Life

Put Down The Pineapple Juice Pregnant Women!

by Olivia Youngs

If you're in your final weeks of pregnancy and are at your wits end waiting for labor to start on it's own, trying to kickstart your labor at home has probably crossed your mind a time or two. The "waiting game" isn't always easy to play and some moms prefer to take matters into their own hands. In your research (or from the old wives tales handed down for years,) you've probably read up on the benefits of everyone's favorite tropical fruit for doing just that. But can pineapple juice induce labor? It depends on who you ask.

According to the Health Site, pineapple is among the list of "superfoods" that can help induce labor. What makes pineapple so great, you ask? It's got a special enzyme called bromelain, which is thought to help soften the cervix, ripening it (no fruit pun intended) for labor.

However, there is a catch to using the fruit as a labor-inducer. According to a study on the "properties and therapeutic application of bromelain," the enzyme has many health benefits, but inducing labor isn't top among them. Therefore, the amount of pineapple you'd have to eat in order for the bromelain to have a significant effect would more than likely result in diarrhea instead of labor pains.

In fact, eating any form of pineapple except freshly cut from the rind, won't have any effect at all. This means pineapple that's been juiced, canned, dried, or frozen is a no-go.

Instead of using the fruit (and especially the juice) to induce labor, turning to other more effective methods might be your best bet. Todays"s Parent noted that having sex, walking, nipple stimulation, and maybe even eating spicy foods have been thought to get labor going, without causing you to spend more time than necessary in the bathroom.