Natural Induction. How's That for an Oxymoron?

A week past our due date, and I've decided to up the ante on helping this labor progress. I just came back from my first-ever appointment with an acupuncturist...

I left yesterday's doctors appointment with good and less good news. Good news: The Non-Stress Test showed that all is well at 41 weeks. When the baby moves, her heart rate accelerates. They hooked me up to monitors for half an hour and considered her heart rate acceleration a good enough reason to let us go another week. They did not check how much amniotic fluid is left or anything else.

Less good news: I'm still 2 cm dilated. I found this surprising, seeing as I was 1.5 almost a month ago, but it goes to show that pregnancy and labor are some of the most unpredictable things in the world!

So, if things don't get going on their own, we'll have another NST on Monday, an appointment on Wednesday and a scheduled induction sometime shortly after; and since I'm not feeling comfortable about going past 42 weeks, I'm okay with. But still, I'm hoping this is not going to come down to a Pitocin induction.

As I've mentioned before, we have been trying many "natural induction techniques" in the last month/week:
 - membrane sweep by doctor (twice)
 - acupressure
 - sex
 - nipple stimulation
 - long, long walks
 - the less reliable spicy food and pineapple eating
 - red raspberry leaf tea (though now knowing all its benefits, I will continue to drink this always)
 - certain yoga postures
 
Today, it was time for more drastic measures. Acupuncturist Caroline Yoo specializes in helping to induce labor; I saw her this afternoon and she inserted about 30 acupuncture needles in my body. Two in each wrist, my lower back, neck, ankles, under my belly. To be honest, I was so relaxed I have no idea where exactly the needles were placed.

There were a couple times where it pinched, but I told her and she adjusted it so I felt nothing at all. She asked a lot of questions about my health and seemed to actually want to know my history. After one hour together, she knows a hell of a lot more than my OBGYN does!

Before I left, Caroline gave me the option of inserting two more needles for the road. So, in my lower back, there are currently two needles in my skin, taped into place. I don't feel a thing and can keep them there for up to 24 hours.

I have read that acupuncture can be effective in starting labor in as early as six hours. I have also read that it doesn't work at all.

I figured it was worth a shot, but I know that unless the body is really ready, all induction techniques will fail. Whether it's sex, food, acupuncture or even induction at the hospital, the body will do what it wants to do.