My wife in now in her 38th week of pregnancy. In a week or so we would like to encourage her labor to begin. She has assisted at over 1,000 births and is currently teaching in the nurse-midwifery program at the University of Minnesota. As a midwife, I question why one would want to induce labor.
Any method can have side effects.
Blue and black cohosh can act as a strong uterine stimulant and should not be used unless you are very familiar with the herb, dosages and its use in labor. Even castor oil can cause intense uterine contractions or rupture of the membranes with the rare possibility of cord prolapse. Before attempting an induction at home, I would recommend that you consult with your provider. Perhaps five minutes of gentle nipple stimulation would help to stimulate contractions, by releasing the body's natural oxytocin, but even this could lead to hyperstimulation. Nipple stimulation, to bring on labor, is usually done in the hospital with fetal monitoring.