Acupressure Points to Induce Labor Naturally: An East Bay Acupuncturist's Step-by-Step Guide

You are 40, 41, possibly 41+ weeks pregnant. Your provider — at Alta Bates Summit, Kaiser Oakland, UCSF, Sutter, or with an East Bay home-birth midwife — has started talking about a medical induction. You'd like to give your body a real chance first.

This is the protocol I walk through in the video below. It is the same set of four points I teach to clients in Berkeley and Oakland in the 39th and 40th weeks of pregnancy: where they are, how to press them, how often, and the situations in which you absolutely should not.

Read This Before You Watch

These four points are powerful. Three of them are explicitly contraindicated earlier in pregnancy because they move qi downward and stimulate contractions. Do not press these points before 39 completed weeks. Do not press them if you have placenta previa, vasa previa, a prior classical cesarean, an unstable lie, decreased fetal movement, ruptured membranes without contractions, or any condition for which your provider has advised against spontaneous labor.

Tell your midwife or OB you are doing this. They will not be surprised — acupressure for cervical ripening is well-documented in the obstetric literature, and most East Bay providers I work with welcome the conversation.

Watch: Acupressure Points to Induce Labor

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rHHVPf8Qjo

Video by Bronwyn Ayla, L.Ac. — California-licensed acupuncturist, Berkeley, CA.

The Four Points

1. Large Intestine 4 (LI4 / Hegu)

Location: the back of the hand, in the webbing between the thumb and index finger. Pinch the webbing — the sore spot is the point.

Technique: squeeze the webbing firmly between thumb and index finger, angling pressure toward the second metacarpal bone. Hold for 1 minute, release for 1 minute, repeat 3–5 times. Then switch hands.

Why it works: LI4 is the master point for moving qi downward. Pair it with SP6 (next) for the strongest induction effect.

2. Spleen 6 (SP6 / Sanyinjiao)

Location: on the inner leg, four finger-widths above the prominent ankle bone (medial malleolus), just behind the back edge of the tibia. Press in until you feel a deep, slightly electric ache — that is the point.

Technique: press firmly with the thumb for 1 minute, release for 1 minute, repeat 3–5 times per leg. Then move to LI4.

Why it works: SP6 is the meeting point of the three lower yin meridians (kidney, liver, spleen). It softens the cervix and is the single most-cited acupuncture point in cervical-ripening studies.

3. Bladder 32 (BL32 / Ciliao)

Location: the second sacral foramen — the small dimples on either side of the sacrum, about an inch out from the midline.

Technique: partner uses both thumbs to press firmly into the sacral dimples for 1 minute on, 1 minute off, repeating for 5–10 cycles. Pressure should be firm enough to feel a steady ache.

Why it works: BL32 sits directly above the uterosacral ligaments and the nerve roots that supply the cervix. Stimulation at this site is associated with cervical change.

4. Bladder 60 (BL60 / Kunlun)

Location: the outer ankle, in the depression between the prominence of the lateral malleolus and the Achilles tendon.

Technique: press firmly with the thumb on both ankles. Hold 1 minute on, 1 minute off, for 5 cycles per side.

Why it works: BL60 helps the baby descend into the pelvis. It is most useful when contractions have started but the baby is not engaging.

The Practical Protocol

Most useful when done in this sequence:

1. BL32 (sacrum) — 10 minutes

2. SP6 (inner leg) — 10 minutes per side

3. LI4 (hand webbing) — 10 minutes per side

4. BL60 (outer ankle) — 5 minutes per side

Repeat the full circuit two or three times a day. Walk between rounds. Stay hydrated. Eat dates if you tolerate them — six dates a day from 36 weeks has its own evidence base for cervical ripening.

If contractions begin, stop the acupressure and let your body run the labor. You can return to the points if labor stalls.

Will This Actually Start Labor?

Acupressure works best when your body is already close to labor — when the cervix is soft, the baby is well-engaged, and you are at or past your due date. In that situation it can be the nudge that tips you over. If you are 39 weeks but the cervix is firm and posterior and the baby is high, a single afternoon of acupressure is unlikely to do much. This is part of why most clients pair the acupressure with weekly pre-birth acupuncture starting at 36 weeks — by 40 or 41 weeks, the cervix is much more responsive.

It is also worth knowing what the research suggests. Multiple studies — including a Cochrane review — show that acupuncture and acupressure as cervical-ripening interventions reduce the need for medical induction and shorten the time from intervention to active labor. They are not magic. They are measured tools.

If You Are Past Your Due Date in the East Bay

If you are working with an OB at Alta Bates, Sutter Berkeley, Kaiser Oakland, or UCSF, your provider will typically begin offering medical induction at 41 weeks and strongly recommend it by 41+3. You have time before that conversation gets urgent. Use it.

In Berkeley and Oakland, weekly pre-birth acupuncture from 36 weeks combined with daily acupressure from 39 weeks is the standard recommendation I give clients who want to maximize their odds of spontaneous labor. Most begin contractions within their own bodies' window — many before any medical intervention is needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long before acupressure works?

If your body is ready, you may notice cervical change, mucus plug release, or contractions within 12 to 48 hours. If your body is not yet ready, no amount of pressing will force the issue. This is a feature, not a bug.

Is it safer than a medical induction?

"Safer" is the wrong frame. Acupressure is a non-pharmaceutical first step. Medical induction is a powerful, important option that has saved countless lives. The two are not in opposition. Many clients use acupressure to encourage labor, then move into medical induction if it has not begun by their provider's deadline. There is no penalty for trying both, in that order.

Can my partner do these points?

Yes — BL32 in particular requires a partner. The hand and leg points you can do yourself. Practicing together for a week before the due date makes the partner confident and the points well-located.

I had a previous cesarean. Can I still use these?

If you are planning a VBAC and your provider has cleared you for spontaneous labor, yes — though the conversation with your midwife or OB matters more in this case than in any other. Bring it up at your next appointment. Do not start without their input.

Can I get acupuncture in person in Berkeley to do this for me?

Yes. Pre-birth acupuncture sessions at Holistic Medical Arts in Berkeley combine the cervical-ripening points above with constitutional treatment for whatever your particular pattern is — anxious, depleted, edema-heavy, holding tension, or simply tired. Most clients book weekly from 36 weeks. bronwynayla.com/treatments.

Important Safety Note

This article is educational and is not a substitute for medical care. Talk with your midwife, OB-GYN, or licensed acupuncturist before using any of these techniques, especially if you have a high-risk pregnancy, are managing gestational hypertension or diabetes, have placenta previa, or have been advised against vaginal birth. Stop immediately and contact your provider if you experience bleeding, decreased fetal movement, severe pain, or any symptom that concerns you.

---

Work With Bronwyn in Berkeley

Pre-birth acupuncture sessions starting at 36 weeks are some of the most-requested visits at the Berkeley clinic. They prepare the cervix, soften ligaments, calm the nervous system, and give your partner or doula a chance to learn these acupressure points in person — with hands-on coaching specific to your body.

Book a session at Holistic Medical Arts in Berkeley, serving clients from Berkeley, Oakland, Albany, El Cerrito, Richmond, and across the East Bay: bronwynayla.com/treatments.

About the Author

Bronwyn Ayla, L.Ac. is a California-licensed acupuncturist and primary care provider, Master of Science in Traditional Chinese Medicine, Reiki Master Teacher, and certified Rosen Method practitioner. She comes from a family lineage of midwives and has supported pregnancy, labor, and postpartum care in the East Bay for over twenty years from her Berkeley clinic, Holistic Medical Arts.