As you near the end of your pregnancy, you're pretty much willing to try anything to induce labor — especially if your little one is a little too comfortable in the womb, and a few days overdue. There are myths and there are stories that circulate among expecting mothers about ways to induce labor. From castor oil, to spicy foods, there's a list a mile long. But how many people have gone into labor because of pineapple? Yes, pineapple. Something so simple has actually been known to aid expecting mothers in inducing labor.
Pineapple is one of the few foods that actually has some factual evidence to back it up when it comes to inducing labor. According to New Health Advisor, fresh pineapple contains a proteolytic enzyme, bromelain, which acts as a prostaglandin. Prostaglandins are known to help soften your cervix. If you're on the edge of active labor, softening your cervix is supposed to help give your body the extra push it needs to head into full on labor, according to the doctors at OB-GYN North. However, you must be sure that it's fresh pineapple you're eating, as the bromelain disappears in the canned version of the fruit due to the canning process. As an acidic fruit, pineapple also helps stimulate your stomach, which in turn can help cause contractions in your uterus.
However, you may only want to consider this option if you really like pineapple. According to Mom Junction, it takes eating around seven full pineapples to have the full effect of the bromelain — because one pineapple contains very little bromelain. Eating the entire pineapple, including the core, can help induce labor faster, because the core is where most of the bromelain lies in a pineapple, according to Mom Junction. But beware that pineapple acts as a diuretic, and according to Dr. Lisa Watson, eating of a lot of pineapple can cause heartburn and diarrhea.
Though there are no solid numbers out there to support how many moms have gone into labor because of pineapple, plenty of mothers on the internet, including moms at Baby Center, have shared their stories about eating pineapple and going into labor shortly after. Though pineapple doesn't work for all moms, the internet is flush with stories from mothers who have put pineapple to the test, and started feeling contractions after eating buckets of the delicious fruit. However, if you have gestational diabetes, Mayo Clinic noted that you may want to avoid consumption of pineapple, as it can be harmful to both you and your baby. And like anything you consider doing to induce natural labor, it's important to consult your doctor before attempting to induce naturally, as your doctor will be able to provide the best course of action for you.
