Heather M. Jones is a freelance writer with a focus on health, parenting, disability, and feminism. 

Monique Rainford, MD, is board-certified in obstetrics-gynecology, and currently serves as an Assistant Clinical Professor at Yale Medicine. She is the former chief of obstetrics-gynecology at Yale Health.

When a pregnant person reaches their due date or surpasses it, they are often willing to try whatever they can to get the baby out. In one study, 50% of the postpartum participants indicated they tried nonprescribed methods in an attempt to induce labor.

Methodical nipple stimulation is thought to have the potential to induce labor naturally in people whose bodies are ready to give birth.

In pregnancy terms, nipple stimulation involves manually massaging the nipples, using a breast pump, or having another person (a nursing child or a partner) suck on the nipples to stimulate them.

Nipple stimulation is one of several nonmedical ways full-term pregnant people turn to in an effort to start the labor process.

Nipple stimulation increases levels of the hormone oxytocin. Oxytocin is produced in a part of the brain called the hypothalamus and is secreted by the pituitary gland.

Sometimes referred to as the "love hormone," oxytocin is released when people have physical contact with other people. It also plays a role in:

Oxytocin stimulates the uterus to contract and begin labor. Oxytocin also increases the production of hormones called prostaglandins, which further increases contractions.

The synthetic version of oxytocin, Pitocin, is frequently administered to pregnant people to induce or help progress the labor process.

The increase in oxytocin from nipple stimulation can cause contractions that may kick start labor if the pregnant person's body is prepared to give birth.

Medical induction of labor is usually done when there is a need for it but can be done electively in certain situations. This may include:

Inductions for these purposes are performed by healthcare professionals and usually involve medication or medical procedures.

In some cases, such as a pregnancy that is past its due date but is not yet post-term, trying nonmedical ways to induce labor such as nipple stimulation may be recommended by the healthcare provider before doing a medical induction.

There isn't a definitive answer as to whether nipple stimulation is effective for inducing labor. There aren't a lot of studies on the subject, and the ones that do exist have low sample sizes, are not extensive, and are out of date.

It is also difficult to measure the effectiveness of natural induction methods because they are performed when a person is full-term and they may have given birth whether or not they had tried to start labor using these methods.

A 2015 study found that nipple stimulation appeared to shorten the length of labor and decrease the instances of cesarean sections. The study involved 390 pregnant participants and divided the participants into three groups:

Despite inconclusive evidence, many healthcare providers recommend it as an option for their clients who are full-term.

A study of 350 registered midwives in British Columbia and Ontario, Canada, found that 96% of those surveyed had advised clients to use nipple stimulation as a way of releasing the hormone oxytocin, and 80% believed nipple stimulation to be effective. Ninety-two percent of the respondents named labor augmentation as their reason for suggesting nipple stimulation.

Most healthcare providers agree that nipple stimulation only has the potential to be effective if the pregnant person's body is ready to give birth. Indications of this include:

During a healthy, uncomplicated pregnancy, nipple stimulation is unlikely to cause premature labor or miscarriage. In fact, many people choose to breastfeed another child while pregnant.

While oxytocin is released with breast stimulation, in an uncomplicated pregnancy, the uterus only becomes sensitive to it when close to labor.

Breast or nipple stimulation is not advised during pregnancy if:

Using nipple stimulation to try to induce labor in a full-term, healthy pregnancy is generally considered safe.

There is, however, a possible risk of uterine hyperstimulation (when contractions come too close together), which could cause fetal distress.

This risk is low with nipple stimulation and seen more often in medical inductions, but because of the potential for fetal distress, many experts recommend doing nipple stimulation under the supervision of a healthcare provider who can monitor the baby and parent.

Before trying nipple stimulation to induce labor, make sure:

No studies have been performed on the safety or efficacy of nipple stimulation to induce labor in people with high-risk pregnancies. Always check with a healthcare provider before trying any method of labor induction.

Call your healthcare provider or go to the hospital if you experience any of the following either before, during, or after trying natural induction methods:

There are a few different ways to do nipple stimulation with the intent of labor induction. The goal is to mimic a nursing baby.

This technique is similar to hand-expressing breast milk when breastfeeding.

Similar to manual nipple stimulation, a breast pump mimics a nursing baby and can help with the release of oxytocin.

Pumping may extract colostrum from the breast—this is not a concern.

There is no universally agreed-upon pattern for nipple stimulation, but one pattern that is recommended for either manual stimulation or pumping is:

If contractions do not start or increase after two hours, rest for an hour and try again.

While it doesn't mimic a suckling baby, erotic nipple play (licking, sucking, fondling, etc.) can also stimulate the release of oxytocin. It's also a nice way to connect with your partner.

Instead of mimicking a nursing baby, you can try really breastfeeding. This is usually done by parents who are already nursing another child.

The jury is still out on whether nipple stimulation is an effective way to induce labor. While some suggest there may be some benefits to nipple stimulation, the studies are sparse and include small sample sizes, outdated information, and other issues that make it difficult to make concrete conclusions.

In short, nipple stimulation may or may not help, but it probably won't hurt in low-risk, full-term pregnancies.

Before trying nipple stimulation—or any form of natural or at-home labor induction methods—consult with a healthcare professional.

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By Heather Jones Heather M. Jones is a freelance writer with a strong focus on health, parenting, disability, and feminism. 

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