If you are reading this because you have reached – and passed - your estimated delivery date (EDD), and been visiting your doctor who confirmed that your baby could be born "any day now" but that, unfortunately, you are not currently in labor, you are probably interested in natural ways to bring on your labor.
However, you should not blindly follow advice from anyone and everyone who is willing to give it.
One of the common methods to induce labor at home is taking herbal tablets or tinctures, such as Blue or Black Cohosh. People, who have heard, somewhere, that these medicinal herbs can be used for inducing labor naturally, quite commonly recommend these herbs. Unfortunately, many of these well wishing persons are not familiar with the cautions of medicinal herbs. We easily tend to think that taking natural herbs and plants could not possibly hurt us. However, think again, where do many of our medicines come from? Plants! Although many of these medicines are now produced synthetically, the chemical formulas are from the medicinal herbs.
If you are considering to use Black Cohosh in order to encourage your labor to start naturally, please note that this medicinal herb is known to be one that promotes bleeding. Midwives and doctors have seen several women bleed severely after the pregnant mother had induced her labor with this herb. Also, if a cesarean section is required, the need for blood transfusion from excessive blood loss becomes more likely. Note, also, that if you are anemic, you should not take Cohosh as it can worsen your condition. As a bottom line, if you are going to use any herbs to induce your labor naturally, use them cautiously and under supervision of an experienced herbalist.
Safer at-home methods to induce labor include nipple stimulation, which helps aid the body in releasing its own natural oxytocin. Another is walking, which keeps you upright and exerts downward pressure on the cervix, helping you toward cervical effacement and dilation. In addition, do not forget about simple relaxation! Anxiety increases the level of stress hormones that may delay your labor.
The above-mentioned methods to induce labor are among the most well-known, regardless - or maybe because – of their "old wives' tales" reputation. Acupressure, on the other hand, has been scientifically proven to be extremely helpful in inducing labor naturally when induction of labor is necessary. Due to an excellent success rate, safety and convenience of using maternity acupressure, it is quickly spreading among the labor care professionals. Maternity acupressure 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.
Maternity acupressure is merely locating the specific pressure points and pressing them with basic instructions, hence, you can safely use it at home. Indeed, many pregnancy and labor care professionals recommend pregnant mothers to use Maternity Acupressure in order to prepare their body for labor, help their cervix to dilate, and finally to encourage their labor to start naturally. It is recommended that pregnant mothers treat acupressure points that help to start labor naturally, in order to avoid medical labor induction and ensuring childbirth with minimum amount of medical interventions.
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Discover simple, safe and effective Maternity Acupressure techniques that help you to induce your labor naturally and avoid the side-effects of medical induction. Maternity Acupressure helps the cervix to dilate, strengthens contractions and more. Visit http://www.MaternityAcupressure.com for more information.
» left by Anonymous (1 year 181 days ago.)
I had never before heard that acupressure could be used to start labor naturally!Thanks - I am now 37 weeks pregnant and hopefully won't be late... Respond to this comment
» left by Lena Leino (1 year 181 days ago.)
Hi, You are welcome! I am happy that my article helped you! Maternity acupressure method has received plenty of very good feedback. Specific pressure points are helpful in encouraging the labor to start naturally, while others work wonders in giving relief from labor pains. I wish you and your baby all the best! Lena of Maternity Acupressure com Respond to this comment
» left by cassy from new york (1 year 27 days ago.)
Do you have to put a right amount of pressure to work or a certain period of time? I have been trying this method for almost a day now; the one in the webbing between the pointer and thumb fingers and it's not really working? Thank you for your answer. Respond to this comment
» left by Anonymous (1 year 20 days ago.)
Are you using one single acupressure point to induce your labor? Sometimes that could be enough, but sometimes it may not be the one that "kicks off " your labor. It's better to use a combination of acupressure poinst for labor. They have been described in a downloadable book called "Easier, Shorter and Safer Birth" which is about Maternity Acupressure method. Respond to this comment
» left by theresa from virginia, us (352 days 19 hours ago.)
i never heard of using acupressure to induce labor. im currently right on my due date and not dialated at all. my husband and i are in the navy and are stationed halfway around the world from eachother. he only has a specific amount of time to be here for when the baby is expected and neither one of us wants him to miss it. My main concern is that all the women in my family have been induced or have carried at least ten months. this is my second child and even on pitocin with my first my labor was 22 hours and they finally had to break my water just to get me dialated. im going to get the book tonight and start using it right away, but will it help with the known history of long pregnancies and long labor? Respond to this comment
» left by Leanna from Connecticut (226 days ago.)
I am currently 37 weeks pregnant, and I am soooo sick of being pregnant! I am so sore, and my back always hurts. I am just looking for a boost. I was wondering if acupressure can induce labor at 37 weeks.
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