Acupuncture for Induction

By Natalie

My Story

At 41+ weeks pregnant with my first baby, I started to come under heavy pressure from the hospital to book in for a medical induction.  Having learned about the cascade of interventions that often follow a medical induction, I began looking for other options.  Acupuncture was suggested by a friend and after a bit of research, I booked in with a nearby practitioner.  

I walked into the acupuncture clinic in a fairly stressed state.  I was worrying about my baby being overdue and whether I was right to prioritise my own wish for a natural birth above the hospital’s induction policy.  As the practitioner went about putting in her needles, she started up a conversation and asked me how I was feeling and what was going on.  As my story tumbled out – together with a few tears – she offered no opinion, judgement or advice.  She just gave me space to think out loud and I felt an energetic shift in my body.

She also asked if there was any reason I might be holding on to the pregnancy, which I found a little strange and was at a loss for something to say.  But when she followed up with, “Is there anything you’re afraid of?”, a penny dropped.   A memory from my 20 week scan replayed in my mind, when I’d been told that an unusual measurement meant it was possible our baby had a genetic condition.  I’d decided against a definitive (invasive) test and had moved on but in that moment, I realised the worry was still there.  Just voicing this out loud seemed to release something inside and I felt a weight lift.  

I left the clinic feeling relaxed, grateful for her care and curious to see what would happen next. Four hours later my labour began! And while I can’t prove a causal link between the acupuncture treatment and onset of labour in my case, I do know that the session left me in an improved emotional and energetic state that would have better supported the flow of oxytocin in early labour. 

Chinese medicine has been using acupuncture to induce labour for more than 1,000 years. If you’re interested in giving it a try…

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