Your due date is quickly approaching, and your baby is taking his sweet little time. It’s natural to want to speed things along, but you should know many “natural” labor induction techniques don’t have any research to back them up. Before you start trying every old wives’ tale under the sun, save yourself some trouble (and heartburn) by skipping these popular home tactics for jump-starting labor.

PINEAPPLE

On its face, pineapple prompting labor seems fairly plausible. Pineapples — especially in and around the core — contain an enzyme called bromelain that works a lot like a meat tenderizer. Ever eat too much fresh pineapple and end up with a sore mouth or tongue? That’s that enzyme at work. The theory is that by eating a lot of pineapple, the bromelain will soften your cervix and send you into labor.

Only it doesn’t really work that way. When you eat pineapple, most of the enzyme goes right through you and isn’t absorbed by the body. It can, however, prompt some pretty ugly heartburn.

CASTOR OIL

Of all the labor myths, this one has to be the most unpleasant. Castor oil doesn’t just taste all sorts of nasty; it also sends you running to the bathroom for some of the worst diarrhea of your life. The oil irritates your digestive tract, which can prompt contractions — only they’re almost always the I-need-to-go-to-the-bathroom-immediately kind, and not the my-baby’s-coming-now variety. While some old wives swear up and down that taking castor oil will send you into labor, there’s just no scientific evidence to back it up.

Besides, childbirth is already an intense and often challenging experience. Your pre-baby days should be spent relaxing and preparing yourself physically and mentally — not hunched over on the toilet.

SPICY FOOD

Pile on as much hot sauce as you want, it probably won’t make your baby want to wiggle down the birth canal any faster. The theory behind this myth is similar to that of castor oil: Spicy food upsets the stomach, and that can lead to cramping and later, contractions. Like castor oil, however, there’s no good research to support this idea. Eat that jerk chicken if you want to, but don’t expect it to speed things along.

HERBAL REMEDIES  

Some “natural” remedies can be helpful during pregnancy. In small amounts, ginger, for example, can help relieve morning sickness. And Red Raspberry Leaf tea (not raspberry-flavored teas — that’s a whole other thing) has some good vitamins and minerals in it that some believe help prepare the body for labor and the postpartum healing process, though not induce labor itself.

But “natural” should never be confused for “harmless.” Unlike medications or vaccines, herbal supplements and essential oils aren’t regulated by the Food and Drug Administration and don’t have to prove they’re safe or effective to be sold in the United States. Some herbs marketed to pregnant women, like cohosh, have been linked to serious pregnancy complications, including fetal heart failure. Given there’s currently no strong scientific evidence that herbal supplements or essential oils work to induce labor, it’s important to talk to your doctor or midwife before trying any.

BUMPY CAR RIDES

Hitting every pothole in Orlando might sound like a good way to work your baby’s head down to the cervix, but there’s nothing in research to really back it up. Your baby is well-cushioned on all sides. What feels like a ton of jostling to you is more like soft swaying inside your beautiful belly.

That said, too many strong or sudden jolts could be dangerous to both you and your baby, especially if you have certain medical conditions. Cruising along Central Florida roads is probably fine, but go a little easy on the speed bumps and steer clear of Space Mountain.