Natural Ways for Inducing Labor

by Lena Leino

Many expectant mothers start to look for ways to induce their labor once they have reached their 40th week of gestation. At some point, your doctor may suggest you consider a medical induction method. Before taking chemicals to start your labor, a better alternative may be a natural labor inducing method. When choosing which technique to use, keep in mind that you want it to be safe, effective, and gentle to both the mother and the unborn child. One of the best ways to start contractions is Maternity Acupressure.

When it comes to inducing labor, there are many old-wives tales and folk remedies that people will recommend, however not all of these methods are safe, neither are they all effective. You should consult with your physician before trying any labor inducing method; just because someone suggested it, that doesn't mean it is safe or effective. The truth is, although the method is effective, it may not be safe to the health of the mother or child. Always check with you physician prior to trying any labor inducing method.

Blue or Black Cohosh is a commonly suggested way to induce labor. However, there is scientific proof to show that Blue and Black Cohosh increases the risk of bleeding and may have many potential consequences for those who use it. Unless your health care provider advises you to use these herbs and monitors your use, you should avoid using them. Maternity Acupressure is a much better and safer alternative. It does work, and will not increase your risk of excessive bleeding.

Maternity Acupressure is a great alternative to these methods since it doesn't include negative side effects or pose potential harm to the unborn baby. Acupressure for labor is also simple to perform, and it isn't hard to have your partner perform acupressure. Your partner simply applies pressure to sensitive pressure points with his or her thumbs. This is an ideal treatment that can be used in the comfort and privacy of your own home and doesn't require any additional equipment, supplements, or devices.

In addition, acupressure during childbirth has been shown to help reduce the pain and duration of labor significantly. Unlike other remedies, this can be used through all three stages of childbirth, including delivery. The father of the baby can assist greatly throughout the labor and delivery by applying Maternity Acupressure techniques to specific locations. Not only will the mother benefit by this natural means of inducing labor, but she will also enjoy great relaxation as well.

One of the best benefits of using Maternity Acupressure to induce labor is the fact that it is so simple to do. The technique is so easy to learn and your childbirth partner can do it; by giving pressure to acupressure spots, your partner can help you through labor. It is a simple, easy and effective method. Another great aspect of this method is that acupressure won't hyper stimulate your body. The body will only receive as much as is needed. For couples that are seeking for a normal childbirth and a way for the father to be actively involved in to the birth of his baby, Maternity Acupressure is an invaluable tool.


About the Author:

Discover why Maternity Acupressure is becoming more popular for expectance mothers as well as childbirth professionals. This natural method for inducing labor is safe for the mother and unborn child. Not only will Maternity Acupressure effectively induce labor, it will help relieve that pain associated with childbirth. The techniques to the method are revealed at http://www.MaternityAcupressure.com.

Simple Technique Helps to Avoid C-Section

Simple Technique Facilitates Natural Childbirth by Asha Ramakrishna 2006-12-07

As published in Boston Metro newspaper, Birthing Newsletter & CNE Magazine

Fear is one of the top reasons normal, healthy pregnancies do not end as natural childbirth. The subconscious mind is responsible for 80% of our actions. Therefore if we have underlying fears about childbirth, we are likely to manifest in physical form such fears. I have discovered a few techniques that dig deep into our subconscious and allow women to have the childbirth experiences they desire.

We don't talk about it in our culture, but pregnancy can be a very uncertain time, and women are acknowledged for the courage that it takes to be a vessel of creation. We walk the line between Life and Death and this dance is seldom revered and respected.

One is Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), which is a meridian-based acupressure system (similar to acupuncture) that is believed to release endorphins. This facilitates profound sense of peace after a self-session, while releasing limiting emotions/beliefs.

Most pregnant women feel some spectrum of anxiety in anticipation of motherhood or a fear of giving birth. Our survivalist awareness is peaked during pregnancy and external influence reinforces our attention to tragedy and horror birth stories. Studies have found that fear is directly correlated to stalling progress of dilation in labor. Evolution ensures that birth happens in a safe environment, so when Mom's concerns are not addressed, unnecessary interventions can culminate in an unwanted Caesarian surgery.

These fears and anxieties are normal, but they do not have to control your pregnancy or birth outcome. EFT can help you release, or at least quiet, those intense emotions so that you can be clear on your vision of birth, and ultimately experience it.

So, let's start releasing....

Establish set up phrase using the limiting emotion or belief that you wish to release: "Even though I feel _______(belief/emotion), I deeply and completely love and accept myself."

Tap on the Karate Chop (tender area on the outside of your hand), as you verbalize set-up phrase three times Continue down each EFT point verbalizing the a short reminder phrase "This fear of ________(belief/ emotion)". End with the top of the head. Take a deep breath. Identify any thought or emotion which arises. Use this thought/ emotion to create second set up phrase and continue the tapping cycle. Repeat cycles until you feel calm and peaceful. I would recommend at least two rounds. End with a positive, empowering round to anchor your desired belief or emotion. "Even though (past fear), and I now choose to (what you desire)". Repeat this phrase as you tap on each of the meridian points, ending with the top of the head and a deep breath. I coached one mom who was apprehensive about her third birth, although she had two past natural births. As she recounted her past birth, she said her second birth "was so fast and almost violent". We did several rounds of tapping on this subject. By the end of our session, she said, " I know you have said that childbirth can be pleasurable, but not until this point did I really believe it to be a possibility!" She had a beautiful water birth two months later, and had herself and her vision to thank for the willingness to open to a new gentle possibility.

Using EFT not only will help you feel peace, but the resonance of peace travels to your baby as well. Enjoy "Tapping"!


About the Author:

Asha Ramakrishna is a Spiritual Midwife, Reiki for Painless Childbirth ™ facilitator, Feng Shui Consultant, Spiritual Counselor, Strategic Planner, and Molecular biologist.

Informative Video On Acupressure and Acupuncture

A nice explaination about the difference between acupuncture and acupressure:

Ways to Induce Labor Naturally Are Worth Considering

by Lena Leino

When it comes to considering whether you should induce your labor naturally or choose medications you need to be informed. There are some rare pre-existing medical conditions that could require medical induction in a highly controlled environment. It is, however, important to carefully consider the potential risks, as compared to the benefits, that labor induction may have to the mother or the baby. There are many natural methods for encouraging the labor to start naturally and their benefits far outweigh the seriousness of risks that are involved with medical induction.

First, you should realize that natural methods for inducing labor work. Therefore, they should never be used during the early trimesters of your pregnancy, and should not be attempted without the approval of your midwife,. Although natural labor methods are powerful, when used appropriately, they have less side effects then medication. Never use natural induction methods during the early months of pregnancy because they could lead to miscarriage.

When you are past 40 weeks pregnant and need to induce labor, natural methods have far less risks when compared to medication. Natural labor inducing methods include acupressure, walking, sexual intercourse, herbs, stripping the membranes, and nipple stimulation. These methods help to start labor through different mechanisms; for example nipple stimulation help increase natural hormones that stimulate labor, such as Oxytocin and Prostaglandins.

Medications used to stimulate labor are synthetic forms of the naturally occurring hormones, Oxytocin and Prostaglandin The brand name form of Oxytocin is Pitocin and the brand name forms of Prostaglandin include Cervidil and Prostin E2. These medications are associated with serious side effects and risks.

First, Pitocin is known for causing uterine contractions that are extremely intense, painful, and last for a long duration. Some other side effects associated with Pitocin include vomiting, nausea, cramping, and stomach pain. More serious side effects have also been reported. These serious side effects and risks include an irregular heartbeat in the mother, feeling lightheaded or dizzy, swelling, headaches, blurred vision, and seizures. There is also a chance that after childbirth the mother may develop severe bleeding.

Unfortunately, Pitocin may also cause serious side effects in your newborn. These include irregular heartbeat, jaundice in the eyes and skin, bleeding in the eyes, and seizures. Notify your doctor immediately if you notice any of these side effects in your child.

Cervidil and Prostin E2 are brand names for the drug, Dinoprostone. Synthetic forms of Prostaglandins, such as these, also have negative side effects. These come in suppository form and when inserted, you must lay down for at least two hours to ensure that he medicine softens the cervix. Sometimes it is necessary to repeat the procedure for up to two days.

Both Cervidil and Prostin E2 have been shown to cause nausea and vomiting. Common side effects include lightheadedness, dizziness, fever and chills. Some women may develop diarrhea and a fever as well. More serious side effects include trouble or difficulty breathing and a feeling of tightness in the chest. There are many conditions that may occur in the woman that will attribute to negative and adverse reactions, some of these include heart disease, kidney and pelvic infections, and Diabetes.

If you or your doctors are considering medical labor induction, you need to be aware of the associated risks and negative reactions of these pharmaceuticals. One of the worst, and definitely the most disheartening, side effect of medical labor induction is that it could still take days for labor to begin. In some cases it does not even work. Another choice over medication, is using a natural method to induce labor. Most of these methods do not come with the negative side effects.


About the Author

Learn ways to start labor naturally without the side effects or risks of medical induction. Maternity Acupressure techniques not only help induce labor, it helps the labor progress naturally. Visit http://www.MaternityAcupressure.com to learn more.

Acupuncture and Pregnancy video

Acupuncture can help aid women before and during childbirth:

Did You Know This about How to Start Labor Naturally?

by Lena Leino

After nine months of pregnancy, it is natural to start feeling anxious as the end draws near. But if it is past the anticipated due date, these feelings may grow stronger. Some feel the waiting is unbearable and they will listen to anyone's suggestion on ways to start labor naturally. No matter how uncomfortable or uneasy you may be feeling, you don't want to try just anything; you want to make sure it will be safe. Unfortunately, many old wives tales can actually be harmful so it is important to consider all factors when trying to induce labor.

A great example of this is natural herbs, rather in tablet or a tincture form. Using herbs is a common way to start labor, but if you don't understand the risks, you may be putting yourself and child in harms way. In fact, just because a medicine or remedy is "all natural" doesn't mean that it is without harm, risk, or side effects. Great care and caution should be used whenever anyone attempts to start labor naturally.

Black and Blue Cohosh are two widely used herbs used to start labor naturally. However, what you may not be aware of is that Black Cohosh is commonly associated with bleeding. In fact, many women who have used Black Cohosh to induce labor naturally have had so much bleeding during labor that they were required to have a blood transfusion. This can be dangerous when caesarean section becomes necessary and is not a wise idea for women who are struggling with anemia or low iron counts. Before using Blue or Black Cohosh or other herbs to induce labor, always consult with your healthcare provider.

Nipple stimulation is another example of a natural method to induce labor. A natural labor inducer, oxytocin, is produced by the body during nipple stimulation. This is usually effective, but could cause very sore nipples and sometimes over-stimulate the uterus and lead into very painful labor contractions.

Instead, if you are looking for natural remedies to start labor, you should make sure that they have very little or no side effects. A perfect example is walking. Brisk walking has helped many women who are past their due date to bring on labor naturally. Walking puts pressure on the cervix; the more you walk the more pressure is exhibited. As you continue walking, your cervix will begin to efface and that is the first step of labor. The longer you walk, the more you'll begin to dilate. Labor will soon start and before you know it, your baby will be in your arms.

There is one more method that has been proven to be very safe and effective at stimulating labor and inducing childbirth naturally, and that is maternity acupressure. Not only has acupressure been studied, and shown effective, it is also relaxing. This makes acupressure one of the best and most effective methods available for starting labor naturally.


About the Author

About the author: Dr. Lena Leino is a maternity acupressure specialist. She reveals how to use maternity acupressure method to start labor naturally and avoid costly medical induction. Contrary to many other labor induction remedies, acupressure is a simple hands-on technique that even an inexperienced person can use in a safe and effective way. Visit http://www.MaternityAcupressure.com to discover more.