Natural Ways to Induce Labor - Maternity Acupressure

Natural ways to induce labor can be helpful when you have passed your estimated due date. The last days of your pregnancy can be a very anxious time, just waiting until you go into labor and delivery. However, once you are “over due”, not only the wait can make you anxious, but also your doctor, if he or she starts to talk about medical labor induction.

If you want to avoid being medically induced, you probably are eager to try any natural labor inducing remedy. Yet, no matter how impatient or desperate you may be, it is essential not to just rush out and try any remedy. Sometimes, well meaning people may give false advice and you might end up trying something that is potentially harmful when all you wanted to induce labor naturally. A great example of this is natural herbs, either in tablet or a tincture form. Many people suggest taking herbs for self inducing labor, however without knowing the risks or the exact amount to take. Taking herbs in an attempt to induce labor but without good knowledge of what you are doing may cause more harm than good. 

Therefore, when it comes to considering whether you should induce your labor naturally or choose labor inducing medications, it’s your advantage to educate your self. There are some rare pre-existing medical conditions that could require medical induction in a hospital under a strict control. It’s, however, important to carefully consider the potential risks, as compared to the benefits, that medical labor inducing drugs may have to the mother or the baby. There are many natural ways to induce labor and they could help you to avoid the medical labor induction.

First, you should realize that many natural methods for inducing labor are powerful, when used appropriately. Therefore, they should never be used before you are full term, and should not be attempted without agreement from your midwife or obstetrician. Secondly, some natural labor inducing remedies may not be as safe as commonly thought. In fact, just because a medicine or remedy is “all natural” doesn’t mean that it is without harm, risk, or side effects. Shortly, natural doesn’t always mean safe. However, some methods, such as maternity acupressure, have actually been proven to be safe by modern science and have no side effects. 

When you are past 40 weeks pregnant and might need to induce labor, some natural methods have far less risks when compared to labor inducing medication. Safe ways to induce labor naturally include maternity acupressure, walking (when are in condition that you can walk), sexual intercourse (when your membranes have not ruptured), and gentle breast stimulation. These methods help to start labor through different mechanisms.

Maternity acupressure might be the most studied method regarding how effective and safe it is. A vast number of midwives and doulas use acupressure for pregnancy and labor because of its benefits and also because it has been proven to be safe for the mother and the baby. Read more about maternity acupressure…