How to Avoid Induction Naturally: 5 Things You Can Do Now To Help Labor Start On It’s Own!

You’re at the end. The texts have started rolling in about when baby is coming. Your provider has “offered” you an induction.
And even though you know your body was made for this...
You’re feeling the pressure to hurry things along.

If this is you, hear me when I say this:

If you want to go into labor naturally, your #1 job is to boost oxytocin. Period.

More than figure 8s on your birth ball. More than doing the Miles Circuit every day. More than dates or red raspberry tea. Oxytocin starts labor & keeps it going. Unfortunately, the more you try to force things to happen, the more your body tenses up and halts that oxytocin flow.

Your body knows when it is time. It may not align with your’s or anyone else’s timing. You may be over it, at your wits end, ready to hold your precious baby. I get it. I’ve been there. I felt the pressure and scheduled an induction with my first too. And all I can say about that is: Thank goodness he came before then!


Here’s exactly how to work with your body and God’s design — instead of fighting time

Intentional Rest + Release (Start Here)
An anxious mind can delay labor more than you think.

Oxytocin — the LOVE hormone that starts and sustains labor — flows when you feel safe and calm. It doesn’t show up when you're feeling rushed, watched, or overwhelmed.

That means your first priority isn’t to do more.
It’s to feel safe enough to let go.

What does that look like?

💗Take a warm bath or shower with your worship playlist playing softly

💗Do 2–3 minutes of simple breath work (blog all about that here)

💗Journal your fears and offer them up in prayer

💗Dim the lights, turn your phone off, close the mental tabs

You’re not giving up. You’re softening.
You’re telling your body: We are not in danger.

💛 Nurture Touch and Connection (This is oxytocin gold)
Loving, safe physical connection — especially with someone you trust — is one of the most powerful ways to signal your body that it’s time.

What does that look like?

💗Cuddling with your partner

💗Gentle massage with lavender or clary sage

💗Holding hands, swaying, or slow dancing

💗Reminiscing or looking at pictures of sweet memories

💗Nipple stimulation (no shame here — it’s science + design)

💗Sex (semen is a natural softener for your cervix)

This isn’t about “trying harder or doing more”
It’s about letting love and safety open what needs to open.

🧘‍♀️ Gentle Movement That Works With Gravity
Okay, okay, I know you still want to feel like you’re doing something, and balancing your body really can help! So, once you’ve made your body feel safe and ready, you can help baby move into an ideal position with some gentle movement!

What does that look like?

💗Hip circles on your birth ball

💗Curb walking or stair lunges

💗Prenatal yoga

💗Spinning Babies forward-leaning inversions + side lying release

Don’t overdo it. This isn’t bootcamp.
It’s about alignment, balance, and encouraging descent.

🤲 Support Your Body with Hands-On Care
Even if you’re moving daily and creating a peaceful environment, your body may still need a little hands-on help to find balance. When baby is in an ideal position and your pelvis is aligned, labor is more likely to start — and flow — naturally.

What does that look like?

💗Prenatal chiropractic care (especially Webster technique) to align the pelvis

💗Prenatal massage to release tension in hips, glutes, and lower back

Ask your provider or doula for local referrals, and trust:
Sometimes the best thing you can do is let someone support you.

🍵 Nutritional + Herbal Support

First things first, hydrate well and nourish your body with whole foods. There are some other things that can help support your body and encourage cervical ripening and uterine tone, but be sure to talk with your provider about the timing and safety of these options for you and your baby.

💗Red raspberry leaf tea (2–3 cups/day)

💗Dates (6/day if you can swing it)

💗Evening primrose oil (inserted vaginally)

💗Clary sage oil (diffused)

These work best after you've created a calm environment and emotional readiness. But remember, they’re helpful tools — not magic buttons.

💬 What If You’ve Done “Everything” and Labor Hasn’t Started?

Then you pause. You breathe. You remember:

💗God is not late.
💗Your body is not broken.
💗Your timeline is not wrong.
💗Your body is working so hard behind the scenes.
💗Take things one day at a time.

You can find holiness and rest in the waiting!

Still Feeling That Edge of Fear?

If you’re doing “all the things” but still feeling tight inside…

That’s exactly why I created the Faith Over Fear Workshop.

In it, I’ll guide you through:

- What to do with rising anxiety near your due date
- How to release fear and build trust in your body
- A prayer-led plan to prepare mentally, emotionally, and spiritually

💛 Click here to access the Free Faith Over Fear Workshop

Because avoiding induction isn’t just about what you do —
It’s about what you believe.

Next
Next

Breathwork for Pregnancy: Techniques to Calm Anxiety and Support Labor