Starting labor with acupuncture

[Cheshire]

I've read a number of posts from mom's who've used acupuncture to kick start labor.

I'm interested in giving it a try in a few weeks if this little one doesn't decide to come on her own before then.

Anyone have any experience with it? Advice? What should I look for in a practitioner?

[xelakann]

I did this. I had being getting treatments all throughout my pg. At 38 weeks they started doing the labor induction points. However they assured me that it wouldn't make my body do anything it wasn't ready to do.

I went in twice a week and during each session I would feel mild contractions but nothing even sort of painful. I had a session on a Sunday and went into labor on Tuesday. I had a fast opening phase for a first time mom. I declined cervical checks but I had my first REAL contraction around 5:30 pm and was pushing by midnight.

I will say that my labor was super intense and the contraction were on top of each other from the get-go. I have heard this to be true of other "acupuncture-induced" labors, but only anecdotal.

We have a community acupuncture place that works on a sliding scale, if you want to find out if you have one in your town their website has links http://www.workingclassacupuncture.org/

Otherwise just find a place that is close to you and call and ask how familiar they are with this.

[Cheshire]

Cool - thanks!!!

[frogautumn]

I went to an acupuncture appointment on the day that my Dr. wanted to induce. The practitioner warned that I would likely go into full labor within hours. It didn't happen, and I consented to the induction at the Dr.'s pressure.

I did, however remember feeling the "energy" of the acupuncture during those first few hours of induced labor.

Just my anecdotal story...

[madcap150]

My anecdotal story, FWIW: I started contractions *while* getting acupuncture and delivered the next day. I was 41 w 2 d and I think my body/ baby were ready but just benefited from that little kick start.

I went to a very experienced practitioner who specializes in fertility and pregnancy. It's the first time I had had acupuncture, and it was pretty cool. My session started around 6 pm, and I experienced my first contractions ever toward the end of the acupuncture session. They continued irregularly after that and by the morning I was in labor. My son was born that night.