# Acupuncture and/or acupressure for inducing labor?



## KrystalC (Aug 1, 2006)

Has anyone here done one or both? What was your experience? Did it work? If so, how long did it take before you went into labor? Do you know if you were dilated at all before then?

The reason I ask is because I have a pretty short period of time between my EDD of December 23 and January 16, which is the date I have to return to school and work. Because of this, I have induction scheduled for the 26th of December and would really rather not have to do it that way. I'm looking into other options and plan to begin natural induction methods at 37 weeks. I'd like to know more about acupuncture and/or acupressure for inducing labor to see if it's something I should really look into. I hate, hate, hate the idea of evicting my son at all, but I'd really rather it be as natural as possible to avoid all the damned medical interventions a hospital induction would entail.

Please help!!!!!!!


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## BelgianSheepDog (Mar 31, 2006)

Not likely to work unless your body is already ready. 37 weeks is really early, too, could be risky if your dates aren't 100%.


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## reillys_mom (Mar 5, 2005)

I successfully used acpuncture to induce with ds. It was just a week before my due date and my water had already broken though labor wasn't progressing, so I don't know anything about how early. I would find a practitioner who is experienced with pregnant mamas (mine worked with my mw) and discuss it with them. As much as school starting seems like a pressing date, it will wait, there are ways.


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## KrystalC (Aug 1, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *BelgianSheepDog* 
Not likely to work unless your body is already ready. 37 weeks is really early, too, could be risky if your dates aren't 100%.

I should have said I wouldn't try acupuncture or any of that kind of stuff until a few days or perhaps a week prior to my EDD as from what I've read online, it seems to work fairly quickly if dilation and effacement have already started.









My dates are pretty accurate. I know when I ovulated because I was under the care of an RE and tracking everything really closely plus 4 ultrasounds have confirmed it.


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## mwherbs (Oct 24, 2004)

so we have had client use both or either one and also moxa- and have had hit and miss results-- one client who was at her due date, ROM for >24 hrs and the moxa brought on a few good contractions lasting 1-1 1/2 5 min apart- but if we weren't stimulating the points the contractions spaced out and went away-
there are other things I have known people to do to prepare for labor like take a 5 week formula- or use EPO caps vaginally for the last 4 weeks to help ripen the cervix-- sex, plenty of sexual stimulation and contact with sperm adds prostaglandins-- it is best advised to stay pregnant until the kido is ready- dating can easily be off 1-2 weeks or more depending on what you are using to date a pregnancy-and really no matter the dates babies have a way of growing at their own pace.


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## Isamama (May 2, 2006)

I used acupuncture the day before my EDD. I went into labor three days later. My acupuncturist said that your body will not go into labor with Acu induction unless it is ready. It works better the closer you are to your due date. In other words, it's pretty ineffective much before your EDD. I used it because I got scared into thinking my baby was too big and they strongly suggested medical induction at 1 week post EDD. I wanted to try all the "natural" ways first. I think it is a very good option if induction is indicated (not necessarily for the reasons I did--you live and learn).


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## stacyann21 (Oct 21, 2006)

Personally, I would never try any induction methods until after 40 weeks. Anyways, I know someone who was one week overdue and had a prenatal massage. She started feeling crampy during the massage and when she went home labor started. I got a certificate for a massage for my Birthday and have been saving it just for this purpose.


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## October16Mom (Jul 10, 2006)

I tried it twice--2 sessions a few days before my due date and one a week after. They gave me contractions but didn't get the real thing going. I finally decided I'd rather be induced medically, because the contractions that never got anywhere were a pain and I couldn't sleep. I had gestational diabetes and went ten days past my due date. Hopefully next time I go into labor on my own, but the induction wasn't as bad as I was afraid it would be.


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## annekevdbroek (Jun 5, 2005)

I did it several times between 40-42 weeks and it did nothing (accupuncture and moxibustion). I was barely effaced and not dialated, and nothing changed.

Just wondering - why do you have to be back at work on the 16th?


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## KrystalC (Aug 1, 2006)

I'm a full-time student and if I don't return to school when classes start on the 16th, I'll lose my financial aid. We rely on it to pay our bills because my husband just doesn't make enough to keep everything afloat. My job is also dependent on financial aid as it's a work-study position and half of my pay comes from financial aid and half comes from my employer on campus.


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## meggles (Mar 9, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *KrystalC* 
I'm a full-time student and if I don't return to school when classes start on the 16th, I'll lose my financial aid. We rely on it to pay our bills because my husband just doesn't make enough to keep everything afloat. My job is also dependent on financial aid as it's a work-study position and half of my pay comes from financial aid and half comes from my employer on campus.









I would really talk to your professors about this. I don't see why you couldn't arrange to spend the first couple of weeks at home and get permission to do other projects/alternate assignments so that you are still officially "enrolled" for Spring semester. My dh is a professor and he's always been extremely accomodating to students with specific issues, as long as they come and talk to him about it. Good luck!


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## Herausgeber (Apr 29, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *stacyann21* 
Personally, I would never try any induction methods until after 40 weeks. Anyways, I know someone who was one week overdue and had a prenatal massage. She started feeling crampy during the massage and when she went home labor started. I got a certificate for a massage for my Birthday and have been saving it just for this purpose.

I'm 39-plus weeks and was starting to worry about why the baby wasn't dropping yet (it's my first.) I got an hour-long prenatal massage yesterday, and discovered that the kiddo had dipped into my pelvis today. I don't think of it so much as an induction method as getting my pelvis to loosen up and relax.


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## KrystalC (Aug 1, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *meggles* 







I would really talk to your professors about this. I don't see why you couldn't arrange to spend the first couple of weeks at home and get permission to do other projects/alternate assignments so that you are still officially "enrolled" for Spring semester. My dh is a professor and he's always been extremely accomodating to students with specific issues, as long as they come and talk to him about it. Good luck!

There are just so many factors at play here... I'm afraid of getting behind in my classes and being unable to catch up if I'm not in class for the first couple of weeks. AND we have a huge project coming up at work and they really need me to be there when classes start. I can't afford to lose my job as it's highly unlikely I'll be able to find another student job that pays me this much! It's incredibly frustrating on both accounts! We'll deal with whatever happens.... no choice at this point, right?

Herausgeber, that's good news!! It sounds like the massage helped! I'm planning to go get one of those after finals so I can unwind a bit.









I'll be 36 weeks on Saturday and this little guy has been dropping steadily since Friday and I've been losing bits of plug here and there over the past week, so I'm hoping this won't even be an issue and he'll either be a little early or right on time, but want to look into alternatives to medical induction just in case. I'm just trying to avoid going too long and having NO time at home to bond with my son and establish some semblance of a breastfeeding relationship before I have to be gone every day. Granted, he'll be with my mom when I'm not home, so I'm not AS worried as I would be otherwise.


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## stacyann21 (Oct 21, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Herausgeber* 
I'm 39-plus weeks and was starting to worry about why the baby wasn't dropping yet (it's my first.) I got an hour-long prenatal massage yesterday, and discovered that the kiddo had dipped into my pelvis today. I don't think of it so much as an induction method as getting my pelvis to loosen up and relax.

I didn't mean to say massage is an induction method







I meant rather than try medical induction methods, I would do something like have a massage


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## lilysmama1124 (Aug 26, 2006)

I just had a labor prep massage today which included stimulation of some acupressure points-I'm due in 2 days. I don't think the massage therapist would have done it any earlier though and she said the same as in other posts. Most of the labor induction techniques will only work if your body is ready. She did tell me that anticipation/worry can halt your labor because of the stress hormones so try and have faith that your babe will come at their exact right time. Thats not to say that you can't try some of the gentle labor enhancing techniques mentioned above. I will say that having a hospital induction does increase the chances of having a c-section which will mean a longer recovery for you and might defeat the purpose of inducing so you can be ready to return back to school-just a thought but you know what is best for you and your family!! Good luck!!


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