Pregnant women at full term often wonder if they can induce labor at home. There is a pressure point that may be able to induce labor. This same pressure point may also be able to help a slow labor progress.
Can You Really Induce Labor With a Pressure Point?
I tried this pressure point to help induce labor with two different people. Their waters broke within the next 12 hours in both cases. However, sometimes even medically induced labor will not work initially. Babies are stubborn. They will come when they are ready. Both of these women were pregnant with their second child.
One of these mothers had meconium in her bag of waters, and later was given pitocin to speed up her labor. In some cases, meconium can indicate stress to the baby. The other mother experienced back labor, but a relatively quick delivery. Both may have experienced the same labor without inducing with the pressure point.
You may have trouble reaching this pressure point yourself, so you should enlist the help of a friend or partner. It may work best to have someone press this point for you.
How to Find This Pressure Point
You may be able to start labor by using firm pressure on a pressure point known as “Spleen 6”. Find this point by feeling four fingertips above your inner ankle bone. Press hard; angling forward and in three times for ten to fifteen seconds each time, resting for a few seconds between. Pressing on this point should be painful. Only attempt to induce labor if you are at full term to prevent additional risks to both baby and mother.
If you don’t notice any changes within a couple of hours of first using this pressure point, try again.
Should You Try to Induce Labor?
Labor should only be induced in a pregnant woman who is at full term in her pregnancy. If the pregnancy is considered high risk, inducing labor should only be done under the supervision of a midwife or doctor. If you are scheduled to have a medical induction, you have several options. You may wish to try some of these options before heading to the hospital to be induced. Using this pressure point is one of the options you have, and because it can cause contractions, may make a medical induction easier or more effective.
Other ways to encourage labor include walking at least 30 minutes, having sex without a condom (the semen can help to ripen the cervix), and stimulating the nipples (which releases oxytocin). Be careful to introduce each method slowly. Your body needs time to prepare itself to deliver your baby. An induced labor is not likely to be easier than a natural labor.
Sources:
Personal experience
Simkin, Penny, P.T, Janet Whalley, R.N., B.S.N., Ann Kepler, R.N., M.N. Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Newborn-The Complete Guide. Minnetonka, MN: Meadowbrook Press. pg 167
