Use Acupressure to Induce Labor - Pregnancy Massage Therapy

Acupressure pregnancy points have been in use since ancient times, when people learned how the simple introduction of reflexology for pregnancy could result in quicker, easier births. Women receiving these techniques have enjoyed decreased pain, as acupressure during labor can ease even the most intense painful contractions. Acupressure to induce labor also helped stimulate natural contractions, dilating the cervix and helping the baby descend. This resulted in much shorter delivery times, and less chances of medical intervention.

Even during the time leading up to delivery, pregnant massage was used to alleviate back pain and tightened muscles due to the weight gain associated with carrying a child. After the baby was delivered, these pregnancy massage therapy techniques could be utilized to help mom recover from childbirth, as well as to reduce stress whenever needed.

One of the worst part of childbirth is being in prolonged labor. This can be uncomfortable at best, and extremely painful in the worst scenarios. Sometimes your baby just isn't cooperative, and the result is a long, slow wait as you sit around hoping you'll dilate enough to give birth. And in the back of your mind, the whole time, looms the chance of an unwanted C-section.

Learning how to do maternity acupressure, you and your partner can use pregnancy reflexology techniques to begin labor at home. Slowly and safely, this massage during pregnancy can place your body into the beginning stages of labor itself. Your contractions will begin, slowly and steadily increasing as you naturally progress through the initial stages of giving birth. You can use this time to relax stress-free, relieving pressure and monitoring your progress until ready to go to the hospital.

Once in the delivery room, your partner will continue to use acupressure to induce labor while reducing your pain and help keep you stress-free. This type of on-site pregnancy massage therapy can increase the flow of oxygen to the fetus, making the birthing process that much safer. It will also help oxygenation and increased blood flow in mom too, as well as getting her body ready to deliver the baby. All of these things culminate in a fast, easy delivery. You spend less time in the hospital because by the time you get there, you are well into the labor process.

No experience is required to learn maternity acupressure - all that is needed it the application of gentle pressure and the knowledge of where to apply it. When performing the process, it's important to not just rub the skin over the area, as this is the most common mistake. You must apply firm downwards pressure with your thumb, knuckle or elbow, depending upon the region.

When using the thumbs, your arm must create the pressure. This will alleviate the pain of having sore thumbs later on! Use smarter methods to create the pressure flowing from the inner meridian of your body, outward to the thumbs. Do not press down using only the thumbs themselves.

When using the fingertips, the same principal should be applied. Don't overstress your hands by using the fingers themselves to push down: rather you should place your hand into the correct position where the acupressure will be applied and then align your shoulder and arm behind it. This way you can gently and softly push down from your body through the fingers and into the tips, without your hands and fingers getting sore.

The regions to apply these pregnancy reflexology techniques varies depending upon the situation. When applying pressure on the shoulders, you can do both shoulders together,or try using only one shoulder at a time. It's the correct timing of the technique that must be followed in order to yield results, with the pressure being applied at the beginning of each contraction. As you apply acupressure during labor, the contractions will grow gradually more intense. At this point, you can begin applying continual gentle pressure throughout each contraction.

For a full range of pregnancy acupressure techniques and information on how to do maternity acupressure, be sure to visit Baby Pregnancy Guide! There you'll also find a host of great information on fertility and choosing the gender of your baby, as well as prenatal guides to keeping off excess pregnancy weight. After you give birth, you can also read articles on getting baby to sleep through nighttime crying, learning baby sign language online, and a bunch of other baby-related information for mothers and moms-to-be.