Acupuncture induction visits are commonly used as a beautiful way to promote labor by supporting a woman’s body on all levels.

I love seeing women in the clinic who are nearing the end of pregnancy. It is such an exciting time filled with anticipation, eagerness, and a bit of anxiety all balled into one emotion.  At this point in pregnancy most women will honestly tell you they are ready and are willing to get the show on the road. Did you know acupuncture is such a fabulous way to get you ready for labor and delivery?

How does Acupuncture Induce Labor?

Having seen hundreds of pregnant woman in clinic, and being so lucky to have so many midwifery colleagues, I have seen how effective and beneficial acupuncture can be in getting the body ready for birth. I usually recommend seeing women starting at 35-37 weeks. At this point, it is really important to address any issues that can distract the body from the primary focus of childbirth. These include treating issues of discomfort and pain in the low back or pelvic floor, insomnia, digestive complaints, headaches, and of course low energy.

During the course of the next few weeks, as women approach that 40 week mark, I begin to get the body ready for labor. Although each visit is tailored to the individual patient, there are some treatment generalizations that I typically use for all my pregnant patients. I like to incorporate points that beautifully relax the pelvic floor, allowing for baby to drop nicely into the pelvis and put pressure on the cervix. There are also some great points to help gently stimulate the uterus to encourage contractions. I love the effect acupuncture has on ripening the cervix, and don’t worry, the points used are not inserted into the cervix itself! There are wonderful points used on the lower tummy and feet that help to soften and dilate the cervix. Typically, I will use any or all of the techniques above to help stimulate labor.

For me as a practitioner and from personal experience, another important focus of treatment is ENERGY!

Having good energy at the end of pregnancy can be somewhat challenging, especially if the Mom-to-be has other children, is still working full time, or is just simply very uncomfortable. I take advantage of these visits and work to get energy levels up by relaxing the body, calming the mind, and helping to overcome poor sleep.

Post Partum Care

Any prenatal work with an acupuncturist also helps post partum recovery too. Acupuncture visits after birth are amazing, especially if there was a long, hard labor and delivery. Exhaustion post partum is quite common and can be effectively treated using Chinese medicine and acupuncture together. I also work with patients who are having difficulty with milk supply, dealing with prolonged lochia and/or heavy bleeding, and have successfully worked with many patients dealing with post partum depression.

Thanks for reading! If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me here.