Rethinking Induction of Labour

What Induction Really Means

An induction of labour aka IOL is any attempt to artificially start the process of birth rather than waiting for it to begin on its own. This can include pharmaceutical methods using drugs (such as prostaglandin pessaries or oxytocin drips) or mechanical ones (like a membrane sweep or balloon catheter). 

Dr Rachel Reed, in her book Reclaiming Childbirth as a Rite of Passage, reminds us that birth unfolds according to an intricate hormonal dance - one that begins when both mother and baby are ready. Intervening before that readiness, she explains, can disturb the body’s natural flow and emotional rhythm.

Similarly, Dr Sara Wickham, in In Your Own Time, beautifully explores how induction rates have risen sharply and how many women are not fully informed about the implications. She writes that our culture has become uncomfortable with waiting - and yet waiting is often one of the most powerful acts of trust and physiological safety in birth.

The Pressure to “Do Something”

Many pregnant people describe being offered a sweep or induction long before their estimated due date, sometimes couched as “routine,” sometimes as “just a chat.” But let’s name it clearly: a membrane sweep is a mechanical induction. It’s not a benign check - it’s a procedure designed to provoke contractions.

The conversation should never be initiated whilst in the middle of a vaginal examination and needs careful consideration.

The language around these offers can make it hard to say no. “Would you like a sweep?” sounds like a small favour, but it can set a cascade in motion:
→ A sweep may cause discomfort, bleeding, or anxiety and could result in accidental breaking of your waters.
→ It may still take a number of days for labour to start, you may feel like your body is “not working.”
→ That doubt can make you more likely to accept further intervention.

This is what’s often called the cascade of intervention, where one small step leads to another, and birth becomes increasingly managed rather than embodied.

Membrane sweeps are thought to help move things along for women who are already in the early stages of labour - albeit the evidence behind this is not definitive with no real way of knowing if it really helped at all.

Dr Reed writes about how interventions can “disrupt the unfolding of the rite of passage” that birth truly is. And Dr Wickham reminds us that just waiting while holding space with good support and monitoring is often the safest, most respectful approach for both mother and baby.

I should add that choosing an induction is a personal choice. Some families say their inductions did go as planned - reporting a positive experience.

The Wisdom of Waiting

Babies are not late.
Your body is not broken.
Labour begins when both you and your baby are ready.

When we interfere too early, we may interrupt the important hormonal conversation taking place within the dyad that is you and your baby. Evidence shows that induction can lead to longer, more intense labours and, statistically, to increased likelihood of further interventions such as continuous monitoring, epidural and caesarean birth.

This isn’t to say induction is never appropriate. There are genuine medical reasons why it may be recommended i.e. if you develop pre-eclampsia or your baby's growth has stopped. When induction is your informed choice, it can be an empowering decision.

→ Review the evidence

→ Take time to think about your decision 

→ Ask for individualised care

→ Be informed.

Questions to Ask Before Choosing an Induction

When the topic of induction or a sweep comes up, you might ask your midwife:

• Why is this being suggested right now?
• What are the actual risks of waiting a few more days?
• What would happen if we just monitored and waited?
• Is it necessary for me and baby, or is it policy-driven?
• What are the possible outcomes if I accept or decline?

As Dr Wickham says, “Information is not the same as pressure.” You deserve information not persuasion.

Holding Your Power and Presence

Being a Birthkeeper, I view pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum transition to becoming a mother as a rite of passage. It will shape you and your baby for the future. It deserves deep respect and tender loving nurture.

Remember, if induction is raised in your care pathway, pause, take a moment. You do not need to decide right there and then. You can ask for time. You can ask for evidence. You can ask for calm and support - the way that you personally need.

Prepare from the beginning of pregnancy. Surround yourself with people who trust birth. You could consider hiring a doula or Birthkeeper. Read the works of those like Dr Rachel Reed and Dr Sara Wickham, who remind us that nature’s timing is rarely wrong.

Waiting for labour to begin can be one of the hardest parts of pregnancy - especially in a culture that prizes control, schedules, and productivity. But as Dr Reed so beautifully puts it:

“Birth unfolds best when it is undisturbed, when the woman feels safe, respected and free to follow her body’s cues.”

You deserve that space.
You deserve to trust your own timing.
And you deserve to have your baby come into the world not because a calendar said it was time - but because your body and your baby whispered, Now we’re ready.

Get in touch if you are interested in reading my short guide to optimising birth hormones whilst having an induction.

 "Mindful Induction: Happy Hormones" - by The Mother Rite