Poll- did acupuncture help your labor begin?

[hildare]

I am thinking when the time comes that i'll get acupuncture to help things get going, since i'm hoping for a VBAC. 

Did acupuncture work for you?

[greenmama66]

Yes! I've used acu in all of my pregnancies for tonification purposes and had easy homebirths with short labors except my 5th baby whose labor was mellow for 2 days and then active lasted 3.5 hours which is long for me but still short on the spectrum. My last labor just over a month ago  used acupunctire induction because I was 10 days late. Saw my acu 3 days in a row and the morning of my 45th birthday i went to see her again- left her office at 11;30 am and real surges started to happen at around 1;00. My son was born at 2;10 so it was a very fast labor/birth from start to finish, Good luck on your VBAC.

[Lish]

I submitted to acupuncture with PENS (as opposed to moxibustion) three times over five days when baby number two was post dates. I had been experiencing prodromal labor for a couple of weeks prior to the EDD agreed to a cervical check at 39 weeks and was at 4+ and 80%. I began acupuncture at EDD+1 to avoid a chemical induction since I was having NST every three days post EDD. The acupuncture would intensify the prodromal contractions but never kicked things into full gear. I have to say, I think a combination of time and prostaglandins/oxytocin courtesy of my loving husband were to thank for our little one finally coming 12 days post dates. My midwife said, "What gets the baby in can get the baby out." Good luck to you! I do have friends who swear by acupuncture - it just didn't work in my case.

[Monkey Keeper]

I couldn't answer the poll because I had been in early labor for about 12 hours when I went for acupuncture. BUT immediately after the final needle was placed, my contractions went from 7-9 minutes apart to 3 minutes apart and stayed there for the duration of my labor. They continued to increase in terms of discomfort as labor progressed, but the session really got them going in terms of time. Within 3 hours of the session, I was having to use a lot of coping techniques.

[scottishmommy]

I had accupuncture at 11:00 in the morning and active labor started at 5:00 PM. Don't know if it was the treatment or what.

[Mushy1127]

It did nothing for me at all.  But I suspect I am a lost cause when it comes to going into labor.  :)  I still plan to start it up shortly with this pregnancy.  

[AutumnAir]

Not in the slightest.  I had had a previous post-dates baby (though perfectly healthy) and there was a huge amount of stress with it, so with DD2 I was determined to do absolutely everything I could to avoid going post-dates again (aside from medical induction/C-section of course!)

I had 3 separate sessions of acupuncture, at 41 weeks, 42 weeks and 43 weeks.  Not a twinge from any of them.  Finally went into labour spontaneously at 43+6 weeks (5 days *later* than my previous post-dates baby!!) so obviously it didn't do a damn thing for me!!  (That was also in combination with just about every other 'natural' induction method in the book - I guess my babies just really need to cook longer and don't react well to attempts to hurry them out before they're done ;) )

[JudiAU]

I think so. I went a week early and had a fast labor. I also used a chiro for my breech baby (totally flipped her, confirmed by midwife).