| Inducing labor to bring forth the birth of a | | | | acupressure points help to get the baby to |
| baby has become a common event in Western | | | | engage better, if he hasn't descended well. |
| hospitals. Traditional Western medication | | | | |
| uses pharmaceuticals to induce labor, but | | | | A recent study tested labor acupressure on a |
| there is an alternative to this risky | | | | group of women who were near or past their |
| approach. Labor acupressure is a holistic | | | | due date, and used a control group of women |
| method that has become very popular among | | | | in similar condition. (Complement Ther Med. |
| pregnant women and labor care professionals. | | | | 2005) The pregnant women in the control group |
| This is because acupressure for labor | | | | were not given acupressure treament. As the |
| provides a safe and natural alternative to | | | | result of acupressure treatment, women in the |
| induce labor, without the risks of | | | | acupressure group went into labor naturally, |
| pharmaceuticals. | | | | significantly more often than the women in |
| | | | the control group not using any acupressure |
| Acupressure for labor is a natural method | | | | techniques. |
| that rapidly increasing group of labor care | | | | |
| professionals are using and recommending to | | | | The management of labor pain and the |
| pregnant mothers, especially those who are | | | | prevention of suffering are major concerns of |
| threatened by medical labor induction. This | | | | many labor care professionals and expectant |
| is because acupressure for labor provides a | | | | mothers. As the risks of pain medications |
| safe and natural alternative to induce labor, | | | | during labor are now known better, the |
| without the risks of medication. | | | | drug-free approaches for controlling labor |
| | | | pains are becoming more common among labor |
| One of the most common methods used in | | | | care professionals and pregnant mothers. |
| hospitals, to artificially stimulate the | | | | |
| labor to start, is to administer a drug known | | | | Stimulation of specific acupressure points |
| as Pitocin. It may or may not work within the | | | | for pain relief has been shown to increase |
| next two days. When it works, Pitocin usually | | | | the release of endorphins which are extremely |
| produces a very strong reaction and many | | | | effective natural painkillers that also |
| experience strong labor pains. The effects | | | | improve the body's performance and promote |
| that the pharmaceuticals might have on the | | | | positive feelings. A recent study revealed |
| unborn baby are not fully understood. There | | | | that treatment of one single pain relieving |
| is also a good chance of some side effects | | | | pressure point remarkably reduced labor |
| that range from nausea and vomiting to more | | | | pains, according to the ratings that birthing |
| severe conditions, which usually lead to a | | | | mothers gave during their labor and delivery |
| cesarean section. All in all, pharmaceutical | | | | (J Altern Complement Med. 2004). |
| labor induction does not appear to be the | | | | |
| best way to get labor and delivery started. | | | | Additionally, the study showed that the total |
| | | | labor time (measured from 3 cm dilatation to |
| The natural and holistic approach of | | | | delivery) was, surprisingly, much shorter in |
| acupressure in bringing on the labor and | | | | the acupressure group than in the control |
| delivery has absolutely no adverse effect on | | | | group not using acupressure for labor. |
| the baby as no pharmaceuticals are being | | | | |
| introduced into the body. It's safe for the | | | | Mothers who have used acupressure during |
| mother, as well, because it only helps your | | | | labor have been incredibly satisfied with the |
| body to function better. The worse possible | | | | method. They felt that it was very helpful in |
| side effect is a slight chance of minimal | | | | keeping the control of their own labor and |
| soreness at the site of pressure point | | | | delivery. They found that labor acupressure |
| stimulation after repeated treatments. | | | | helped their cervix to dilate, encouraged the |
| | | | contractions, and managed the labor pains, |
| Acupressure encourages the labor to start by | | | | without the fear that the labor would slow |
| helping the cervix to ripen and dilate, and | | | | down. |
| stimulating the contractions. Some | | | | |