There are 3 points women may use to help stimulate their contractions, if the waters have broken. Most practitioners will recommend starting with the ankle and hand points, until the contractions start, then moving onto the buttock point to intensify the contractions. Check with your practitioner.
Ankle point
Hand point
Buttock point
Ankle point (SP 6)
The ankle point is usually found by measuring four of the woman's finger widths above the high point of her inside anklebone, just behind the border of the tibia bone in the lower leg. It is usually recommended that this point is not be used before labour.
The person applying pressure will usually use their index finger (or thumb) for about a minute, on both legs at a time. Pressure time is often interspersed with a rest of 3-4 minutes, before repeating (sometimes several times if the women is slow to respond). Some women find this point to be very tender and will 'breathe through' the pressure time (practice for when the contractions strengthen). Once the contractions start, most practitioners will recommend not stimulating the ankle point further, moving onto the hand or buttock point, unless the labour stops and the contractions need to be stimulated again.
Image 4-13 shows the exact position of the ankle point.
Image 4-14 shows pressure being applied to the ankle point.
Hand point (LI 4)
The hand point is aimed at 'letting go' both physically and emotionally, and is believed to have a direct effect on the cervix allowing it to soften, thin out and open with contractions.
The hand point may be located by bringing the index finger and thumb together to form a crease. The point is on the topside of the hand, at the end of the crease, on the high point of the muscle. The person will apply pressure with their thumb (as shown), at different times throughout the day to stimulate contractions if they have not yet started, are irregular or not very strong.