If you are approaching or past your due date, you may be wondering if my due time treatment can encourage or induce labour. Whilst I see some massage therapists offering an ‘induction massage’ or ‘natural induction’, I choose not to make those claims, read on to find out more….
The In Touch due time treatment involves a wonderful top to toe pregnancy massage, acupressure and aromatherapy. Let’s unpick each element to see what we know about the effect on labour….
Massage
There is no scientific evidence that says massage can induce labour. Simple.
Where massage is proven to be effective, is in easing muscle aches and tightness and boosting levels of feel good hormones. The due time treatment includes a full body massage, with a particular emphasis on releasing any tension around the lower back, hamstrings and glutes. This can help to improve your mobility and therefore help both you and your baby to achieve optimal positions for birth.
Additionally, a relaxing massage can stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, which releases the ‘feel good’ hormones, like seratonin, dopamine and oxytocin, whilst reducing stress hormones. High levels of stress hormones have the potential to slow or stop labour completely, so reducing those levels can help to send signals to your body that you are safe, and ready to welcome a baby soon.
For lots of birthing people, a massage during labour is fantastic for helping you through. After my due time treatments, I will leave you with some written information about useful massage techniques for labour to share with your birth partner. If your birth partner is around after your massage, I’m more than happy to chat through and demonstrate the techniques that will help.
Acupressure
Acupressure works on the same points as acupuncture, only using pressure from a finger or thumb, rather than a needle. Acupressure is steeped in ancient practice and traditional knowledge. People have believed for a long time that certain acupressure points can help to ripen the cervix, bring on labour and help to ease labour pain. Whilst you will find lots of anecdotal evidence about how helpful acupressure is for encouraging labour, there isn’t much scientific research evidence to back this up.
Results from clinical trials suggest that using acupressure may reduce the length of labour particularly in the first stage, and is useful for easing labour pain, however, there is not enough good quality scientific evidence to say that acupressure can induce labour.
Again, following your due time massage, I will take some time to show you various acupressure points so you can continue to stimulate these at home and use them during your labour and birth.
Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils for therapeutic purposes. I LOVE aromatherapy, personally I find using essential oils very powerful and they can really have an impact on how I’m feeling.
There is a lot of research supporting the use of aromatherapy during labour. People using aromatherapy during labour tend to need less other pain relief and have shorter labours. Even inhaling essential oils can increase oxytocin levels, which can help you to feel good. Small studies suggest that clary sage essential oil can encourage contractions, however, once again, there is no substantial body of scientific evidence saying that aromatherapy can bring on labour.
I am trained specifically in essential oils for pregnancy and childbirth. For the due time massage I will make you an aromatherapy blend tailored to you, any left over oil will be bottled up and labelled for you to continue using at home. You may want use this daily as part of your birth preparation, rub it into your bump and take a few moments to visualise the little person growing inside. You could also pop a few drops on your hands to inhale the smell during labour, or ask your birth partner to use it for massage.
At the end of the day…
Most complementary and alternative medicines claiming to be used for induction of labour are done so on the basis of traditional knowledge, rather than scientific research findings (why would you need research, everyone knows it feels good and it works right?). Scientific research has been playing ‘catch up’ with this traditional knowledge, and so far, the research that has been conducted offers conflicting findings and is varied in quality. So, as someone who strives to work on evidence based practice, it is not possible to say for sure that massage, acupressure or aromatherapy can induce labour. Which is why I will not make those claims.
However, a number of studies found that labour was shorter, with less pain relief required when using acupressure and aromatherapy. When you book a due time treatment with me, not only will you get a wonderfully relaxing experience, you will also be given tools to continue using after I have left, which I hope will support you during your birth.
Being at home for your due time treatment means that you can continue to feel the benefits after I leave, it’s not you heading out into the hustle and bustle, its me. You can stay at home, with the smell of essential oils wafting through the house, oxytocin flowing through your veins, cocooned in your safe space, your body relaxed, providing the optimal conditions for your labour to start when it is ready…..
As always, if you have any questions about your mobile pregnancy massage in Norwich, Norfolk Broadland or South Norfolk, then please get in touch or book a FREE initial consultation to chat some more.
