Using Acupressure To Induce Labor

Acupressure is based on the same medical philosophy as acupuncture. It involves the application of pressure onto specific, sensitive points along the human body. Acupressure uses fingers and thumbs, as opposed to needles in acupuncture, to stimulate specific acupressure points.

Encouraging your labor to start is a very tempting option, especially if you are trying to endure the last leg of your pregnancy and already past your due date. There are several natural and herbal remedies for inducing labor naturally. Yet, it is good for you to know that some of the natural and herbal remedies can come with risks. In fact, Blue and Black Cohosh increases the risk of severe bleeding during labor and has been linked to cardiac problems in newborns.

Giving birth to a baby is such a fragile thing that you will want to ensure the safety of you and your baby. This is why using acupressure to induce labor is a favorite technique among pregnant women. Acupressure is incredibly soothing and has no side effects. Thus, acupressure is strongly recommendable than medical induction, or the many other “at-home” remedies, which are dominated with side effects.

Studies show that acupressure and the Japanese technique of “shiatsu” induce labor quite effectively. Actually, acupressure is one of the natural labor inducing remedies that has been scientifically shown to work effectively.

But how exactly does one use acupressure to induce labor? The Chinese would say that it balances the “yin,” “yang,” and “qi” of the woman’s “meridian system.” This vocabulary does not sound like it belongs to hard science, but there is more to it than meets the eye. When a pregnant woman receives acupressure, the baby descends and presses onto the cervix and, thus, gets into position for labor -- ripening and dilating the cervix and initiating contractions. Some other acupressure techniques directly encourage the womb to start efficient contractions.

Today, many midwives and doctors promote acupressure for inducing labor naturally by helping your body to work better. Many overdue women may find themselves going into labor 48 hours after a session of acupressure or acupuncture. Acupressure is more frequently used to speed up a slow or stalled labor.

By: Lena Leino

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Discover simple, safe and effective acupressure techniques that help you to induce your labor naturally at home and avoid the side-effects of medical induction. The best labor acupressure points are demonstrated step-by-step in a new guide "Easier, Shorter and Safer Birth" by Lena Leino. Visit Maternity Acupressure for more information.