how effective is walking to induce labor?

7 Exercises to Help Induce Labor You Can Do at Home
Certain movements can improve a pregnant person | s alignment and help encourage the baby into position for delivery. Experts share how to do them safely and effectively.


By the end of the third trimester, most parents-to-be are pretty anxious to get the show on the road. "[People] feel uncomfortable being pregnant and want to be un-pregnant," explains Joyce Gottesfeld, M.D., OB-GYN for Kaiser Permanente in Denver. If their due date passes without any hint of labor approaching, some people consider taking things into their own hands by inducing it themselves.

How to Induce Labor at Home

But is it safe? "It's important for every pregnant person to discuss labor induction and plans to attempt it at home with their physician," says Ilana Ressler, M.D., a board-certified reproductive endocrinologist with Illume Fertility in Connecticut. She also adds that anyone who has increased pregnancy or medical risks should avoid it altogether.

That said, she acknowledges that some pregnant people might seek to "put favorable circumstances in place" to encourage labor to happen naturally. This might involve positioning the baby properly and improving the alignment of the pregnant person's body through exercise. The good news: You can safely do this through intentional and low-impact movements.

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"For a low-risk person, exercise (or movement in general) and paying attention to your posture and alignment is one of the most important things you can do," explains Ashley Brichter, founder and CEO of Birth Smarter, a company that offers in-person and virtual childbirth classes for expectant parents.

She adds that, for labor to start off well and continue to progress, the baby must be in an optimal position (head down and ideally facing your back with their chin tucked). Pregnant people should also encourage proper body alignment to achieve more space in their lower back, which allows the baby to rotate and descend. "What I would look for is just postural work, and trying to bring some balance into the body and pelvis," says Brichter. The following movements might be able to help prime your body for labor.

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Pregnant mixed race woman exercising in park
Jose Luis Pelaez Inc/Getty Images
The Best Exercises to Induce Labor at Home

Let's be clear: there is no proven method for inducing labor at home, but there are some things you can do to help prime your body for labor and encourage your baby to get in the optimal position for labor. And as always, be sure to talk to your doctor before you try any type of labor-inducing activity at home, just in case. When you're ready and you've been cleared, here are some activities you can try to get ready for delivery.
1. Parallel your feet

"A lot of pregnant people splay their feet wide, but bringing their toes parallel can help separate the sitz bones," says Brichter. This finds more space in their lower back, which makes labor and delivery easier.
2. Maintain alignment

Instead of pushing your belly forward when standing, stay aligned with your hips over your ankles. This stance—which is easy to take while doing dishes, standing in line at the grocery store, etc.—encourages the baby to move into the proper position. Similarly, try not to slouch when you're sitting down, says Brichter.
3. Sit on a birthing ball

According to Brichter, sitting on an exercise or birthing ball in neutral wide-legged positions prepares the body for labor by increasing blood flow, opening the pelvis, and encouraging cervical dilation. You can also try birthing ball exercises such as circular hip rotations, rocking, and gentle bouncing.

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4. Do pelvic tilts

During vaginal delivery, your pelvic bones pull away and separate to accommodate your baby's head. Keep the joints loose by completing pelvic tilt exercises. Here's one way to do them: Lying on your back, place your feet flat against the floor and bend your knees. Slowly lift the pelvis until it becomes parallel with your torso. Hold for 10 seconds, return to your starting position, and repeat several times.
5. Assume the butterfly pose

You might recognize the butterfly pose from dance or yoga class—but did you know it can increase flexibility in your pelvic joints, improve blood flow, and make childbirth easier? To get into the pose, sit upright on the floor, and bring the soles of your feet together while bending the knees. Pull your feet toward your body to feel a stretch in your hips and inner thighs. Don't forget to breathe into it.
6. Go on a walk

Maintaining a regular exercise routine, including low-impact cardio like walking, has many benefits throughout pregnancy. But walking can also be used as an exercise to induce labor since it helps with cervical dilation and allows the baby to drop in the pelvis. Walking might also ease some of your anxiety surrounding labor and delivery.

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7. Perform lunges

Lunges stretch the hips and open the pelvis, which helps the baby move into the ideal birthing position. Here's how to do them: Stand up straight, then take a big step forward with one leg, keeping your knee over your ankle. The other leg should drop so it's parallel to the ground. Push back up to starting position, then repeat with the other leg.
Who Shouldn't Use Exercise to Induce Labor?

While experts often recommend regular exercise for low-risk pregnant people, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) suggests discontinuing if you experience certain symptoms while exercising, including:

Abdominal pain
Calf pain or swelling
Chest pain
Dizziness
Fluid leaking
Headache
Muscle weakness affecting balance
Regular, painful contractions
Shortness of breath
Vaginal bleeding

Always talk about your plans to induce or encourage labor through exercise with your health care provider, especially if you have a high-risk pregnancy. Consider discussing your plans with a physical therapist as well.

"Midwives and OB-GYNs are very good at keeping pregnant people safe, but they aren't necessarily experts at the body's structure," says Brichter. "Somebody thinking about using movement and exercise in labor might want to talk with a physical therapist."

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The Bottom Line

"If your body is not ready for labor, don't push it," says Dr. Gottesfeld. And although exercise can prepare the body for delivery, it's not a well-proven method of natural labor induction. "If someone is interested in attempting labor induction, it is best to discuss this with their physician."