Acupressure Induction Instructions

And here are instructions on using Acupressure from Ehow.com. Acupressure involves applying pressure using your fingers and thumbs on specific points. Using acupressure is a natural way to induce labor by helping the cervix to ripen and dilate. This is a completely safe way to induce labor for both mother and baby. Here are some acupressure techniques that you can use to induce labor.

Instructions
Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1
Step One
Push on the hoku spot which can be found on the top of your hand. It is located in the webbing between your forefinger and your thumb. Massage this area at an angle to stimulate contractions. It may feel slightly tender in this area. This affects the large intestine which surrounds a portion of the uterus.
2
Step Two
Rub the area called spleen 6 for one minute. To find this area, place four fingers above your ankle bone on the inside of your ankle. Applying pressure to this point helps ripen the cervix and strengthen weak contractions.
3
Step Three
Find the bladder 32 spot by tracing one finger width above the buttocks crease. You should feel a small indentation at this point. Massage this point for one minute.
4
Step Four
Apply pressure to BL60 to help the baby descend toward the pelvis. You can find this spot between your ankle bone and Achilles tendon.
5
Step Five
Press and rub these spots in a circular motion. It should feel sore or tender but not painful. Remove pressure when you feel a contraction. Continue with the acupressure after the contraction has subsided.
6
Step Six
Repeat applying pressure to these spots. You can repeat up to six cycles per time. Apply less pressure if it becomes painful.
7
Step Seven
Use these same techniques in the labor room. They can help ease your labor pains.

Info on Natural Labor Induction - for the curious

Here are some of the most common methods women try to induce labor naturally from Natural Ways to Induce Labor

Sexual intercourse - This works in two ways to induce labor. First, female orgasm can bring on contractions. Second, semen contains prostaglandins. Prostaglandins work to help ripe and soften the cervix.

Nipple stimulation - Stimulating the nipples triggers the production of natural oxytocin. Oxytocin contracts the uterus.

Accupressure - Accupressure may be helpful in inducing labor. Some pressure points you can try are the roof of your mouth, the webbing of your fingers between your pointer finger and thumb, and above the ankle about four fingerspaces above is a pressure point.

Stripping the membranes - This can only be done by a health care provider. Your doctor or midwife will seperate the bag of waters from your cervix and this is thought to help encourage labor to start.

Raspberry Leaf Tea - Rasberry leaf tea is not actually known for it's labor inducing properties, but it is believed to be helpful in toning the uterus and helping with labor.

Cinnamin stick tea - Take cinnamin sticks and boil them into a tea and drink. It actually tastes good so even if it doesn't bring on labor it may help you to relax.

Evening primrose oil - Evening primrose oil comes in small capsules similar to vitamin E. It is believed to help soften and ripen the cervix.

Walking - Walking may help to get baby to drop into proper position.

Visualization/relaxation - Relaxation can help with labor induction. Try doing relaxation exercisers. They are also good practice for when labor actually begins.

Pineapple, cumin tea, eggplant parmesan, and spicy foods - are another thing you can try.

Projects

Hi Little Guy,
Your grandmother and I are occupying ourselves with various little projects. We took Fichu and Rex to the dog park, went to breakfast, and did a little grocery shopping. She got a "nesting" (read: cleaning) urge so she's in the kitchen lemon scenting. I'm avoiding the kitchen because the smell gives me a headache. I'm particularly sickened by smells these last two days. I've never heard of that being a sign of impending labor, but I am familiar with that being true for women who are actually in labor. I wish I were. So, I tried the treadmill. Yuck. I'm punchy. I'm easily annoyed. I'm giving your dad too hard a time to get through this case because it's taking longer than he thought it would and I have the irrational idea that you can't come until he's finished. That's silly, of course. I'm not usually unreasonable; I suppose I could chalk it up to horomones, but that's not helpful because it doesn't make me any more fun to be around. I wonder what my being like this feels like to you inside me.