Acupressure is an ancient Chinese technique that uses various pressure points in the body to release the blocked pathways of healing life energies. It is now widely accepted for its many uses especially in treating age related disorders and women’s medical conditions. It is beneficial for naturally inducing labor as it helps in getting the baby to naturally descend by dilating the cervix and regularizing the contractions. In fact acupressure makes sure that the child birth is successful and minimizes the risk for any complications.
With acupressure, you do not have to resort to any drugs or medication. The pain is naturally lessened and the labor becomes relatively stress free. It also shortens the delivery time. It has been observed that women who receive acupressure at the time of delivery have shorter delivery time than the average woman.
Acupressure helps in strengthening contractions and also maintains better dilation. It also prevents any feelings of nausea. With acupressure, the chances of having a normal delivery increase significantly. In fact, if the baby has turned posterior, acupressure can help turn it so that the delivery is normal.
There are three main pressure points in our body to induce labor. The first point is on the ankle, at the inner side of it, a little above the bone of the ankle. The second pressure point is slightly above the buttocks and the third one is on the skin between the thumb and the index finger.
These are delicate pressure points and should be used only after a lot of practice. Practice these pressure points thoroughly on another person before you use them on yourself. Use only the first two fingers to exert pressure on the first point. For the second pressure point, apply direct pressure on the pressure point using only your thumbs. You can also use your thumbs in circular motion to exert the pressure. To apply pressure on the third point, use the index finger and the thumb of the same hand. When you apply pressure on the three points, the points will begin to feel sore. The points might also go numb but not before a feeling of warmth emanates from the points and engulfs you. Acupressure is not directly given to the pregnant woman, a little bit of preparation needs to be made. Before you begin applying pressure, help the pregnant woman take a warm bath. Help her to relax by making her lie down on her side. Prop her up on soft pillows to allow better circulation throughout the body and induce relaxation.