your body go into labor naturally is associated with fewer maternal complications.

However, induction is necessary medically when pregnancy complications are making it less safe for both mother and unborn child.

Your medical practitioner will decide your situation, but if you are overall healthy, it is best to avoid induction.

You may have heard of a different method of inducing labor such as eating spicy foods, acupuncture, exercising, nipple stimulation, or drinking tea. These natural methods may or may not have worked for some pregnant women to induced labor at 39 weeks.

But have you heard of Curb walking to induce labor?

I was desperate to bring on the labor as nothing had happened until I was 41 weeks with my second one. I was desperate to try anything at that point and someone suggested trying curb walking to induce labor. And I tried!

And to my surprise, it did work. I went into labor that night. After 3 hours of labor, my baby was here that night!!

I am not sure, whether curb walking did the trick or baby was ready to come out that night… it was a win-win for me!

If you are desperate to bring on the labor tonight, try curb walking. Let’s learn everything about curb walking and how it helps induce labor spontaneously.

Related Reads

• Positive Birth Affirmations to empower you during Labor
• Can pushing Hard to Poop cause Labor?
• 21 Healthy Snacks to Pack in Hospital Bag for Labor

Pin me for Later!

What is Curb Walking?

Curb walking is exactly as it sounds. Curb walking is when you walk with one foot up on the curb, and others on the road. With this tilting or uneven motion as you walk, you will notice a larger shift in your body weight with each step. Take a look at this video showing how curb walking is done.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. As an affiliate and amazon associate, I earn commission on qualified purchases at no extra cost to you.

Can Curb Walking Bring on Labor?           

Disclaimer: Nothing will cause labor to start naturally until your body and baby are ready for birth.

Although we don’t know when this readiness state is attained, our bodies have started all the necessary preparation for active labor for days or months in advance.

Now question is, Can we do something to bring on labor at 39 weeks?

Yes, Probably!

While there isn’t any reliable evidence to show that curb walking brings on labor but it could work if your body is already showing an early sign of labor.

Curb walking is believed to help bring on labor by allowing gravity to pull your baby deeper into your pelvis thereby putting pressure on your cervix to dilate. The gentle pressure of the baby’s head on your cervix causes the cervix to dilate or efface.

And that is what you want to initiate labor.  

Related Post: How to avoid Ring of Fire during Childbirth

As you curb walk, your body posture and the baby moving side to side can open up a little more space in your pelvic to create a room for the baby to get into the optimal position for birth.

If you are already feeling mild contractions, curb walking can make it stronger and more rhythmic. Curb walking works similarly to deep lunges, squats, or doing figure eight on the yoga ball.

How to curb walk to induce labor?

Curb walking help engage your baby in a proper position to induce labor. The uneven walking moment is what you need when you are having inconsistent contractions.

Here is how to curb walk to induce labor

• Place one foot on the curb and the other foot on the ground
• Start walking. The uneven walking will help your pelvis to open and allow your baby to move down, which in turn put pressure on cervix to dilate.  
• If you get tired curb walking, alternate your leg.

There are no hard and fast rules for how long you can curb walk to induce labor. You can curb walk as long as you are comfortable doing it. Once you get tired of curb walking, start normal walking, and then when you are comfortable again, start curb walking.

Tips for Curb Walking to Induce Labor

There isn’t any evidence to show the connection between curb walking and bringing on labor, but it has worked for me and many women. So, worth the try!

If you decide to curb walking to induce labor, follow the below tips.

• Always talk to your medical professional before trying any natural method to induce labor.
• Wait until you are 39 weeks pregnant or full-term
• Make sure you are wearing comfortable clothing and shoes
• You are carrying extra weight in your belly and curb waking may make you unsteady on your feet. So, make sure you take someone with you for your support
• One foot on the curb and other foot on the road may make walking uncomfortable on one side than other so take it slow and steady
• Change the direction of curb walking if you feel uncomfortable
• It is not safe to be curb walking in snowy weather or slippery condition. The extreme weather increases the chances of trips and falls.

How to Achieve the Benefits of Curb Walking inside your House?

If you are in the northern part of North America and having a winter baby, it may be hard or impossible to go out for a walk, let alone the curb walking, because of snow and slippery condition.

I had my first one in October, so it wasn’t that bad to go out and curb walk. But my second one was born in December, so I couldn’t go outside for curb walking. 

But that didn’t stop me from curb walking. I brought the curb walking inside!

Here is what I did to achieve the benefits of curb walking inside!

• Use the staircase in your house. Put your one foot on the first step of the staircase and other foot on the floor of the house. Keep climbing the stair holding the rail.
• If using the staircase is not wide enough for you, you can use the aerobic exercise step to get that uneven gait.
• Alternatively, take out your high heel Pump. Don’t worry I am not asking you to dance in high heels. All you have to do is put on one high heel and keep other foot bare.  

All these indoor methods will help you get that uneven gait to open up more space in your pelvis, allowing the baby to move farther down in a birthing position.

Although I can’t guarantee that this natural method of inducing labor will work for you, there is no harm in trying it. Just make sure that you are careful walking on the curb and take someone with you to support in case you need it.

Now that you know all about Curb walking to induce labor, let’s look at other natural methods that have worked for people to induce labor.

Natural ways to Induce Labor

Midwives Brew

Midwives Brew is a German labor cocktail made from natural ingredients to quickly induce labor after 39 weeks. It is one of the fastest methods of labor induction. If you are looking to avoid medical induction, you may want to give it a try after talking to your OBY/GYN or midwife. Read everything about Midwives Brew to induce labor in 24 hours here.

Walking

If curb walking is too uneven for you, you want to go for a long walk. The upper body posture and baby in rocking motion while walking allows creating a room in your pelvis and pulls baby farther into your pelvis. The pressure of the baby’s head causes your cervix to dilate.

Another way to keep your body in a moving or rocking position is bouncing on the birthing ball, dancing, squats, lunges, walking on stairs.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture has been used for centuries in parts of Asia to bring on labor. Research also supports it (2-3).

There are several acupressure points on your body that can help with labor induction.

Look for a local acupuncturist in your area and book your appointment.

Spicy Food

It is a very popular theory for inducing labor. It is thought to induce labor by getting your GI tract moving. Although there is no direct connection between the stomach and uterus, except the uterus lying right next to the GI tract.

I never tried eating spicy food for that reason!!

Evening Primrose Oil

Evening primrose oil is an herb that may help induce your labor. The oil has a substance called linolenic acid which may trigger prostaglandin’s response in your body. Evening primrose oil releases prostaglandins which help thin the cervix and encourage it to dilate and initiate labor.

Some midwives recommend taking evening primrose oil supplements to naturally induce.

Nipple stimulation

Nipple stimulation is an evidence-based method to induce labor naturally (4-5).

Nipple stimulation causes the release of oxytocin in your body and oxytocin is the main hormone responsible for causing you to go into labor.

Here is how you can stimulate your nipple,

• Gently roll your nipple between your thumb and forefinger
• Use the breast pump in low setting

How to do nipple stimulation,

Choose any method of nipple stimulation (your fingers or breast pump)

• Stimulate one breast at a time
• Limit stimulation to 5 minutes
• Do not stimulate your nipple during contraction
• You can stop nipple stimulation when your contraction increases in intensity

Conclusion

Here you go, soon-to-be mamas!! You have everything that you need to know about curb walking to induce labor and other natural methods of inducing labor.

As your due date approaches, you may be eager to go into labor and meet your baby. If you are looking into natural ways to induce labor, try curb walking first. It will work if you are experiencing an early sign of labor.

If curb walking does not work for you, don’t get discouraged! Try combinations of the different methods listed above.

Although it is important to remember, you will only go into labor when your body and your baby are ready for it.

SO, if nothing is working for you, don’t wear yourself out trying different methods of inducing labor. You will need all the energy in the world to push that baby!

In the meantime, keep preparing for birth and life with a newborn. It’s not too late to take a childbirth course if you haven’t already done so.

This informative online birth course can be completed in a day.

What natural labor induction methods have worked for you?

Good luck mamas and keep curb walking!!

References

1. Glantz JC. Elective induction vs. spontaneous labor associations and outcomes. J Reprod Med. 2005 Apr;50(4):235-40. PMID: 15916205.
2. Neri, I., Monari, F., Midwife, C. S., & Facchinetti, F. (2014). Acupuncture in post-date pregnancy: a pilot study. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med, 27(9), 874-878.
3. Smith, C. A., Crowther, C. A., & Grant, S. J. (2013). Acupuncture for induction of labour. Cochrane Database Syst Rev(8), CD002962.
4. Demirel, G. and H. Guler (2015). “The Effect of Uterine and Nipple Stimulation on Induction With Oxytocin and the Labor Process.” Worldviews Evid Based Nurs 12(5): 273-280.
5. Chayen, B., et al. (1986). “Induction of labor with an electric breast pump.” J Reprod Med 31(2): 116-118.

---

You might be interested

• Why is my Pregnant Belly Soft when lay down
• 8 Things to Deep Clean before Baby Arrives (Deep Cleaning Checklist)
• VBAC Lab Birth Course Review : Increase your Chance of VBAC Success
• Can Pushing Hard to Poop cause Labor? Find out here!
• 21 Healthy Snacks to Pack in Hospital Bag for Labor (and Dad!)
• Midwives Brew to Induce Labor Naturally in 24 Hours
• 44 Positive Birth Affirmations to Empower you during Labor