When I lived in China, I had loads of well-meaning people try to tell me to eat this or that for the baby. Not once did anyone tell me to drink cumin seed tea for labor.
That’s why when I heard about cumin tea for labor induction, I was intrigued.
I mean, I cook with cumin ALL the time. Even in China, they use a fair amount of cumin. Cumin is called “Jeera” or “Zeera” in the Indian subcontinent and other parts of the world.
So, I asked my friends if they knew about cumin tea for labor induction. You learn so much when asked, I’ve found!
My friend Zoe had told me she drank cumin seed tea for labor. She was in the 40th week, and her doctor had said she would likely need to induce her.
Zoe’s mom had been trying to get her to drink the cumin tea for the last couple of weeks before she gave birth. But Zoe was worried. “My mom is NOT a doctor. She thinks the Weekly World News is real,” she confided.
Since her mom wouldn’t shut up about it (she apparently drank it herself when Zoe was due to be born), Zoe asked her doctor at her next weekly checkup about making cumin tea for labor induction. Her doctor said it couldn’t hurt, so she tried it.
The next day, Zoe had the baby.
Did it work? Or was it a coincidence? I’ll explain more below.
What is the quickest way to induce labor?
I’ve been talking a lot about the stages of labor lately. It still amazes me that we can’t accurately pinpoint when we deliver our babies. It’s insane!
Still, there are some common ways to induce labor when you are ready to pop and just want that kid out of there:
Sex, yes, if you feel up to it (surely your husband is)
Acupuncture or massage may be of assistance (though only use someone that is experienced with pregnant patients)
Eat spicy foods (though be aware you may wind up with heartburn)
What herbs start contractions?
There are many things out there about different herbs that can start contractions. One of the most common ones is raspberry leaf tea. This herbal remedy for labor induction has been around since the 6th century, though modern research can’t prove it affects labor.
So, you can try it, but maybe spicy foods such as Chinese foods will help you out. Unfortunately, I can’t find anything proving this, so it’s about as helpful as Zoe’s mom. You may get heartburn or diarrhea. Or you may give birth.
My friend Kaytlyn was exhausted with her 3rd son. He just wasn’t coming out of there, and in her words, she was “as big as a house.” Poor girl was so uncomfortable. She sent her husband out to pick up Thai food. She told him to get it as spicy as possible.
After 30 minutes, he returned with her red curry and jumping squid, extra spicy. In the morning, she had finally gone into labor.
And that brings me back to cumin. An animal study showed that cumin and other herbs could cause contractions in the uterine tissue. It should be noted that these contractions were not at the same strength as those brought on by oxytocin.
Also, these studies were not done on pregnant women. Since cumin could cause cramping, miscarriage, and other unpleasantness, I advise you to speak to your doctor to be sure about it.
Does cumin tea induce labor?
Well, it could. But there is no guarantee. And based on my research above, I again think this is something you should ask your doctor about. Since it is a bit of spice, it stands to reason that eating something like tacos with cumin in the seasoning could help push things along.
Cumin tea for labor induction is a better idea when you are at that point where they will be inducing you. But only do it if your doctor thinks it’s a good idea.
When they induce labor, they can do it in several ways. One way is to strip the membranes. Another way is to break your water. And then there are the way hormones stimulate contractions.
Inductions are risky on their own, so many mamas try to avoid them whenever possible. Cumin tea for labor has been a thing for ages in the holistic set. And it may just be the thing for you if your doctor agrees!
Is cumin safe during pregnancy?
For regular people, cumin is safe even if you have a lot of it. But according to Healthline, even though some cultures have used it for ages, it was most often used to trigger a miscarriage.
I have seen lots of stuff online about cumin tea for inducing labor, but all the medical sites seem to advise against it. So again, I hate to repeat myself, but I would not feel comfortable telling you to drink or eat anything without definitive proof, which is why I keep saying to run it by your doctor.
How to make cumin tea for labor?
Now, if your doctor says yes to making a cumin tea recipe for inducing labor, you can try it. Some use cinnamon and cumin tea to induce labor since the cinnamon can round out the taste a bit and make it less weird.
Here’s the recipe:
To make a cumin tea recipe for inducing labor, you’ll want to add a teaspoon of cumin seeds and flash-heat them in a pot on the stove. Then you’ll add a cup of water and bring it to a boil.
Once it boils, cover the pot and let it steep for 5 minutes. You should remove it from the heat at this point. Then you can strain it into your favorite mama mug and enjoy.
It will be better if you have cumin seeds that are easy to find. Send Hubby out for them. Cumin powder won’t be as good because the oils have already dried.
Again, add a little cinnamon if you find it bitter or weird. Honey or a pinch of salt can also help perk up the flavor.
Please remember that drinking cumin tea to induce labor may not be effective. Your doctor may advise you not to drink it. But if they do, you may find the benefits very helpful. It is said to promote lactation, help digestion, detox the liver, and boost immunity.
Cumin also has antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties that could be good for your health if your doctor advises you to try it. It’s certainly a spice used daily by those in other cultures.
Without much data to back it up, I’m not sure drinking cumin tea can induce labor. However, if you are facing an induction, you may want to ask your doctor what they recommend you do to get that kid out of there without hopefully being induced.
Leslie Berry lives with her husband and two young daughters in Los Altos, California, where she loves helping other moms get comfortable with motherhood and embracing the insanity with facts peppered with laughs.
