Signs for the midwife to check in stage 1
The hand, between the thumb and finger
Put your fingers into her palms and your thumbs on the
outsides of the hands. Rub your thumbs in small circles.
This is also a good place to press to help a woman in
labor feel less pain.
The foot, near the big toe
If the first 2 methods (the leg above the ankle and the hand)
do not work after about 5 or 10 minutes, or if the mother is
especially tense or angry, try putting pressure near the big
toe. Rub your thumb in small circles. Do not use this point
if the mother is bleeding.
These are some other spots that sometimes work:
Between the eyes
Gently stroke upwards on the forehead,
especially if the mother is very tense.
The top of the shoulders
Press hard for about half a minute (or count to 30).
Stop for 2 or 3 minutes and then press again.
Keep trying like this for a while.
This point is also good to press after the birth if
the mother has a breast infection.
Below the ankle bone
Press this point to bring down a
baby who is very high in the pelvis.
The bottom of the foot
If nothing else works, press in here, very hard.
This point can help a woman who is very afraid.
Watch the labor closely. If acupressure massage is going
to work, you will usually see contractions start or get
stronger within the first 10 minutes. If it does not work right away, the woman
should walk around a little and you can try again. As long as acupressure is
helping the labor, keep doing it until the labor stays strong on its own. This may
be a few minutes or a few hours.
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A Book for Midwives (2010)