Acupuncture to Induce Labor

Have you been told by your obstetrician that you'll have to be scheduled for cesarean delivery because your "overdue" or the baby measures too large? Don't panic! You can useacupuncture to induce labor. A couple points I want to make first is:

1. Due dates are, according to Henci Goer in her bookThe Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth(1999) "completely arbitrary...a German obstetrician in the early 1800s...simply declared that a pregnancy should last ten moon months." (p.55)

2. Measurements are known to be wrong, very wrong. Jennifer Block writes in her bookPushed(2007)"[U]ltrasound estimates can be off by more than a pound on either side...palpating the belly with the hands yields a more accurate estimate." She also says, "studies of large babies have shown that 90% of those weighing more than 4000 grams can be born vaginally when given the opportunity." (p. 9)

     There are ways you can naturally speed up labor to avoid a cesarean. One is by nipple stimulation, another is by sexual intercourse (don't try this if you've lost your mucus plug).

Acupuncture to induce laboris another method. Surprisingly, the needles go on your feet and hands! It's not a guarantee but I spoke with a local acupuncturist and he told me he has done acupuncture treatment on a pregnant woman to avoid cesarean and it worked! The baby's head was crowning when she went in to the hospital at the scheduled time of the cesarean and was able to vaginally deliver her baby! The acupuncturist I spoke with isDr. Juan Martinez, A.P., D.O.M.and he has two offices, one is at 350 Eldridge Ave. Ste 5 Orange Park, FL 32073 and the other is at 13400 Sutton Park Dr S #1603 Jacksonville, FL 32224. His number is 904-269-3069.

     Finally, your doula can help you speed up labor with herbal suggestions, correct positioning of the baby, and other techniques. Don't wait until it's too late and you're walking into the operating room. Shouldn't we really try natural methods before resorting to surgery?