Acupressure to Induce Labor

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In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), acupoints are seen as being adaptogenic, meaning they'll gently bring the body into balance rather than forcing it to do something that it otherwise wouldn't do. The only exceptions are the few points used to induce labor.

While some Licensed Acupuncturists believe that these points won't promote uterine contractions until the body is ready for them, many avoid them completely until a woman is near or past her due date. Once that date has passed - or an OB-GYN gives the okay to start working on labor early - the points should be stimulated often to get things moving!

Below are the five acupuncture points used to induce labor and a general description of their location. Running an online image search for "[point name] location" usually brings up fairly accurate depictions of where they are as well.

• Large Intestine 4 (LI4): On the hand in the meaty part between the thumb and index finger - many people know this point for headaches
• Gallbladder 21 (GB21): At the top of the trapezius muscles between the shoulder and neck
• Spleen 6 (SP6): A few inches above the inner ankle just behind the shin bone - it's often a sensitive spot
• Urinary Bladder 60 (UB60): Midway between the outer ankle and the Achilles tendon
• Liver 3 (LV3): On the top of the foot between the first and second metatarsals (foot bones) - start at the webbing between the big toe and second toe and go up until you hit a spot where the bones meet

Realistically, a woman in her late third trimester may not be able to reach the last three very well, so a partner or other friend or family member may need to help. Even massaging LI4 alone - a very strong moving point - is a good habit to practice while waiting for labor to start.

Acupressure can be combined with other natural remedies for labor induction, especially if there is a deadline coming up (e.g. a scheduled medical induction or even C-section if labor hasn't started by a certain date). These are just a few ideas:

• Consuming Medjool dates, raspberry leaf tea, and/or spicy foods
• Walking on uneven surfaces
• Practicing exercises like those taught by Spinning Babies
• Having sex

Of course, it's always worth having a discussion with doctors, midwives, doulas, or any other practitioners involved in prenatal care before trying even the most innocuous-sounding activities. 

Holistic health is all about working with what the body naturally wants to do, and while patients sometimes complain that they're "over" being pregnant before their due dates, their bodies may still want another week or two to prepare for labor. The suggestions here can accelerate the process...but at the end of the day, trusting nature's innate wisdom can go a long way in finding peace during a potentially restless waiting period.