Expressing milk/nipple stimulation to bring on labour

[bluemoon2468]

Has anyone had any success with this?

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If you've found this page in your search of the benefits of nipple stimulation to induce labour, you might find our guide to the best nipple toys useful. Hope this helps! MNHQ

I did it so much for a week (plus breastfed my toddler) with no luck. I got induced when I was 9 days overdue (which was all fine and actually easier than my natural labour).

Did the job for me but who knows whether things would have happened anyway or whether it helped. Good luck

I tried nipple stimulation for the first time in the afternoon and my waters broke at midnight

I did from 39 weeks

Ended up being induced at 42 weeks

At least I had plenty of colostrum when baby was born?!?

Well I breastfed my second child every day of my third pregnancy, up to and including when I was in labour. DC3 was 15 days late. I've got quite a few friends who bf through a subsequent pregnancy and I can't think of one whose baby was early.
I think that if you are right on the edge of going into labour, the oxytocin released by nipple stimulation might just be enough to tip the balance, but if you aren't ready, I can't believe it will make a lot of difference. Probably most of those for whom it worked were on the verge of labour anyway. There's no harm in trying of course, but I wouldn't get your hopes up too much. Just don't overdo it and make your nipples sore.

With my last pregnancy I expressed colostrum regularly with my pump during the pregnancy and froze it for baby for later. Nipple stimulation certainly didn't have an effect for me. It didn't work for either of the two previous pregnancies either.

@mrsavocet yeah I'm inclined to agree. I think with a lot of these things (sex, nipple stimulation, clary sage, going on a long walk etc.) they aren't going to start your labour if you're weeks away, but if your body has already started making changes they might just be the little boost needed to tip you over the edge!

Does breastfeeding have the same effect as nipple stimulation? I breastfeed my daughter to sleep every night and a little in the morning so can I skip the nipple stimulation?! Feeding does bring on contractions (for the last 7 nights!) but they soon stop.