There's a good chance that a pregnant woman nearing her due date wants to get the baby out. Many find the last weeks of pregnancy uncomfortable, and moms-to-be tend to get really excited about meeting their new human. Besides hearing a bunch of outdated baby advice as the due date nears, you'll also hear one too many old wives' tales about ways to "naturally" induce labor. Some are plausible, although there is mostly insufficient scientific evidence to back them up. Then there are the myths about inducing labor that are total bull. That's right, complete and utter, nonsensical silliness.
It's important to note that whether you try a "natural," DIY induction method that has some possibility of working or you try one that is utterly ridiculous (no offense), you need to be careful. According to Web MD some of the so-called natural induction methods might be harmful to a mother and her unborn baby. The site used physical activity as an example, noting that vigorous forms of exercise (in a usually sedentary woman) can lead to premature births and pregnancy-induced hypertension. Basically, it's not a good idea to go running up and down stairs if you haven't taken a walk in months.
No matter what science says there will be plenty of women who try everything from the plausible to the impossible to coax their baby out. Here are six myths about inducing labor that are completely false.