I am going to see a client in a few minutes who is almost 41 weeks. Her doctor is going to start talking about induction tomorrow, so she wanted to try a more natural technique. I am going to be doing some acupressure on her, and I thought I would share with you a few good acupressure points to induce labor and get the baby in a good position.
One of the best points is called Spleen 6, and it is located on your inner leg about 4 finger widths above the ankle bone. You can stimulate it by rubbing it and pushing inwards and upwards.
Another great point is Gall Bladder 21, and is located on your traps (shoulders). To find it, you can find the middle point in between the prominent bone sticking out when you let your head fall all the way forward, and the highest point of your shoulder bone. Go halfway in between these two bones and you've found it. It should feel tender when pushed on. You can massage this point with your fingers, have someone else do it, and have them use elbows if their fingers get tired.
Lastly, there is a point on your hand where the bones of your index finger and thumb meet. This is called Liver 14, and it is great for inducing labor and also easing pain. Because it is good for easing pain you can continue to use this one throughout labor. I always use this when I have a headache! :)
You can stimulate one or two of these points for 10 minutes at a time and then wait an hour or two in between. If you start feeling contractions, stop and observe them to note their intensity and frequency. If they are in a good pattern, stop the acupressure and let your body progress on its own.
To see a set of three great youtube videos on these three points and more, go here.
P.S. - It's always a good idea to run this and any other natural induction method by your doctor or midwife.
Happy Acupressuring! Have a beautiful day!
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