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