After nine months of carrying a baby inside you, you may feel like you can't go on another day; your whole body may seem ready to burst with all the pressure pregnancy can cause.
As the long awaited due date approaches, the excitement and anticipation grows; like waiting for Christmas day as a child.
It can be disappointing when that due date passes without any signs of labor.
You may be willing to try anything after 40 weeks of pregnancy.
Methods such as sexual intercourse, castor oil, and spicy foods are commonly known ways to bring on labor.
Additionally, raspberry leaf tea, brisk walking, and nipple stimulation, are all ways that some midwives, nurses, grandmothers and friends recommend to bring on labor, without the help of major pharmaceuticals.
But candy? Yes, black licorice could actually bring your little baby to the world more quickly! When in full term pregnancy, eating large amounts of black licorice could bring on labor.
There is scientific proof for that, too.
Natural licorice contains glycyrrhizin, which is one of the main components of licorice root, and the reason for its sweet taste.
In recent studies, glycyrrhizin has been associated with preterm delivery.
An international group of researchers found out that heavy consumption of licorice (500 mg/week) was associated with a more than twofold increased risk of early delivery, which means giving birth on week 37, or earlier (Am J Epidemiol).
Thus, pregnant women should avoid using black licorice as a supplement, or consuming large amounts of licorice as food, before their estimated due date.
Pharmacists have known the effects of natural licorice for long.
As natural licorice and the chemical glycyrrhizin tend to cause contractions of the uterus, it has been used to bring on labor when the pregnancy becomes overdue.
Actually, some pharmacists might even recommend licorice instead of castor oil when you are buying something to bring on labor.
Before you are too desperate to try any labor inducing remedy, you should understand that herbal remedies can be powerful.
Much like conventional medicine, certain herbs can be dangerous when taken in heavy doses or at inappropriate times.
Also, it's beneficial to know that, in general, licorice could affect hormone production in the adrenal glands.
It could also cause low potassium levels, high blood pressure, and other complications in some people.
Thus, it's important to take medicinal herbs only under supervision of an experienced herbalist.
If you have eaten some licorice candies recently, there is no need to panic though.
The licorice sold in most stores, similar to Twizlers, does not contain enough actual licorice.
It may be necessary to speak to the pharmacist in order to get natural licorice, containing a high enough level of glycyrrhizin, to bring on labor.
A licorice tip for the time after giving birth: additionally, black licorice is a mild laxative.
So, eating black licorice, or drinking tea containing licorice root, works great as a post-partum stool softener that makes your life a little bit easier.