Can You Use the Miles Circuit to Induce Labor?

For the first 37 weeks of each of my three pregnancies, I was happy to let baby incubate for as long as they wanted to, telling people they’ll “come when they’re ready” and I was “trusting my body.” But by week 38—when I couldn’t sleep, my belly felt like a bowling ball and Braxton Hicks contractions were driving me crazy, I would start scouring the internet for natural ways to induce labor and get. baby. out. already.

Did anything work? Not really, because here’s the cold, hard truth: Baby will come out when they’re ready, and there isn’t much you can do to hurry the process along—short of being induced in the hospital, of course.

However, that hasn’t stopped expectant moms all over social media from trying something called the Miles Circuit, a series of movements that allegedly encourage spontaneous labor by getting baby into a more labor-friendly position. Pregnancy fitness influencers on TikTok, like @momdaystudio and @dr.maehughes, have posted about using the Miles Circuit in the last weeks of pregnancy.

Here’s the long and short of it: The Miles Circuit won’t actually help induce labor—but it can be helpful in moving baby into the right position. Ahead, learn about the method’s safety and benefits, plus other ways to potentially hurry things along.

Key Takeaways

• The Miles Circuit is a series of three positions and movements designed to get baby into a good position before labor and help active labor progress smoothly.
• The Miles Circuit can’t actually induce labor, but moving baby into the right position may speed up the process and make labor less painful, reducing the need for interventions.
• The Miles Circuit is safe for most birthing parents to start doing at 37 weeks.

What is the Miles Circuit for Labor?

The Miles Circuit was invented by a certified doula and birth educator named Sharon Muza, after she and her colleague, Megan Miles, developed a series of movements designed to get baby into an optimal position for labor and delivery. This series of movements became known as the Miles Circuit.

Similar to the Spinning Babies philosophy that asserts that specific kinds of body work can nudge baby into a good birthing position, the goal of the Miles Circuit is to move baby into the Left Occiput Anterior (LOA) position. Often considered the best and safest fetal position, according to Cleveland Clinic, LOA means baby is head down and facing Mom’s spine, with the back of their head tilted more to Mom’s left side.

Getting into this position may encourage baby to “give the signal” that they’re ready to be born and for labor to start, says Julia Dickinson, RN, CNM, director of midwifery at Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

This position can also make your labor less painful, make your contractions more efficient and reduce your risk for C-section, notes Tania Lopez, CNM, certified nurse-midwife at Pediatrix Medical Group in Fort Worth, Texas.

“When baby’s head is turned in a face-up position or is flexed to the side instead of straight down, labor can be prolonged, more painful or stop progressing altogether,” Lopez explains.

Does the Miles Circuit Work for Inducing Labor?

The Miles Circuit can’t actually induce labor if your body isn’t ready yet. That’s not the goal, and the idea that it can trigger labor is a myth, says Suzzie Vehrs, a certified doula, childbirth educator and founder of She Births Bravely.

“Labor officially starts when baby releases a protein from their lungs signaling that they’re ready to breathe outside your womb, which then triggers a dance of many other hormones and changes within your body that create labor,” Vehrs explains.

Although your body can start laboring regardless of the position baby’s in, the Miles Circuit can help baby engage, or move down, into your pelvis, an advantageous position for them to be in when labor begins. The Miles Circuit is also helpful during active labor, Vehrs says, especially if baby’s in a posterior position and you’re experiencing back labor. Basically, the movements can encourage baby to flip around, alleviating some of the pain.

While the Miles Circuit isn’t officially recommended for flipping or rotating a baby that’s in a transverse (side-lying) or breech (upside-down) position, a few moms credit it with helping them get stubborn babies into the LOA at the end of their pregnancies. Instagram user Courtney Lopez Gervais says a combination of the Miles Circuit and other techniques helped her transverse baby get into position at 37 weeks, while Instagram user Alexandra MacKillop says she believes the Circuit played a part in getting her breech baby to flip head-down before delivery.

When Can You Start Doing the Miles Circuit to Induce Labor?

Although many expectant moms start the Miles Circuit when they’re over 40 weeks pregnant and desperately trying to go into labor, it’s actually helpful to begin doing the movements and positions around 37 weeks, says Lori Antinozzi, MSN, CNM, certified nurse-midwife at Susquehanna Ob-Gyn & Nurse Midwifery of Advantia in Maryland.

Birthing professionals usually want baby to be in the LOA by 36 weeks, so if they’re still out of position at 37 weeks, it’s a good time to start making moves to nudge them along. If baby’s already in the LOA, you can still start using the Circuit at 37 weeks to encourage them to move down further into your pelvis.

How to Induce Labor With Miles Circuit Positions

Even though the Miles Circuit won’t evict a baby that isn’t ready to leave the womb yet, it still has benefits for labor and delivery. To do the Miles Circuit, there are three steps that need to be performed in a specific order, according to Sharon Muza:

• Get on your hands and knees and lie with your chest on the floor, your knees wide open and your hips up in the air.
• Lie on one side with your upper leg raised as comfortably high as possible with the support of pillows.
• Be active by either lunging or curb walking (walking with one foot on the curb and the other on the street or sidewalk).

Each step is meant to be performed for 30 minutes each, totaling 90 minutes for the whole circuit. Some women can’t jump right into doing all three movements for 30 minutes; you may need to start slowly, trying each for 5 to 10 minutes, then work your way up to 30.

How Long Does It Take for Labor to Start After Using the Miles Circuit?

Because the Miles Circuit won’t actually induce labor, there’s no timeline here. You could go into labor six hours or six days after doing the circuit. It could also have no effect at all on your labor; it’s not a guarantee that baby will get into position or start sending your body labor signals.

Who Should Not Try the Miles Circuit?

Antinozzi says the Miles Circuit is generally safe for any pregnant woman to do after 37 weeks, but that all pregnancy exercises should be discussed with your healthcare provider. If you have a high-risk pregnancy or a medical condition like gestational diabetes, it’s especially important to talk with your provider before trying the Circuit.

More Tips to Induce Labor Naturally

Unfortunately, there’s no truly “natural” way to start labor, says Vehrs: There are so many factors that go into your body and baby being ready, it’s pretty hard to DIY the process. What’s more, some of the non-medicated methods of inducing labor, like drinking red raspberry leaf tea or consuming castor oil, are unproven (or even potentially dangerous).

That said, there are a couple of ways to nudge yourself in a labor-friendly direction that are generally considered safe—although we always recommend checking with your healthcare provider first.

• Eating dates. Some evidence suggests eating dates in pregnancy can help ripen your cervix, which may make delivery go more smoothly.
• Curb walking. The third step in the Miles Circuit, curb walking (or using a step stool or flight of stairs, if you can’t go outside) may help move labor along on its own when you’re getting close to your due date.
• Gentle exercise. There are some labor-activating exercises and yoga poses that can help you relax your muscles, encourage baby to get into position, open up your hips and make some extra room in your pelvis—all of which might help you get to the labor and delivery unit a little faster.

To Sum It Up

If you can’t wait to get baby out, the Miles Circuit can potentially help shorten labor and reduce pain. While it won’t induce labor on its own, it can get baby into a good position for labor—making everything go that much smoother in preparation for baby’s arrival.

Please note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such. You should always consult with a qualified physician or health professional about your specific circumstances.