Australian midwives are latching on to the ancient Chinese technique of acupressure to assist women through pregnancy, birth and postnatally. Sydney’s Red Tent Health Centre this year launched Acubirth midwifery courses, accredited by the Australian College of Midwives, in the acupressure technique. Centre co-director and acupuncturist Rebecca Mar Young said about 150 midwives participated in the courses this year.
Ms Mar Young said acupressure was a safe, natural and effective technique that required no other tools than the midwives’ hands. “It puts the power back to the woman and the midwives love this,” she said.
“It's something they can do for their women so easily and when they can't do it, they can teach the husbands, doulas, mothers or friends what to do. “It makes everyone feel more supported and connected.”
The natural technique is designed to help women cope with fear and anxiety in the lead up to labour, manage pain naturally regardless of the birth process and encourage a posterior baby move into the ultimate birth position.
Ms Mar Young, who has a Bachelor of Health Science in traditional Chinese medicine and has completed post graduate study in obstetric, paediatric and Japanese acupuncture, said acupressure was a pressured touch to help relieve pain.
“There is a point on the bladder meridian (energy channel) that's called BL-32,” she said. “It falls over the second sacral foramen and when you press it during a contraction, it greatly helps to relieve the pain a woman feels. “It helps to block the pain pathways going back to the brain and makes it all a whole lot more bearable.
“Another example is on the spleen meridian, SP-6; pressing this point will help improve the regularity of contractions and their strength, which is very helpful when labour slows down on the way to the hospital, for example.”