Pregnancy can take its toll on a woman. By the time they reach their ninth month, pregnant women are exhausted; they have endured months of swollen feet, shortness of breath, and extreme fatigue. As the due date nears, they will do anything to wind it up and give birth to their child. Although there are many methods, remedies and even medicines that could be used to induce labor, Acupressure is revered above all of them; it comes without the risks of the other methods and it has no side effects.

Acupressure is an all natural method that may be used to induce labor in women who have passed their due dates, to reduce the pain associated with labor, or to help to speed up a labor that is progressing slowly.

Acupressure is similar to acupuncture, only acupressure uses the pressure of the fingers and thumbs as opposed to using needles. One of the best features of acupressure is that it is very effective at inducing labor in pregnant women, as well as reducing the pain often associated with labor.

Acupressure points such as “Adjoining Valley”, “Shoulder Well” and “Big and High” are associated with using Acupressure for labor.

In Adjoining Valley, the points used in acupressure will stimulate the large intestine meridian. First, locate the part of the hand between the thumb and forefinger. In the area known as webbing, press firmly. The correct area will feel tender. Apply pressure to the Adjoining Valley point is useful technique to get relief from labor pains too.

The Shoulder Well is another great acupressure point to use during labor. Apply pressure to the highest point on the shoulder muscle. To locate the area, use four fingers and measure from the joint of your shoulder, moving in towards your neck. This area will be very tender, and is also effective for managing pain during labor.

The Big and High point is located directly above the back of your heel. It’s located between the Achilles’ Tendon and your ankle. Apply pressure directly to this spot for the most benefits.

Be assured, labor will progress using these natural methods of inducing, but you will not have the risk of side effects or negative reactions. However, it is important to only use acupressure for inducing labor when you are due or past due and not during your earlier months of pregnancy.

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. If you notice any of these side effects in the baby, you must notify your doctor immediately.

The drug Dinoprostone is also known as Cervidil and Prostin E2. 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.

Nausea and vomiting are common adverse reactions to Cervidil and Prostin E2. 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. Many pre-existing medical conditions, such as heart disease, kidney and pelvic infections, and diabetes, may increase the occurrence of negative side effects.

Before you or your doctor consider medical induction, it is important that you are informed about the risks and side effects of the medications. 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.

When you conceive and become pregnant, your body begins to prepare for giving birth and, at the same time, it nurtures the fragile fetus growing in your womb. Full-term pregnancy is considered to last 38 or 40 weeks. When the length is calculated from the estimated day of fertilization, the pregnancy period is couple of weeks shorter than that calculated from the start of the last menstruation.

Every labor and delivery is different. How long the labor lasts and how fast or slow it progresses differs from woman to woman and from birth to birth. Some women experience very distinct signs of labor, while others do not.

There are several early symptoms that reveal that your labor is about to start and your baby is going to be born. Among these early labor symptoms are loose bowel movements. The intestine commonly empties just before labor starts. A quick decrease in the level of hormone progesterone is being considered for causing this effect. Another early sign of labor is a feeling of shivering or trembling that you might experience without any sensation of cold or weakness. Passing blood tinged mucus discharge from the vagina is a common early sign of labor, as well. This may happen one day or several weeks before labor begins, or after a vaginal exam. Labor can also start with a trickle or gush of water from the vagina. This means that the bag of water, meaning the amniotic sac that surrounds the baby, has broken.

No one knows exactly what causes labor to start or why so many pregnancies become overdue. One of the recent studies published in European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology (Vol. 132, June 2007) revealed that when the level of specific mRNA molecules in mother’s blood circulation increases, the labor is about to begin. What is interesting is that these molecules are of fetal origin. Could it be so that the baby sends a signal to the mother’s body that it’s time to deliver? What if the mother’s body doesn’t recognize this message? Could that be one of the reasons why so many pregnancies become overdue and EDD are passed?

Holistic approaches aim to maintain an ideal balance and help our bodies to function better in various situations of life. This is how these methods help the mother’s body to be more sensitive to mutual communication between the mother and the baby during pregnancy, labor and delivery.

Maternity Acupressure is a natural holistic method that helps the mother’s body to prepare for childbirth. Maternity Acupressure is beneficial, also, for the baby because it helps the baby to take the optimal position for the birth and to be engaged into the mother’s pelvis. Maternity Acupressure method can also be used to induce the labor naturally if the pregnancy is already overdue. Because of the high success rate, Maternity Acupressure has quickly become a popular natural labor induction remedy used by many professional pregnancy and labor caregivers. As Maternity Acupressure uses only application of pressure on specific spots on the skin, it can be safely used at home with basic instructions.

Studies prove that over 83% of pregnant mothers using acupressure to induce labor naturally experience a normal and natural childbirth with significantly less medical interventions than pregnant mothers who don’t use this method. Additionally, their labor time was shorter without signs of distress or hyperstimulation of the womb. On the contrary, acupressure seems to avert the mother and the baby to become distressed during labor and delivery.

Thus, holistic methods, such as Maternity Acupressure, might have a remarkably beneficial effect in preparing the mother and the baby for the birth that occurs at the right time in the most optimal manner.

Waiting for labor to start can be a very unnerving time. Many expectant mothers experience more anxiety as the due date gets closer. When that date has come and gone, you it is not unusual to listen to anyone’s advice on ways to start labor naturally. However, this must be done with caution. Do not allow impatience or excitement to blind your judgment; always consider the risks before you try to induce labor. Although advice is given with the best intentions in mind, there are some methods that may be harmful to the mother and unborn child.

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. Excessive bleeding during labor has resulted in many blood transfusions. By using Black Cohosh as a natural labor inducer, many women experienced too much bleeding during labor. 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.

The rate of labor induction has reached an all-time high in the United States, with estimates climbing as high as 33.7 percent of all pregnancies. Inductions may be performed in cases where continuing a pregnancy presents clear health and safety risks to a mother or her fetus.

There are many approaches physicians may take to ripen the cervix and induce labor. One medication that has become popular in recent years for cervical ripening is Cytotec. Typically a pill is broken in half or quarters, and one of the pieces is inserted into the cervix every few hours until the cervix is ready for labor.

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The problem with this is that many women are not given complete information about the medication before they consent to its use. Labor induction is an off-label use of Cytotec. This means that it was developed, researched and approved for another purpose.

The manufacturer’s label for Cytotec only permits it to be used to prevent stomach ulcers in patients who take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or aspirin on a long-term basis. When a physician uses a drug off-label, he is determining the safety and efficacy himself as opposed to relying on a large, thorough scientific investigation.

A few investigations have been undertaken that compare Cytotec to other medications that are actually approved for the purpose of cervical ripening and labor induction. These studies have demonstrated that although Cytotec appears to be equally effective as the other medications, there are some serious risks. Although women who have been given Cytotec may sometimes progress more quickly than those who have been given some of the other approved medications, they are also more likely to experience certain complications.

Cytotec causes hyperstimulation of the uterus, which can lead to complications including fetal distress, amniotic embolism, uterine rupture, fetal death and postpartum hemorrhage. The risk of uterine rupture is further increased in mothers who have previously had a cesarean delivery.

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Searle, the manufacturer of Cytotec was so concerned about this off-label use that it issued a letter to physicians in August 2000. The letter acknowledged these complications and urged physicians to follow their approved prescribing instructions.

Searle also stated that it “has not conducted research concerning the use of Cytotec for cervical ripening prior to termination of pregnancy or for induction of labor, nor does Searle intend to study or support these uses.”

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Before you consent to the use of any medication, make sure you know the facts. You should know:

*what all the possible treatment options are

*what the medication is, how it works and how much you will be given

*how long it takes to work and how long its effects will last

*what purpose the FDA approved the medication for

*what side effects the medication is expected to have on you and your baby

*what complications have been documented to occur with the use of the medication

*how much more often the complications occur with this medication as opposed to other medications or no medications at all

If you are ever uncertain, ask your doctor or pharmacist to show you the manufacturer’s prescribing information.

This article is intended for educational purposes only. It is not intended to serve as medical advice or as a substitute for professional medical advice and should not be interpreted as recommendation for treatment. If you have questions or concerns regarding your physical or mental health or the health of your child, please seek assistance from a qualified health care provider before using any health information.

© Christine Climer

Maternity acupressure is an all natural method to inducing labor. It can have an extremely beneficial effect in the mother giving birth to the child. Natural ways to induce labor with acupressure has been used by millions of people for thousands of years. This method is 100% safe and effective! Today the number of maternity acupressure users is increasing daily, due to how effective this method truly works. Induce labor naturally has never been easier!

Maternity acupressure points are different than actual acupuncture points in that only the fingers and thumbs are used on specific points instead of needles. Maternity acupressure has been proven time and time again to be effective in medical labor. There is no need for patients to take harmful drugs and medicines to prevent pain.

The benefits of maternity acupressure prior to and during labor are phenomenal. These benefits include the following:

1. Acupressure induce labor
2. No More Labor Pains
3. Natural labor
5. Peaceful and stress-free
7. Nausea and Vomiting Eliminated
8. Give birth the all natural way

Maternity acupressure techniques are very easy to master and have no side effects whatsoever. Many pregnant women fear the thought of labor and the delivery room because of the thought of knowing how long childbirth can actually take. With maternity acupressure women can have much quicker delivery times. When women feel nervous, scared, or afraid it increases how long a childbirth will take. This can cause serious problems such as stall and can have serious effects in the delivery room. Maternity acupressure is one of the best ways to help women stay calm and delivery a baby with no labor pains. Women are in complete control of their labors and deliveries.

Here is exactly how maternity acupressure can work in the delivery room:

When a woman’s labor is going extremely slow and the cervix is not dilating, using the proper techniques can be extremely helpful. Women are setting themselves up for a long childbirth if they are not careful! It is vital to have a safe and effective childbirth experience. Many women go through hours and hours of agonizing pain and struggle getting rid of their labor pain. Drugs and medicines most of the time do not help women at all get rid of their pain. The nervousness, anxiety, and the amount of pain are the main factors that contribute to a woman having a long childbirth. It can cause a lot of problems for the mother and child to have such a long labor inducing birth. Why take the risk of having problems during labor when you can use maternity acupressure to cure away all your labor problems? These maternity acupressure techniques are 100% safe and effective and can be used in your very own home to relieve pain! Please don’t subject yourself to another painful childbirth ever again when you could be using these 100% safe and effective techniques! I wish you the best of luck and I hope you make the right choice and use maternity acupressure today.

Moms are becoming desperate to see their unborn, as the due date is coming closer. For those who have never experienced this it feels to be stuck in a rut. It seems that time have stopped. You are doing same activities over and over and you are not happy. May be you feel bored with your life or burnt out on the job. Now only a new designation MOM would make you happy. But making that a reality seems to be not very closer, though this is only a few weeks or days apart. Being stuck here is not pleasant. It makes you more prone to depression and negative thinking. Face it. You are in a rut. Yes you can do it. There are ways to make the labor come closer. Only you were ignorant of these. The key to make a big change in your life, to hold him/her in your lap, is to make little changes. There are some natural ways to induce labor.

Sex

The first and the most loveable of all is the sex. You need to have sex not only to induce labor, but religiously most of us do this as they won’t be able to do sex in coming weeks. The hormones thus excreting helps to contraction come closer.

Walk

The next and the easiest one is the walk. You were using this method without knowing it to be effective. This is used to induce labor. Actually when you walk the force of gravity helps your unborn to move down further. Every step you take, make you closer to labor

Nipple stimulation

The next and oddly enough, but at the same time most effective one is the nipple stimulation. Have fun. Ask the father of your unborn to do this. But ask him to massage only one breast at a time and go in a circular motion. It’s unbelievably effective.

Herbs

The one which is not liked in the modern world but always prescribed by midwives is the use of natural herbs. Castor oil and almond oil were used before Pitocin and Cervidil were invented. But use them at your own risk nowadays it is said that it will leave you into a very bad diarrhea.

Acupressure

The last and the most relaxing one is the acupressure. The pressure is given to the certain points of your body which then leads to contraction. It works, but even if it did not work you will feel far more comfortable after trying this.

No matter the nine months seemed to be very long, now is the time, the most memorable and precious time is about to arrive. To make it come closer is scary, but the secret is to work through the fear to have him/her in your arms. Learn the things from the nature and move forward with them. Drive yourself out of this phase and full energy and love into your life you have been dreaming for nine months.

A normal pregnancy lasts from 37 weeks to 41 weeks. If the baby has not born when the 42th pregnancy week begins, your labor caregiver is most probably going to induce your labor. If you face the threat of medical labor induction in a hospital, it’s wise to try natural ways to induce your labor.

Research consistently shows that medically induced labors often end in cesarean section, forceps deliveries, serious infections, and greater complications for both the mother and the baby.

The statistics reveal that up to 50% of medical inductions lead to cesareans, use of forceps and vacuum or shoulder dislocation of the baby (Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2000, Obstet Gynecol. 2000). This is the reason why professional organizations, such as the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American College of Nurse Midwives, now discourage medical inductions without severe reasons.

Induced labors generally require stricter bed rest, omission of food and even fluids, more time on fetal monitors, and more frequent monitoring of maternal vital signs. Labors are often longer. Since the medications most commonly used are administered by IV pump, induction usually requires being tethered to that equipment as well. Because the effectiveness of the induction medications can be difficult to assess, especially in the long early phase of labor, vaginally placed internal monitors are often used, further restricting mobility.

Induced labors require frequently an epidural anesthesia. The epidural can cause various complications for the birthing mother and the baby – such as failure to progress, decrease in muscle tone and strength, and lower neuro-behavioral scores of the baby.

In addition, medical induction occasionally results in hyperstimulation of the uterus. This means that you have contractions that come too often or are abnormally long and strong, which in turn can stress your baby. Rarely, hyperstimulation can cause placental abruption or even uterine rupture.

The most common and disappointing complication of the medical induction is, however, outright failure. Inductions simply don’t always work. The medical induction can take a long time. If you haven’t gone into labor after two days of medical induction, your practitioner most probably considers it a failed attempt and you’ll have to deliver by c-section. This process can be very hard psychologically on you and your partner. What’s more, having a c-section after a failed induction is associated with higher rates of complications, especially infection, and longer hospital stays.

The good news is that there is much more you can do than just hope for your labor to start and prepare for the worst.

If your labor isn’t starting on its own, you can use certain easy acupressure techniques to bring on labor. You can use some of the same techniques to augment, or speed up, your labor if you stop progressing for some reason.

Acupressure is very simple: it is just a specific way of touching a body. Acupressure techniques help in getting the labor started, giving effective labor pain relief and helping the mother to relax. Some acupressure techniques are helpful in more specific situations, like in turning the breech or posterior baby into the right position and in slow labor.