Congratulations! You're at the end of your pregnancy, and hoping that delivery is just around the corner. At this stage, many women are looking for ideas on how to induce labor, as they are ready to give birth and want to speed up the process. Or perhaps your doctor is suggesting a medical induction and you would prefer to try something more natural. There are several methods you can try at home that have the potential to start your labor naturally.

One of the most common methods to induce labor is nipple stimulation. This causes the release of a hormone called Oxytocin (which is the natural version of the labor inducing drug Pitocin), and it can be very effective in starting contractions. It must be done correctly though, or it can lead to very intense contractions.

Another suggestion that works for some women is taking a bumpy car ride. Also, in this category would be any form of light to moderate exercise that would help the baby to descend into the pelvic region. Examples are walking, dancing, squatting, or if you want to be more creative, belly dancing and using a hoola hoop! All of these methods can help the cervix to dilate and in turn increase the release of Oxytocin which causes the contractions to start and intensify.

Another one of the tips on how to induce labor is one you may have heard of before. Having sex!! Now the thought of having sex at this point in your pregnancy may or may not appeal to you, but if it does, here's why it works. Semen contains hormones called Prostaglandins and they are effective at ripening the cervix. Also, when a woman has an orgasm, her body releases Oxytocin which helps the uterus to contract. So actually both partners contribute to this method of inducing labor.

Relaxation is a natural method that can also assist in inducing labor at home. The mind is very powerful and stress can get in the way of your labor progressing. Meditation and visualization are effective ways to help your body relax and focus on getting labor started.

Finally, one of the safest and most effective methods to induce labor is acupressure. Labor acupressure is a simple method of pressing specific spots on your skin with fingers and thumb which not only gets the contractions going, but also ripens the cervix and helps the baby to descend.

Additionally, acupressure has the added benefit of helping to reduce labor pain, so you'll be feeling happier and more relaxed when your little bundle of joy arrives in your arms!

Before going on, I'd like to share this tip with you.

When I starting looking for ideas on how to induce labor at home, many of the suggestions I had heard of before. But then I stumbled onto a website that talked about the benefits of labor acupressure and how it can help induce labor and also reduce the pain during childbirth.

I admit I was pretty skeptical but figured I had nothing to lose and not a lot of time to waste. So I purchased the ebook and my husband learned the techniques described in the easy step by step guide.

I really don't know if I believed in it or not, but no less than 24 hours later, I went into labor.

I have to thank Lena Leino for her fabulous, ebook which was written in an easy to follow guide.

You can learn more about this method of how to induce labor by visiting her site.