Labour Support with Auricular Acupuncture
The entire body is mapped onto the ear.
“Thank you for your listening ear” a patient just said as she was leaving her appointment. So often, a great part of the therapeutic work I do involves listening.
And then there is the LABOURING EAR. The most effective point I have found in my practice for labour support and pain relief is on the ear. Known as auricular acupuncture, the entire body is mapped onto the ear and stimulating the ear can treat conditions all over the body.
In the case of labour, I have been told by patients that stimulation of a point on the ear cuts their labour pains in half. I have attended numberous births at which I set up a tiny needle in both the women’s ears. The needles are covered with adhesive tape (much like a bandaid). During contractions, one ear is pressed, with thumb on the needle, and counterpressure with the index finger on the back on the ear at the same level. Sometimes I stay for the labour. More often I teach the woman’s partner how to apply the pressure. I also have one patient that preferred pressing the point by herself.
On a couple occasions I have wondered if this pressure is making a significant difference and have decided to try a contraction without pressing. In both cases, the labouring women have called out, “ear, ear”. They did not want to withstand any contractions without this support.
This auricular stimulation does not interfere with the woman’s mobility or positioning and needles are easy to remove if they are not wanted.
In my experience, auricular acupuncture is a low cost, non-evasive, and miraculously effective support for labour.
