Pregnant Indiana Women Are Using Potholes To Induce Labor
While most residents in the state of Indiana have had more than enough of the pothole-infested streets, one couple is thankful for the chewed up pavement as they believe the potholes played a key role in inducing labor.
Stephanie and Andrew Flittner – who live on the north side of the state – recently opened up to local media outlets about how they believe driving over potholes provoked contractions.
According to Fox 59, the Flittners’ first child spent an additional week in the womb before being welcomed in the world and neither Stephanie nor Andrew wanted to endure a late-term pregnancy.
The couple told local reporters they made the decision to get in their off-road Jeep Cherokee before spending five hours driving around Indiana and hitting some of the worst potholes in the state.
“The bigger the pothole, it seemed like the bigger the contractions I was having. I didn’t know if they were doing anything,” Stephanie said as she explained their decision.
The Indiana couple took to social media to ask friends and family members for help locating some of the most bothersome potholes in the state. Collectively, their loved ones helped them build a 74-mile route.
“One person said, ‘Hey drive this route it’s great, and there’s a great pediatrician on the right-hand side,'” Stephanie jested.
Andrew added, “Some guy planned a route for us, we couldn’t complete it.”
One day after their five-hour pothole-filled drive, the happy couple welcomed their daughter, Margot Lynne Catherine Flittner, into the world. Making the story more wild for the couple to relay to local reporters, their daughter was born on April 1, making her an April Fools’ Day baby.
While Andrew and Stephanie have no way of knowing whether driving around and smashing potholes had anything to do with giving birth to their daughter, they decided to share their story because they believe it did.
According to Colleen Downey, the co-owner of Indianapolis Doulas, what Stephanie and her husband felt toward the end of the pregnancy was perfectly normal.
“Women are willing to do just about anything to get their babies out at the end of the pregnancy,” Downey explained.
Colleen went on to explain that while most tricks – such as eating spicy foods – don’t really play much of a role in labor induction, she believed there is a chance driving across the pothole-infested roads of Indiana could shift the baby downward and cause contractions to occur. She, however, wasn’t willing to speculate to local reporters whether the practice could induce labor.
Hitting potholes to induce labor? One Indy couple says it works! https://t.co/5XXGMafg1Z
— FOX59 News (@FOX59) April 4, 2019
Downey went on to describe the things couples do as they try to induce labor as a “made-up science.”
While she did confirm some tricks like drinking castor oil can induce labor, she doesn’t recommend it as it can also cause the expectant mother to become dehydrated. Downey also confirmed sexual activity can help provoke contractions and labor.
