Can someone talk to me about acupuncture?

[ICompletelyKnowAboutGuineaPigs]

I have been contracting on and off since last Thursday - have done stretches of 2-3 hours with contractions 2-3 mins apart and then they stop/slow down. Have heard that acupuncture can help 'tip' you into labour if you're favourable but not tried it before.

This is baby 3 - had one induction at 42 weeks and one ELCS at 39 weeks for unstable lie with polyhydramnios. Not experienced spontaneous labour before... Really want this baby to come naturally and am bored of being in no-man's land now!

No knowledge whatsoever but wishing you good luck and a speedy result!!

how far along are you? For acupuncture to work you need at least 3 sessions, you probably want to go once a week, although closer intervals may be possible but a specialist should advise. So if you are pass 39 weeks it is probably too late, ideally you want to start at 38 weeks at the latest, at 37 weeks would be even better. I did acupuncture with my first DC starting at 38 weeks because I had no symptoms of going into labour at all. I was in labour on my 3rd session with was at 41 weeks, I believe that if not for acupuncture I would of had an induction but there is no way to prove this of course. I did have tightenings during my sessions. Good luck, I think acupuncture really works but you have to built up the effect with the sessions.

I had weekly pre-labour acupuncture, but then a separate acupuncture induction which was much stronger. It didn't work, but then I don't think I was favourable at that stage. It would certainly be worth a try if you can find someone local to you that could do it.