I have never used nipple stimulation to induce labor but as a home birth midwife, I have seen nipple stimulation work with stalled or long latent phase labor in the primapara.  I used it successfully only a couple of times when we were on the clock for PROM (our home birth rules state that we have to transfer to hospital after 24 hours of ROM).  We used a double electric pump and it kicked up the contractions nicely.  Maybe having an orgasm would work also (I believe Ina May Gaskin has used this), but intercourse not a great idea with ROM.   Also kind of hard to suggest with some mothers...  I believe that any way to boost the oxytocin, starting with the simplest, noninvasive methods first help move labor along.  Unfortunately, modern obstetrics discredits the power of the mind and emotions to influence hormonal response.
Polly Westra, RN, IBCLC

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