Acupressure and Prenatal Massage for Induction
A phone call comes in from a woman in labor. I could hear the slight strain in her voice from the discomfort. “Hi, I need to schedule a massage please, I’m in the first stage of labor”. While this statement might send panic running through most people I’ve grown accustomed working with pregnant women and their needs. As we speak, she relays that this is not her first child and despite her occasional contractions, she seems relatively calm. She is quickly scheduled for an induction massage.
Induction Massage
An induction massage is normally scheduled between 38 to 42 weeks. However, it is preferred to schedule it after 40 weeks and with a doctor’s or licensed midwife’s approval. This may seem like an eternity for most pregnant women but to induce labor, the therapist must be assured that the baby is fully formed. An induction massage is a blend of relaxation, acupressure points and releasing muscle tension specifically along the hip, gluteal and lower back region. At this point, essential oils, safe for labor may be used to calm the soon-to-be mother.
Women Choosing Natural
It’s not my place nor the place of anyone to judge a women on how and where she wants to give birth. Since the controversial movie The Business of Being Born, most women in North American have chosen to embrace a natural form of birthing. Women have been shown that their bodies were designed for this event and some have opted to try a natural birth. Along with natural birth comes the decision to avoid labor inducing chemicals such as Pitocin. There is a time and place for Obstetric Physicians and nursing staff and I have witness the incredible efficiency and life saving methods these professionals use when a woman’s life is in danger. Their work is of value, however, if a woman chooses a pregnancy that leans more towards working with her body’s innate ability, the hope is that physicians and nurses would respect this and offer reliable support should an emergency occur.
A note on Pitocin
Pitocin is a powerful medication that is given to a women to induce labor. It is a staple as of this writing in the conventional birth space. Women have visited LuminaMassage and scheduled an induction massage for the specific purpose of avoiding a chemical induction using pitocin.
When pitocin is used contractions begin in a rapid pace and unlike natural contractions they rarely give the laboring time to rest. The body was designed to rest and pace itself between contractions during birth. I liken pitocin to a fast train, once you’re onboard, there’s no getting off. Sadly, many women regret this experience post birth and some end in a c-section surgery. Additionally, it is important to note that pitocin does not cause dilation of the cervix. So, despite the strong, intense and incredibly painful contractions induced by pitocin the risk of your cervix not dilating could happen. Acupressure is an ideal alternative to those women that do not like needles. Using massage techniques with acupressure has been a wonderful combination to prepare a woman’s body. At Lumina we have developed a unique blend of neuromuscular, relaxation and acupressure that has resulted in excellent results since the year 2005 with a 75% success rate for labor induction.
Fearing Early Induction
It’s natural for a pregnant women to fear for the safety of her child and want to protect it. However, there is still much lack of knowledge about prenatal massage. One of the most respected teachers of this much needed specialty is Ellaine Stillerman. She authored an excellent textbook on Prenatal Massage and has made it her life’s work to educate massage therapists on how to work with pregnant women.
Spouses and nail technicians. They don’t have a lot in common except with being the most popular recipient of the eager request from a pregnant women to give a foot massage. This is normally a staple in most pedicures (unless you are pregnant) and most husbands have the strength to knead out the tension from feet. However both will shy away from the task out of fear and the pregnant women will be left with great discomfort.
Foot Massage
A foot massage is very different from reflexology on the feet that use acupressure points. The techniques used are worlds apart. A western massage consists of methods that include long fluid strokes and continuous movement. Eastern massage methods focus more on energy points. If the movement is constant, even when applied with pressure, it will not cause the same effect as stimulating an acupressure point. The practice of finding a point in the body to stimulate pressure takes knowledge and strong lasting pressure on that specific area. To glide over a muscle is not the same as targeting a point, placing your thumb or finger there and pressing for a very long time. It is very precise work and to mistake acupressure for general massage is a misjudgment on how both techniques affect the body.
Induction Acupressure Points
Below I’ll feature pictures of common acupressure points that can be used in a massage or during labor at home.
spleen 6
pericardium 8
kidney 1
large intestine 4
liver 3
The world of acupressure is a complex one. There are far more points than the ones listed above but these are the most common and easy to follow. Spouses, parents or older children can assist with these points if they wish, or if they prefer to schedule a professional session for mom-to-be that is an option as well.
