Great Ways to Help Your Cervix Dilate

By Julie Ingham

If you want an easier way to accomplish labor and delivery, you may be surprised to know that acupressure is one of the easiest ways to help your cervix dilate. A measurement of eight centimeters is usually the point at which the final stages of labor begin. Getting to that point can take days or even weeks. Birth is a natural process, so if you want to avoid the use of drugs, acupressure should be an option you consider for easing the process.

Acupressure a precise art. Studies shows that using it correctly gives labor times that are measurably shorter than those incurred by labor without treatment. In controlled studies, birth often occurs as much as two or three days earlier than the time without acupressure. The measurement for the test is the cervix length and the diameter recorded for the dilation.

Three spots are known to aid in producing cervix dilation: Hegu, Ciliao and Sanyinujiao. Acupressure has been shown to be just as safe as labor without acupressure. Direct stimulation of the cervix in order to speed up dilation can risk infection.

The Sanyinjiao SP-6 spot is located about four finger-widths above the ankle bone on the inside of a woman's leg. Manual pressure is helpful to soften the cervix and prepare the birth canal more quickly. Bi-lateral treatment is preferred. The process is to use a sixty-second pressure on either leg and pressure on the opposite leg twenty to thirty minutes later.

Another effective acupressure spot for cervix dilation is the Hegu LI-4. This is a spot located on the area just below the bone at the widest part of the hand. It is on the base of the index finger, where the thumb joint would touch the side of the index finger. Either hand works as well as the other. Treatment should proceed by pressing on both hands rather than just one.

The benefits of acupressure as one of the ways to help your cervix dilate are multiple. The labor is likely to be shorter. Statistically, several hours less in the labor stage is reported. The woman can reach Hegu LI-4 sites herself; Sanyinjiao SP-6 and Ciliao BL32 spots are pressed by the birth partner during the labor phase. There are no injections of drugs to induce labor, so the baby gets a better start in life. Acupressure is the preferred way to control the length of time and the discomfort of labor and delivery.

Research has been conducted and is showing that over eighty percent of pregnant women who use acupressure to induce labor experience a normal labor with less complications than other women that do not use the techniques. Did you know that it can also shorten the amount of time one is in labor?

Want to learn how to use acupressure? It's easy and anyone can learn it. Check out these easy to learn acupressure techniques: http://www.squidoo.com/acupressure-to-inducelabor.

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Simple Home Remedies to Make Your Cervix Dilate

By Julie Ingham

When a woman nears the end of her pregnancy, she may be very uncomfortable and in hopes of getting the final process of labor and delivery underway. If you are accustomed to use natural means to deal with your health issues, you may want to consider home remedies to make your cervix dilate. It's important that these remedies be selected from those that are not only effective, but that will not pose a danger to the mother or the unborn child.

Probably the best choice of home remedies for beginning or strengthening contractions is Acupressure. Acupressure is more widely accepted in Western cultures than ever before for many types of treatments, preventative measures and improved natural processes. Acupressure will not harm the child and can improve the health of the mother significantly.

The goal of acupressure and other home remedies is to thin the cervix and improve the strength of contractions so that dilation of the cervix occurs. Contractions and other signs of impending labor can be very different from one woman to the next, but controlled clinical studies show that acupressure is preferable to other types of treatment for inducing and shortening the labor process. Where acupressure is used, the entire labor duration typically is shorter than without intervention.

Other remedies at home that can be helpful include a good massage. Massage relieves stress and tensions in mind and muscles so that the woman is able to relax. This can be enough to trigger serious contractions and get the cervix fully dilated. Having sex has similar results, relaxing both the mother and the father.

Evening primrose oil is sometimes used, especially in home deliveries or by a midwife to thin the cervix. It is applied internally. The recommendation is to avoid the use of such remedies because of the danger of infection in the infant or the mother. Avoid the use of herbs such as black or blue cohosh. They have been shown to have the potential for causing excessive bleeding in the mother and accelerated heart rate in the infant.

Home remedies to make your cervix dilate should not be used prior to the 38th week of pregnancy. Even though the woman is uncomfortable, it is far more important to allow the baby to come to full term before getting in a rush to induce labor. Even an additional week of pregnancy can make the difference in the health and development of the infant.

Research has been conducted and is showing that over eighty percent of pregnant women who use acupressure to induce labor experience a normal labor with less complications than other women that do not use the techniques. Did you know that it can also shorten the amount of time one is in labor?

Want to learn how to use acupressure? It's easy and anyone can learn it. Check out these easy to learn acupressure techniques: http://www.squidoo.com/acupressure-to-inducelabor

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Benefits of Using Natural Methods to Dilate Your Cervix

By Julie Ingham

There are some tried and true natural methods to dilate my cervix, but others that, although natural, are not recommended. In almost every type of cervix dilation technique, the advice of a health care professional or alternative treatment specialist is recommended. Much has been written about some techniques when in fact they are poor choices and could actually harm the baby or at least make the mother very uncomfortable.

No matter which methods are used to induce labor, it's important not to begin the process before the 38th week of pregnancy. If you start labor too early in the baby's development, you risk a child with lung problems or other health issues. Even though, mild to serious discomfort is present in most women by this stage of pregnancy, inducing labor should only be done if the cervix is already starting to efface or thin and is dilated.

Acupressure is the best way to assist the body in preparing for labor and delivery. Stimulus points are found in several locations throughout the body, most notably on the inside of the hand, between the thumb and forefinger, just below the index joint. The second commonly used acupressure spot is found about three inches above the sharp point of the ankle bone on the inside of the leg. To find this spot, come up to the right height on the leg and then move toward the shin. The sensation is very different when the right spot is located.

There are other natural methods, such as evening primrose oil rubbed directly on the cervix. While it will help to thin the cervix and thus get labor started, it's not a good idea to introduce anything into the cervix because of the danger of infection in the mother and baby.

Castor oil is perhaps the best known method for inducing labor, but it is only a laxative. It can cause prolonged diarrhea if taken when the mother has not yet reached the stage where labor is eminent. It will irritate the bowel rather than ripen the cervix.

Black cohosh and blue cohosh are herbal remedies that are sometimes used to initiate contractions or to strengthen contractions. These herbs should only be used by a knowledgeable herbalist since they can lead to heart irregularities in the baby and hemorrhaging in the mother. In fact, if you are wondering, "what are natural methods to dilate my cervix?". Your best overall method might be to relax with a massage or acupressure treatment. Even if contractions don't start immediately, you will feel better overall.

Research has been conducted and is showing that over eighty percent of pregnant women who use acupressure to induce labor experience a normal labor with less complications than other women that do not use the techniques. Did you know that it can also shorten the amount of time one is in labor?

Want to learn how to use acupressure? It's easy and anyone can learn it. Check out these easy to learn acupressure techniques: http://www.squidoo.com/acupressure-to-inducelabor

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Inducing Labor at Home - Five Useful Methods

By Julie Ingham

If you are reading this article right now, then you are probably fed up with how you feel like now!

You feel like you are a hippo that has been tumbling around for a very long time. You do not have any energy and you feel miserable. Comfortable is not even up for grabs. Inducing labor sounds like something that a doctor would have to do, but have you ever heard of inducing labor at home? There are some things that you can do on your own that will bring that labor closer.

First, we need to tell you not to try castor oil. There are some mothers out there that swear on everything they have that it works. But it really isn't the best way to bring labor on. It may help start contractions, but there are the chances that you could vomit and have diarrhea. These two things could make you dehydrated and that is definitely not what you need. There are far better natural methods available to you.

Check with your doctor before you try these:

Start with walking, because it is easy to do. A gentle walk in the park will do. Do not go doing a marathon.

Try some spicy foods. This may work. We know what you are thinking, you are thinking that it is going to give you heartburn and maybe you are right. However, some say that spicy foods help induce labor.

Make love to your partner. Even if you are not in the mood, when you have sex, a hormone known as oxytocin Is released by your partner. This can cause the uterus to contract.

Nipple stimulation is another method that has been recommended. This involves having the entire area of the nipple stimulated and massaged. Try mimicking the sucking motion of the baby. Be warned with this one ' this method can cause very strong contractions.

Another popular method of inducing labor at home is acupressure. If you are using acupressure, make sure you follow the instructions carefully and know which pressure points you will need to apply the pressure.

Research has been conducted and is showing that over eighty percent of pregnant women who use acupressure to induce labor experience a normal labor with less complications than other women that do not use the techniques. Did you know that it can also shorten the amount of time one is in labor?

Want to learn how to use acupressure? It's easy and anyone can learn it. Check out these easy to learn acupressure techniques: http://www.squidoo.com/acupressure-to-inducelabor

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Make Your Cervix Dilate Yourself - Easy Tips

By Julie Ingham

Cervix is the name given to the narrow neck of the womb. During the labor and delivery process, it softens and dilates to allow for the baby to move down through the birth canal. The softening of a cervix is known as ripening. In preparing for an easier delivery with shorter labor times, it's helpful to make your cervix dilate yourself.

Dilation can be done with several different methods. Breast massage is one methods. Another way to dilate the cervix is by manual stimulation of the area. This methods exposes the prospective mother to the danger of infection. The least appealing method for getting the cervix dilated to the eight centimeters required for delivery is by using drugs.

For those who want to have a drug free delivery, using acupressure to ripen the cervix and ease the dilation and shortening progress toward delivery is a preferred method.During the second and third stages of labor, pressure applied at the BL32 (Ciliao) helps to promote dilation. It has been reported to prevent low back pain. The technique requires firm knuckle pressure. It helps to increase the strength of the contraction. This pressure point is midway between the dimples above the buttocks and the lower spine.

Locating a spot that is four finger widths above the ankle bone on the inside of the leg is another preferred location for dilating the cervix. This is the Sanyinjiao SP-6 acupressure site. The pressure can be applied to either leg. The recommended procedure is to use pressure on one leg for about one minute and repeat the pressure on the other leg about half an hour later.

Controlled studies for women in labor have verified that acupressure applied during labor results in less time to reach the fully dilated stage where the actual birth process can begin. The studies used objective measurements of cervix length and dilation to determine that softening dilate requires less time. Measurements such as pain reduction and easier delivery could not be measured objectively, although anecdotal evidence suggests that acupressure helps in these areas as well.

When you make your cervix dilate yourself, you are likely to spend less time in the delivery room. Acupressure can be done at home or in a clinical setting with equally beneficial results. For effective treatment using acupuncture points, a support person is necessary. Many women have found that acupuncture is the best way, especially when used at the beginning of labor or to induce labor

Research has been conducted and is showing that over eighty percent of pregnant women who use acupressure to induce labor experience a normal labor with less complications than other women that do not use the techniques. Did you know that it can also shorten the amount of time one is in labor?

Want to learn how to use acupressure? It's easy and anyone can learn it. Check out these easy to learn acupressure techniques: http://www.squidoo.com/acupressure-to-inducelabor

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Naturally Inducing Labor - Great Tips

By Julie Ingham

In August 2009 I was expecting my first child. And I sure do remember the yearning thought of wanting my baby in my arms filling me with enough joy to last a millennium on an empty stomach. But as the due date passed the feeling of joy turned into something else and I was completely overwhelmed with feelings of frustration, anger and impatience. So I started thinking of naturally inducing labor. But finding the best methods was no picnic.

Trying to bring about labor if perfectly fine and natural; people have been doing it for centuries and it is perfectly normal. But sometimes a woman's reproductive make up might not allow for this as it might cause harm to an unborn baby. It is for this reason that a qualified doctor or registered mid wife must be consulted before anything is done.

But if you are eager to do this and your doctor has given approval there are natural methods available at your disposal. To begin with there is something referred to as Primrose oil. This primrose oil is recommended for oral use only, at least three times a day, sweetened or not. Using this oil can very easily initiate contractions in the uterus.

Apart from this known remedy there is also the irritation of the bowel method. When the bowel is irritated by prune juice, castor oil or even orange juice such irritation causes contractions to begin on a minor scale. And because of the fact that these are natural extracts even makes the method healthy and almost free of side effects. What I mean by almost is that using castor oil usually means diarrhea.

In other jurisdictions sex is seen as a good and effective labor inducing agent. The rigorous movements during sexual intercourse push the baby into the birthing pose, something that in actual fact triggers contractions. In addition to this the hormones in semen and vaginal fluid after orgasms are also effective in ripening and softening the cervix for child birth. It also helps to have the nipples stimulated as this makes the body think it's getting ready for the baby to suck on them, causing contractions in the uterus.

The method that is recommended by most however is acupressure. Not only is it perfectly safe for both you and you baby but it's also free of any side effects. It's a method that is easy to learn and use and it has a bonus effect of giving you natural pain relief.

Research has been conducted and is showing that over eighty percent of pregnant women who use acupressure to induce labor experience a normal labor with less complications than other women that do not use the techniques. Did you know that it can also shorten the amount of time one is in labor?

Want to learn how to use acupressure? It's easy and anyone can learn it. Check out these easy to learn acupressure techniques: http://www.squidoo.com/acupressure-to-inducelabor

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How to Induce Labor at Home - Quick Tips

By Julie Ingham

So it is 5 days past your due date and yet the baby is still resting inside your belly. Overdue pregnancies can bring about much frustration as well as discomfort. You may be wondering how to induce labor at home. Or perhaps you are going with an all natural home birth and want to help get things going.

One way to encourage your little one's arrival is by walking or climbing stairs. The idea here is that the pressure of the baby's head against your cervix will stimulate labor. Even if this first effort is not successful, it may help your baby get into a better position when delivery time does come.

Another good option is a massage. Not only will it be relaxing for your body and frame of mind when labor does start, it may also hurry the process along. Just be certain that any massage is performed by a practitioner who is licensed and knows what he or she is doing. One who has experience working on pregnant women is best.

It got you into this mess in the first place so you may want to try it again: having sex. During sex, oxytocin is produced. This hormone causes the uterus to contract and therefore may help set labor in motion. Further, a man's semen contains prostaglandins, which will soften the uterus.

If sex does not sound very appealing or you are just too uncomfortable for it at this stage, nipple stimulation will have the same effect of producing oxytocin which may promote labor. This method will probably take a little longer than sex would.

Most women will go into labor sometime after the 37th week. It is not until after the 42nd week that you really need to be concerned. But once you do decide to induce, be sure to have your midwife or whoever is to be with you monitor you the entire time. Keeping an alert eye on the moments leading up to labor could make all the difference in your new baby's health as well as your own.

When you have decided to take matters into your own hands then try out acupressure. I'm sure it's the method you midwife will recommend you using as it the safest one for both you and your baby.

Research has been conducted and is showing that over eighty percent of pregnant women who use acupressure to induce labor experience a normal labor with less complications than other women that do not use the techniques. Did you know that it can also shorten the amount of time one is in labor?

Want to learn how to use acupressure? It's easy and anyone can learn it. Check out these easy to learn acupressure techniques: http://www.squidoo.com/acupressure-to-inducelabor

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