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