Posts Tagged ‘Birth’

Natural Way to Induce Labor: Let Acupuncture do the Work!

Monday, September 7th, 2009

Labor Induction:

All of us who have had children know the fear of the threat of being induced into labor.  When labor induction happens, it usually starts out as having your water break too early, there are no signs of labor and the pressure from family, friends and the medical team begins to rise almost immediately.  In the past a mother was given only about 24 hours to start labor before the hospital began talking about having a cesarean section, these days with IV antibiotics and close monitoring, some hospitals are allowing more time.

What’s the problem?

The reason that everyone gets worried when the water breaks is because the amniotic sack that hold the baby is also its protection from the outside world.  The second that barrier breaks, the baby is vulnerable to infections.  Having the mother stay hydrated and active can help keep the amniotic fluid washing over the baby, but the real answer is to simply get things moving and have the young one out and nursing and grasping life with both hands!

Pregnancy and Labor (Photo by Mujitra)

Pregnancy and Labor (Photo by Mujitra)

A nervous couple can get many suggestions from all over, castor oil, enemas, stair walking and the like are all indicated to start labor.  Sometimes these work, and sometimes they do not. Acupuncture has shown to be effective to soften the body and get things ready for labor to begin.  During a treatment, the mother will feel more contractions, an active baby and begin to feel her cervix dilate.

Common Medical Treatments:

Common ways for the hospital and medical team to address this problem might be:

  • IV fluids to keep mom hydrated.
  • Antibiotic IV to make sure infections do not set in.
  • Pitocin, a drug to incude contractions.
  • Prostaglandin gels to dilate the cervix.

These treatments can interfere with what is usually a very healthy process, and having labor induced with pitocin by most accounts is much more painful, resulting in the far too usual cascade of:

Pitocin –> Pain medications —> C-Section

Diagnosis and Treatment with Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture:

Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture can help couples get labor moving along through the use of herbs and acupuncture.  Herbal formulas can help the body get the cascade of hormones going and bring on regular contractions and dilation.  Acupuncture can help the body get regular contractions coming on.

Common points used:

These points will respond best with acupuncture, but can be done with rubbing / acupressure.

Large Intestine 4 - This point can be found on the top of your hand in the webbing between your thumb and index finger. Press on an angle underneath the bone that connects with the index finger. To stimulate contractions, rub the point. This point can be used for  pain relief with steady pressure during contractions.

Spleen 6 – On the inside of the ankle, trace up four of mother’s finger widths above the ankle bone. Rub for about 1 minute. This point can help to bring contractions, assist in pain relif and help to dilate the cervix.

Bladder 32 – This point is halfway between the dimple in the buttocks and the spine. You can find it by tracing up one of the mother’s finger width’s above the top of the buttocks crease. You should feel a small depression where the point lies.  This point is good for bringing on contractions as well as helping with pain relief.

Duyin – On the plantar side of the 2nd toe, at the midpoint of the stria of distal toe knuckle. This point can help with difficult labor.

Research – Articles – More information:

This article is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any illness and any methods described should be used under the care of a licensed practitioner.

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