At the end of pregnancy, women and families get impatient for baby to arrive. There are alot of methods people try to encourage labor to begin. Baby as plenty to say about this, when she or he is ready, she may help to trigger the release of hormones that cause contractions to begin. In my experience of being part of 100's of births, I have seen acupuncture have a dramatic effect on initiating labor, speeding labor, and in reducing the rate of Cesarean sections.
A study was done at the University of North Carolina on the use of acupuncture to stimulate labor. 28 women between 39 ½ to 41 weeks pregnant, received three acupuncture sessions, while 28 women did not.
Results are as following: "Among those who received acupuncture, 70% went into labor without medical intervention. This compares to 50% of those who received standard care. The women who got acupuncture were also less likely to deliver by cesarean section -- 39% compared to 17%.
'"We had almost a 50% reduction in the C-section rate," researcher Terry Harper, MD, tells WebMD. The study appeared in the August 2006 issue of The Journal of Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Medicine."
(From http://www.webmd.com/baby/inducing-labor-naturally-can-it-be-done)
THAT"S SIGNIFICANT!!!
I have witnessed acupressure, massage, nurturing touch and support, and hypnotherapy all have positive effects on how a woman experiences her labor and birth.
TouchForBirth.com
