| | | | | delivery time. Women have noticed up to a two hour |
| When a woman’s pregnancy is overdue or the | | | | shorter delivery time than the average woman not |
| mother is facing the threat of being medically induced, | | | | using labor acupressure. |
| using maternity accupressure can help induce your | | | | Anyone can safely use these techniques at home or |
| labor naturally. The rate of women being induced has | | | | in a hospital to start labor naturally. All you need is |
| risen substantially in the last decade. Many women | | | | some basic instructions on how and where to apply |
| want a more natural way to bring on their labor. | | | | the techniques. Many women have their partners be |
| Acupressure has been shown to be very successful | | | | the supporting person to apply the acupressure. It helps |
| in giving relief from labor pains as well as granting | | | | the partner to feel more involved in the birth and to |
| stress relief. Maternity acupressure will not slow the | | | | contribute to the well being of the mother and child. It |
| labor down, in fact it can help to strengthen the | | | | also helps the mother to have someone she trusts |
| contractions to advance the birthing faster. | | | | and knows to be there for her. Many midwives and |
| This is a very simple hands-on technique. It uses | | | | doulas are beginning to use maternity and labor |
| fingers, thumbs, and knuckles unlike needles, which are | | | | acupressure on their patients to help them have a |
| used in acupuncture. The technique involves the use of | | | | safer, shorter and more natural delivery. Acupressure |
| pressure onto specific, sensitive pressure points on the | | | | is being performed in home deliveries as well as |
| body called acupressure points. These points can be | | | | deliveries that are performed at a hospital or birthing |
| found on the shoulders, hands, back, legs and feet. | | | | center. |
| Stimulating these points can naturally bring on labor, | | | | There are so many benefits to maternity acupressure. |
| because they can be used in such a way you have to | | | | It’s simple and easy to learn and apply and can be |
| be careful about stimulating these points before a | | | | performed in the comfort of your own home. There |
| woman is ready to begin labor. Maternity acupressure | | | | are no side effects to either mother or baby. It helps |
| can be used during childbirth, to strengthen contractions | | | | with the pain and anxiety of labor and there are no |
| and help the cervix to dilate. It’s also useful in turning | | | | artificial drugs or needles being used. With so many |
| a posterior faced baby and also helping the baby | | | | benefits, it’s a wonder that more women who |
| descend into the birth canal. You can also gain pain | | | | want to induce their labor don’t use it. Maybe |
| relief, relaxation and a feeling of calmness during labor | | | | someday this will be the preferred method of inducing |
| by using some of the pressure points. Research | | | | labor. |
| shows that maternity acupressure drastically shortens | | | | |