Labor pain relief:

Acupressure - the delivery room wonder

Childbirth is supposed to be painful, right?

Well, yes and no. There is no need to suffer needlessly with severe labor pains. A certain amount of relaxation will help you to have a shorter period of labor and will reduce the stress on the baby. Acupressure is an incredibly effective way to get labor pain relief. Acupressure reduces the intensity of your labor pains through very simple and easy treatment.

Acupressure is older than acupuncture and dates back to at least 4000 B.C. in China. It involves finger pressure on specific points of the body that correspond with the flow of energy. A point on the hand, for example, may be part of the flow of energy to the large intestine. Acupressure takes into account that every part of the body is connected, and an imbalance in one part can cause an imbalance in another.

This flow of energy is called ?Qi? (pronounced ?chi?), and acupressure opens the pathways of Qi to restore balance. While modern medicine may not understand the specifics of Qi, studies have certainly shown that both acupressure and acupuncture are very effective in treating many ailments and are especially great for pain relief.

Acupressure won?t reduce your contractions are cause them to stop, but it will make your labor shorter and easier. It will also help your contractions to be more frequent and more successful. Below are two of the most effective acupressure points to use for labor pain relief in the delivery room.

Adjoining Valley (LI4).
This point, located in the webbing between your thumb and your forefinger, affects the large intestine, which surrounds a portion of your uterus. It is by far the most effective point for optimizing your contractions, speeding your labor, and giving labor pain relief in a safe way. You or your partner will need to press very firmly here, and it will probably be tender. One study has shown that ice massage on this point was very helpful in reducing discomfort during labor, so your partner could try using a wrapped ice cube to press on this point. Adjoining Valley can also induce labor, so avoid it before you have reached your 41st week.

Three Yin Intersection (SP6).
This point is four finger-widths above the ankle next to the bone on the inside of the leg. Look for a tender spot, and you can feel confident that you?ve found it. This point is helpful in lessening labor pains, but it can also ripen the cervix. So, don?t try this point until you are far enough along to safely induce labor.

Giving birth is one of the most miraculous things you will ever experience, and one of the most frightening. Acupressure is by far the best and safest way to lessen your labor pain and stress without having to resort to chemicals that you fear could harm your baby.

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