Gently prepare for childbirth with flaxseed
In the last few weeks before the expected due date, a daily portion of flaxseed will help you to gently prepare your body for the birth. Flaxseed is an old home remedy that’s commonly used to treat constipation, but it also stimulates labor and can speed up delivery. Here you can find out more about the effects of flaxseed and how you can include it in your diet.
How does flaxseed support childbirth?
In addition to various other home remedies, such as raspberry leaf tea , flaxseed can also gently prepare the birth and at the same time increase well-being:
- They have a positive effect on the mucous membranes of the vagina and stimulate mucus production. This makes the expulsion phase of the birth easier and shorter.
- Many women suffer from constipation during pregnancy . The husks of the flaxseed help to stimulate intestinal activity because they bind fluid in the intestine, swell and soften the stool.
- The uterus is stimulated at the same time as the intestines. When consumed regularly, flaxseed can therefore promote labor and induce labor faster. Therefore, you should only use this home remedy from the 34th week of pregnancy .
The daily portion of flaxseed
You can get flaxseed as a whole grain or already ground in many supermarkets, health food stores or drugstores. Discuss with your midwife or doctor what amount they think is appropriate in your case. As a rule, one to two tablespoons a day are recommended from the end of the 34th week of pregnancy , which you can simply mix into your muesli or yoghurt. It is important that you drink a lot of liquid at the same time , because only then can they develop the desired effect. Therefore, plan for a large glass of water or another drink per tablespoon.
Linseed is considered very digestible and dangerous side effects are not known, but too much of a good thing can lead to stomach pain and constipation. However, if you stick to the recommended dose and drink enough, you can prepare your body for childbirth easily and gently .
If flaxseed is not right for you, you will find many other methods that can make childbirth easier in our magazine section “Relieve the pain of childbirth” .