Life

This Stuffing Recipe Will Make You Go Into Labor, So Eat Up

With the end of Halloween comes an almost visible switch in the air that signals the start of the holiday season. For many people, that means planning get togethers with friends and family, queuing up their favorite festive movies, and digging a container of decorations from the depths of their attics. But if you're pregnant, then it might mean something else — the anticipation of your due date. Of course, that doesn't mean you can't work that into your planning. That's why I'm dishing about this stuffing recipe that will make you go into labor. After all, I wouldn't want you to feel left out.

I'm sure you've heard about some of the more popular foods and drinks — hot sauce, licorice, pineapple, red raspberry leaf tea — that can increase your chances of going into labor. But why not put a holiday spin on the contraction-inducing recipes, right? A quick search of tricks for getting things moving in the labor department shows that thyme — a popular stuffing ingredient — can aid in speeding things up. So I am majorly pulling for you with this recipe from Averie Cooks for Classic Traditional Thanksgiving Stuffing.

Packed with bread, parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme, celery, oh, and butter, this recipe might not only bring about labor, but your house will smell flipping amazing.

According to a 2015 study published in the Oman Medical Journal, thyme is a popular herb used among pregnant women in the Middle East, and several mother-to-be forums show that many women boil thyme leaves to make a tea that is said to help induce contractions. (Which sounds way less delicious than thyme-filled stuffing.)

But if you just aren't feeling the stuffing or your gluten-free like me and can't find a solid recipe to meet your needs, then you might want to try some more traditional tips for inducing labor, including nipple stimulation, acupuncture, and even sex.

“The prostaglandins in semen can help to prepare the cervix and the female orgasm can softly stimulate the uterus,” Carley Mendes, a registered holistic nutritionist, childbirth educator, and expert at The Tot, tells Romper in an email interview. “But this is only safe if the waters have not broken yet.” Mendes says nipple stimulation might also encourage labor, as it releases the hormone oxytocin which can help stimulate contractions.

Acupuncture and herbal inductions, like black and blue cohosh, are also popular methods, but powerful, Mendes says. "They should be used with caution," she says. "They may cause labor to intensify very quickly, and have been shown to increase the likelihood of an epidural and/or cesarean section."

Other methods include castor and evening primrose oils, as well as mechanical inductions and membrane sweeps, but they come with a list of warnings ranging from diarrhea to premature rupture of the membranes to the need for further methods of induction. This sounds way less fun than eating a bunch of stuffing.

And like any DIY method for inducing labor, experts suggest women proceed with caution. "What mothers need to keep in mind is that babies come on their own time," Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator (LCCE) and Fellow of American College of Childbirth Educators (FACCE) Deena Blumenfeld of Shining Light Prenatal Education tells Romper in an email interview. "Babies are healthiest when labor begins on its own during the due month (38 to 42 weeks of pregnancy). Women should always consult with their care providers before trying any herbal or other DIY methods at home."

Of course, if you want to just stick with the stuffing and take the recipe shenanigans a bit further, then I suggest you also take a peek at these Pancetta and Sage Stuffing Muffins from A Cozy Kitchen. (I know, I know — I'm killing you with the food porn.) But seriously take a look at these babies. They would be perfect for a post-Thanksgiving brunch if your first go at consuming all the stuffing didn't bring about labor.

Like the traditional stuffing mentioned above, this recipe includes the potentially contraction-inducing thyme, as well as pancetta so yeah — enough said.

Plus, with Thanksgiving recipes like these you might not need any assistance other than your fork, knife, spoon, or, heck, two hands. After all, one taste of that stuffing and your baby will be clamoring to come out and see what this holiday hoopla is all about.

Check out Romper's new video series, Romper's Doula Diaries:

Check out the entire Romper's Doula Diaries series and other videos on Facebook and the Bustle app across Apple TV, Roku, and Amazon Fire TV.