Many women reach the end of their pregnancy with relief as they give birth to their baby. That part of the journey is over and they can start the next phase. Unfortunately there are some women who reach their expected due date and they still have not begun labor. Their precious baby seems content with staying inside and not making an appearance. You’ve set up the baby’s room, you’ve packed the bags and you’re ready to start bonding and making those first memories. Many parents begin to worry and wonder when the wait will be over. Eight to 9 months can seem like a very long time to wait. If you have gone beyond your 39th week of pregnancy then you will most likely be talking to your doctor, or midwife about the possibilities of being induced.

Inducing your pregnancy should not be taken lightly. Surprisingly 1 in 5 pregnancies are induced these days. Many women choose the wrong reasons to be induced. If you are being induced or thinking of inducing your pregnancy for any other reason than medical or an overdue pregnancy you should take a look at the pros and cons of inducing a labor. If you are one of the women who have gone beyond her due date then it would be wise to educate yourself on the different ways that you can be induced. Your doctor or midwife will be able to tell you all the different ways of being medically induced. They can also tell you of the pros and cons with each different induction procedure. As with any type of medical procedure there are things that can go wrong or side effects that can occur. Some of the effects from the drugs that are used during labor are still not know or understood.

If you are still wanting or needing to be induced and the medical procedures sound to invasive or not what you want to risk, there are natural ways to go into labor. Just like with the medical inducements, some natural inducements can also have complications or side effects. When you’re dealing with the body and with an unborn child there are many things to consider. You and your baby’s health are of the utmost importance.

One of the safest and most natural ways to induce a labor that is being talked about is acupressure. Doctors, nurses and midwives are witnessing couples that are using acupressure to safely induce a labor and then to help with the pain of contractions. Acupressure is even helping the mother when her contractions slow down to make them progress again. Many women are finding that they were able to avoid a necessary medical inducement with the simple use of acupressure to begin their labor. They have also told their doctor that they didn’t need the usual pain medications during labor because the acupressure was enough to help. Acupressure for labor inducement can be a safe alternative to the risks and side effects of a medical inducement.