After forty or forty-two full weeks of pregnancy, you may want help your baby a little bit and induce your labor. This is why some selected methods can be used to encourage the labor to begin or help to get stronger contractions to accelerate the delivery. Your OB or midwife can help induce labor.

Today, one out of every five births in the United States is induced by pharmaceutical drugs. This can be a dangerous bet as many of these drugs can have dangerous side effects that could harm you and your baby. Luckily natural, holistic, safe methods can be used so you both will be safe and healthy.

Modern common practice and its risks

These days, induced labor with drugs and chemicals has unfortunately developed into a very common practice. Labor can be induced as early as 37 weeks of pregnancy and at this stage it is generally done using pharmaceutical drugs.

Using drugs should really be a last resort choice at it can create unexpected and dangerous results. Labor induction with drugs should only be considered when all other natural options did not work.

Acupressure to induce labor is a better choice

Maternity acupressure has been used by for centuries in many cultures. Some ancient texts show it has been used as far as 5000 years ago. Because we have a Western society relying so much on drugs, acupressure to induce labor is just beginning to be recognized as a better alternative method in the past decade.

The method of using acupressure gives you the option to avoid the possible dangers associated with many of the drugs commonly used today.

How does it work?

Maternity acupressure relies on the use of gentle pressure applied to pressure points on your body. These are a much safer approach than acupuncture as they are not invasive and do not cause any pain.

There are 3 main maternity acupressure points used to induce labor:

  • Hoku: This point is located on your hand between your index and your thumb. This point will help induce labor and reduce pain during your contraction.
  • Spleen 6: This point is located just above the ankle and will usually be rubbed for about one minute
  • Bladder 32: This point is half way between the end of your spine and your buttocks. It can be a little harder than the other two to find.

These pressure points are easily triggered by you or a partner. My recommendation: enroll your husband and just relax…

To find out more about how to massage these points and how to use acupressure to induce labor in general, provide labor pain relief and help in any stage during labor, visit this great maternity acupressure website or click on the image below.

Acupressure To Induce Labor