| When your pregnancy goes well beyond the due | | | | for the baby's heart, and black can lead to |
| date, your doctor could recommend chemical | | | | excess hemorrhaging during labor. Drinking |
| induction. The use of medication to | | | | cumin or red raspberry leaf tea, or applying |
| artificially start or induce labor should be | | | | evening primrose oil locally on the cervix |
| resorted to, only if the pregnancy | | | | can also be tried, although there is no |
| jeopardizes the health of the mother or the | | | | evidence that these remedies actually help in |
| baby. This is because, in up to half the | | | | starting up labor. |
| cases, chemical induction leads to a Cesarean | | | | |
| birth, or the use of the vacuum method. A | | | | The only natural labor inducing remedy, which |
| Cesarean delivery keeps you doped, and | | | | has been shown to work, is acupressure. This |
| confined to your bed in the first few days of | | | | simple method of pressing specific spots on |
| your baby's life, and you may also face | | | | your skin has the ability to start labor in |
| difficulties in breast-feeding. A vacuum | | | | most mothers with overdue pregnancies. |
| delivery may dislocate the baby's shoulder. | | | | |
| | | | Not only has labor acupressure been proven to |
| There are some natural ways to induce labor, | | | | be effective, it is also safe. There is no |
| in order to avoid medical induction. | | | | risk that acupressure done observing its |
| | | | basic rules, could harm the mother or the |
| One of the most commonly used is nipple | | | | baby. What is great is that you can use some |
| stimulation, which leads to the release of a | | | | of these same labor acupressure methods to |
| hormone called oxytocin. The synthetic | | | | get relief from labor pains and certain other |
| version of oxytocin is commonly used to | | | | discomforts during labor. |
| chemically induce labor. A bumpy car ride | | | | |
| works for at least some, and so does having | | | | To use acupressure, all you need to know is |
| sex. Exercise, such as walking, using a | | | | how to press certain points on your body. |
| swing, belly dancing, using a hoola hoop, and | | | | This is so simple, that it can be done by the |
| squatting for a short while, helps your baby | | | | father of the baby, or anyone else, who is |
| to descend better and your cervix to dilate. | | | | helping you out with the delivery. |
| This in turn increases your own natural | | | | Acupressure is a method that does not |
| oxytocin release, which brings on labor. | | | | over-stimulate your body. You just can't |
| | | | administer too much of it, as your body takes |
| Relaxing to reduce muscle tension is also | | | | in only what it needs to function optimally. |
| very important, because tension and stress | | | | |
| can get in the way of your labor. Meditation | | | | Labor acupressure not only gets the |
| and visualization are excellent ways not only | | | | contractions going, but also ripens the |
| to relax, but also to get labor started. Your | | | | cervix, and helps to descend the baby. It |
| imagination and subconscious mind are | | | | helps in reducing labor pain, and so you can |
| powerful tools. Just by thinking of your | | | | say goodbye to an excess drug dosage, or an |
| favorite food you start to feel hungry or by | | | | epidural. This means that you can be alert |
| imagining something scary you become | | | | and loving and ready to hold your baby in |
| terrified. Likewise, focusing your mind on | | | | your arms as soon as the delivery is over. |
| labor helps to bring it on and progress with | | | | |
| it. | | | | Before you use acupressure to induce labor at |
| | | | home, ensure that you have reached the 41st |
| Taking in herbs like blue or black cohosh | | | | week of pregnancy. And, of course, have your |
| should always be under the supervision of a | | | | bag packed and ready - using acupressure |
| doctor or a herbalist, because these herbs | | | | really produces results! |
| can be poisonous. Blue cohosh can be harmful | | | | |