We all know the classic old wives' tales for inducing labour when you're overdue and completely over it.
Eating curry (the spicier the better), having sex (even though it's the last thing you probably feel like doing), and going for long walks are just some of the tried and tested techniques pregnant women employ to coax bub out of the womb. (And that's before we start talking nipple stimulation ...)
What if the answer, however, is in a simple - and delicious - salad? The owners of the Californian Caioti Pizza Café certainly believe it is.
According to BuzzFeed Bring Me, "The Salad" has been inducing pregnant mamas' labours for 28 years, becoming something of an urban legend and a "rite of passage" for locals.
Cafe owner Carrie Ladou told Bring Me that the cafe serves the special dish to "five to 20 pregnant ladies a day".
And it's sold to plenty of expectant fathers, too. "We have lots of tired looking men come in and get it to go," she added.
While the cafe can't guarantee it's the salad bringing on those contractions, the proof is in the plaque: a blackboard adorned with the names of "Salad Babies", little ones who entered the world after their mum tried the renowned dish.
Or it at least gives mums-to-be some motivation to give it a try ...
So what exactly are the ingredients? And can we try this at home?
Well, the salad itself is pretty simple - romaine lettuce, watercress, walnuts and Gorgonzola cheese. But it's the special balsamic vinaigrette called 'Maternity Salad Dressing' - the ingredients of which are top secret - that many speculate is behind the birth-inducing magic powers.
The eatery does admit that the dressing contains a mixture of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, sun-dried tomatoes, basil and other herbs and seasonings, but that's as far as they'll go. In fact, the ingredients are so top secret, kitchen staff are even required to sign confidentiality clauses.
Whatever the special ingredient is, some women are so keen for their babies to evict the womb that they take the dressing in shots.
Hopeful diners can also sign the special "Salad Book" before leaving (and heading home to pack their hospital bags just in case in works!).
"We've never claimed that 'The Salad' actually induces labour," said Ms Ladou. "But as my husband (its creator) used to say ... it helps."
And look, if you're overdue and out of options, it might be a salad worth making friends with.
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