Inducing Labor; Segulah’s for Childbirth

The Aish Rabbi Replies

Before all, we wish you a quick and easy labor and a healthy birth in the right time! In general, however, labor should not be induced without significant need. If your doctor sees that the baby or mother is under stress or any other pressing reason, then you should follow his recommendations. But Jewish law does not permit inducing labor for any other reason – such as anxiousness to have the baby, that the doctor not miss his holiday weekend, that the tentative circumcision be scheduled on a Sunday, etc. The main reason for this is because childbirth is considered dangerous (even today), and we are not allowed to willingly expose ourselves to danger any sooner than absolutely necessary (Igrot Moshe, Y.D. II, 74; see there an interesting additional reason that God generally protects women who fulfill His commandment of procreation, but such Divine protection is only assured at the Heavenly-decreed time).

Some further explain that people are astrologically influenced by the precise date and time at which they are born, and thus, changing the Heavenly-decreed time for a baby’s birth could metaphysically impact him in unpredictable ways. (See this response about the Jewish view on astrology.)

Of course, all such considerations are immediately put aside if there is any actual danger to the mother or baby. In fact, a woman would be equally induced on Shabbat if either she or the baby are God forbid in danger. (In general, Shabbat restrictions are set aside in life-threatening situations.)

In terms of segulah’s for an easy and timely birth, here are a couple of popular ones which I am familiar with:

(1) During the ninth month of pregnancy, the husband should be given the honor of opening the Ark and taking out the Torah on days which it is read (Chida in Moreh B’Etzba 3:90).

(2) If it’s shortly after Sukkot, biting the pitom from an etrog – specifically, the etrog your husband used over Sukkot. (The pitom is a small woody protrusion growing on the top of many etrogs (although many species do not have them). You can see a picture of one in this article.) (Sources:  Mekor Chaim [R’ Yair Chaim Bachrach] 664; Moed L’Chol Chai [R’ Chaim Falaji] 24:25; see also this article for many more details.)

(3) Taking care to eat melaveh malkah – literally, “accompanying the queen” – the meal eaten after Shabbat ends, which accompanies the “Shabbat queen” as she departs. See this article for details (Ta’amei Haminhagim, page 568, s.v. segulah l’nashim).

(4) Many pregnant women have the custom to go to the mikveh at the start of their ninth month. Note that this done so to speak as a formality. It is not necessary to do the lengthy preparations a woman ordinarily does, and she does not recite a blessing while immersing.

(5) A general all-purpose “segulah” (really, merit) is to promise charity together with requesting from the Almighty that it serve as a merit that the birth go well. (Some specifically recommend doing so together with the segulah of biting off the pitom.)

(6) Lastly, (and of course not really last), heartfelt prayer and the reciting of Psalms, asking that God grant you an easy birth at the right time. Some suggest that Psalm 20 – “May God answer you on a day of distress” – is particularly effective for an easy childbirth.