Acupressure is the ancient art of using fingers or elbows to on the skin’s surface to stimulate the body’s natural self curative abilities. It not only reduces muscle tension but also improves blood circulation. However it induces labour. So pay heed to these warnings before you try acupressure during your pregnancy.
Areas to Avoid
Avoid acupressure near the hands, wrists, abdomen and the feet for this reason. While simply touching them does not increase chances of going into labour, pressure and massage techniques most definitely can.
Labour
If your due date is near only then try acupressure. It is said that the effect of acupressure takes 1-2 days to set in. Post this, if correctly done, almost always, labour contractions begin.
Alone
Even if you are doing it to make the contractions begin, never try it alone. This form of massage requires special knowledge on which points to massage and if at all doing so is safe during your pregnancy or not.
Last Trimester
Even if you are suffering from back pains, avoid it in your last trimester. After all you would not want labour to begin before your baby is fully developed inside.
Instead use the below methods to alleviate your back pain during pregnancy.
- Prenatal yoga
- Pelvic tilts (get down on your hands and knees. Contract your abdominal muscles and rotate your pelvis)
- Gentle water exercises
- Acupuncture (where needles are inserted into the pain points)
- Chiropractic pain relief (where an expert uses her hands to adjust the misaligned joints
- Pillows to support your back when you are working for long hours or even lying down
- Maternity support belts
