Acupressure in the Third Trimester: Safe Points for Weeks 28–40

This site may earn a commission from purchases made through links on this page, at no extra cost to you.

⛔ FORBIDDEN POINTS — Do Not Use During Pregnancy

The following acupressure points are contraindicated throughout pregnancy because they strongly stimulate uterine contractions. They are used intentionally to induce labour at term — which means they can trigger premature labour if used earlier. Avoid them completely until your baby is born:

SP6 / Sanyinjiao — inner leg, three finger-widths above the inner ankle bone. One of the strongest labour-stimulating points.
LI4 / Hegu — back of hand, in the webbing between thumb and index finger. Descends and moves downward — strongly contraindicated.
LR3 / Taichong — top of foot, in the webbing between big toe and second toe. Moving downward energy.
GB21 / Jianjing — top of shoulder, midpoint between neck and shoulder tip. Descends strongly — even shoulder massage near this area should be avoided.
BL60 / Kunlun — behind the outer ankle, between the ankle bone and Achilles tendon.
BL67 / Zhiyin — outer corner of the little toenail. Used specifically to turn breech babies and stimulate contractions.

If someone — even a well-meaning massage therapist or partner — touches these points with pressure during pregnancy, stop them. These are not theoretical concerns.

The third trimester begins at week 28. By this point, your uterus sits high in the abdomen, your centre of gravity has shifted significantly forward, and the growing baby creates consistent pressure on surrounding structures — the lumbar spine, the sciatic nerve, the digestive tract, and the diaphragm. Most of the discomforts of late pregnancy are mechanical and positional rather than medical problems, which is exactly the territory where acupressure can help without risk.

Canadian midwifery care typically includes guidance on acupressure for comfort during the third trimester. If you're under midwifery care — as roughly 20% of birthing Canadians are — your midwife can point you to resources or demonstrate safe points. If you're under OB care at a hospital, your prenatal education class often covers basic comfort measures. Acupressure fits into both frameworks.

Positioning First: A Non-Negotiable Baseline

Before applying any acupressure in the third trimester, position matters as much as the points themselves. After week 20, lying flat on your back (supine) compresses the inferior vena cava — the large vein that returns blood to your heart — under the weight of the uterus. This can reduce blood flow to the baby and cause dizziness, nausea, and drops in blood pressure for you.

The safe position for lying-down acupressure: Left side lying, with a pillow between your knees. The left lateral position keeps the uterus off the vena cava. If this position isn't accessible for a given point, seated upright (in a supportive chair or on a birth ball) works for most limb points. The points described below are all reachable from these positions.

Avoid supine positioning entirely after week 28 for anything more than brief moments (rolling over, medical examination). This includes acupressure — do not apply any points lying on your back in the third trimester.

Safe Points for Third Trimester Discomforts

BL40 / Weizhong — Lower Back and Sciatic Pain

Location: The centre of the back of the knee — in the hollow exactly behind the kneecap crease. This is a "remote" point for the lower back, meaning it treats the back without requiring any pressure directly on the lumbar spine.

What it does: BL40 is on the Bladder meridian, which runs the entire length of the back from the head down through the buttocks and posterior leg. Pressing this point — particularly with the knee slightly bent — releases tension through the entire posterior chain. It's especially effective for the broad, diffuse lower back ache that develops in the third trimester as the lumbar curve increases. It also addresses sciatic-type pain that radiates from the buttock into the back of the thigh.

Technique: Seated on a chair with your knee bent to about 90 degrees. Reach behind the knee and apply firm thumb pressure directly into the central hollow. You'll likely feel a deep, spreading ache radiating down toward the calf — that's the right sensation. Hold 60–90 seconds. Repeat on both sides if bilateral back pain. Do not apply pressure if there is significant varicosity (varicose veins) behind the knee.

Safety: Fully safe throughout third trimester. No contraindications in pregnancy at this location.

BL54 / Zhibian — Sciatic and Piriformis Pain

Location: On the buttock, lateral to the sacrum at the level of the fourth sacral foramen — approximately in the middle of the gluteal mass, between the sacrum and the hip joint. In practical terms: find the dimple of the buttock, move slightly toward the centre and press into the deep muscle.

What it does: BL54 is one of the most effective local points for piriformis-related sciatic pain. In late pregnancy, the growing uterus and shifting pelvis can place the sciatic nerve under compression — piriformis syndrome is common, where the piriformis muscle in the buttock tightens and impinges on the nerve. BL54 is safe at this location (it's on the buttock, not on the sacrum/lower back where stronger Bladder points are located). It relaxes the deep gluteal muscles and relieves the radiating leg pain that many women experience from week 30 onwards.

Technique: Best applied by a partner while you are lying on your side. The partner applies firm elbow or knuckle pressure into the mid-gluteal area (BL54) while you breathe deeply. Hold 60–90 seconds. You can also do this yourself by sitting on a tennis ball positioned at the right spot. 1–2 minutes each side.

PC6 / Neiguan — Heartburn and Rib Discomfort

Location: Inner wrist, three finger-widths up from the wrist crease, between the two central tendons. This is the same point used for morning sickness earlier in pregnancy — see the morning sickness guide for detailed location instructions.

What it does: PC6 calms the stomach and the Pericardium meridian — it reduces upward-rising digestive symptoms. In the third trimester, the uterus pushes the stomach upward, compressing it against the diaphragm and creating constant acid reflux and heartburn. PC6 provides meaningful relief without the drowsiness of some antacids. It also helps with the anxiety and sleep disruption that often accompany late pregnancy discomfort.

Technique: Press firmly between the tendons, 60–90 seconds per wrist, up to 4 times per day. Wearing Sea-Band wristbands (available at Shoppers Drug Mart, $15–25 CAD) provides continuous low-level stimulation throughout the day. These are safe and widely recommended in pregnancy.

For rib pain: The lateral rib discomfort from baby's feet or position responds less well to acupressure and more to positional changes (leaning to the opposite side, raising the arm above the head). Use PC6 for the accompanying heartburn and use positioning for the rib pressure itself.

HT7 / Shenmen — Sleep and Anxiety

Location: On the inner wrist, at the ulnar (little finger) side of the wrist crease, in the small hollow at the base of the wrist. When you flex your wrist, you'll find a small bony bump (pisiform bone) — HT7 is just at the radial edge of that bone, at the crease.

What it does: HT7 calms the mind and supports sleep. Poor sleep in the third trimester has multiple causes: frequent urination, back pain, restless legs, anxiety about birth. HT7 — the "spirit gate" — quiets racing thoughts and reduces nighttime alertness. It is one of the safest points in pregnancy, with no contraindications at any stage.

Technique: Hold for 60–90 seconds on each wrist, pressing gently into the hollow. Apply during your pre-sleep routine, or at 2–3 AM when you wake for bathroom trips and then can't fall back asleep. Combine with the Yintang point below for a more complete calming effect.

Yintang — Sleep and Anxiety

Location: The midpoint between the eyebrows — directly on the brow bridge, in the small hollow between the inner ends of both eyebrows. Sometimes called the "third eye" point.

What it does: Yintang is a calming, sedating point with no contraindications in pregnancy. It works on the Governing Vessel (DU20 area) and strongly settles mental agitation. Research on acupressure at Yintang for anxiety shows consistent effects — it activates parasympathetic responses measurable within minutes. For late-pregnancy insomnia driven by anxious thinking, it's more reliable than HT7 alone.

Technique: Lying on your side, apply light pressure with one fingertip directly on the point. Very gentle — this does not require strong pressure. You can also hold the point lightly while breathing slowly. 1–2 minutes. Partners can apply this point to their pregnant person as part of a bedtime ritual.

SP9 / Yinlingquan — Ankle and Leg Swelling (With Guidance)

Location: On the inner leg, in the depression below the inner side of the knee — just at the curve where the tibia bends inward below the knee joint. When you run your thumb up the inner shin from the ankle, it stops naturally at this hollow.

⚠️ Use SP9 Only With Midwife or Practitioner Guidance
SP9 is generally considered safe in pregnancy, but some practitioners are cautious about strong stimulation of the inner leg in late pregnancy due to proximity to SP6 (the forbidden point, three finger-widths above the ankle) and the general sensitivity of Spleen/Kidney meridians at this stage. Gentle, brief contact for fluid drainage purposes is likely fine — but confirm this with your midwife before making SP9 a regular practice.

What it does: SP9 is the primary point for fluid metabolism and swelling in TCM. It drains "damp" from the lower body — practically, this means it improves lymphatic and venous fluid return from the legs. Third-trimester ankle and calf swelling (dependent oedema) is extremely common and usually benign, but deeply uncomfortable. SP9 at gentle pressure can provide some relief, particularly when combined with elevation and walking.

Technique (if cleared by midwife): Seated, apply moderate pressure with the thumb into the hollow below the inner knee. 30–60 seconds per side. Not more than twice daily.

What Doesn't Work Well With Acupressure in Late Pregnancy

Rib pain from baby position, pelvic girdle pain (SPD/PGP), and round ligament pain all have structural causes that acupressure cannot meaningfully address. For SPD, a pregnancy support belt and physiotherapy referral through your provincial health system are far more effective. Most provinces have physiotherapy available for pregnant patients through their prenatal care pathway.

Leg cramps at night — extremely common in the third trimester — respond better to magnesium supplementation (250–350mg elemental magnesium before bed) and stretching than to acupressure. ST36 and SP6 are often cited for leg cramps, but SP6 is forbidden, and ST36 alone is not particularly specific for this symptom.

Putting It Together: A Daily Practice

Third-trimester acupressure is most useful as a daily or twice-daily 10-minute practice rather than long sessions. A practical sequence:

Morning (seated): PC6 × 90 seconds each side for heartburn. HT7 × 60 seconds for overall calm. BL40 × 60 seconds each side if lower back was stiff overnight.
Evening (side-lying, with partner): BL54 × 90 seconds each buttock for sciatic pain. Yintang × 90 seconds for sleep preparation.
As needed: PC6 immediately after meals for heartburn. BL40 during back pain flare-ups.

When to Stop and Contact Your Midwife or OB

Acupressure in the third trimester is safe when confined to the points above — but there are situations where you should stop and seek medical attention:

You experience regular tightening sensations (possible contractions) following or during a session — stop immediately and monitor. If contractions continue or are regular, call your midwife.
Any point application causes sharp, sudden pain rather than the expected aching pressure sensation.
Ankle swelling is sudden, severe, or accompanied by headache and vision changes — this can indicate preeclampsia and requires immediate assessment. Call 811 (provincial nursing line in most provinces) or go to labour and delivery.
You notice decreased fetal movement — this is unrelated to acupressure but is always an indication to call your care provider immediately.
You are in a high-risk pregnancy (multiple gestation, placenta previa, incompetent cervix, history of preterm labour) — consult your midwife or OB before using any acupressure beyond PC6 and HT7.

Canadian Healthcare Context

Registered acupuncturists (R.Ac.) are regulated in BC, Alberta, Ontario, and Quebec. A session with an R.Ac. experienced in obstetric acupuncture during the third trimester can cover all of these points in a clinical setting. Sessions run $80–$120 CAD, and extended health benefits through employers often cover a portion. If you have a midwife, ask them for a referral — many have working relationships with acupuncturists in their community.

For acupressure you do yourself, the main reference for safe pregnancy points in Canada is often your midwife or a prenatal yoga instructor certified in pregnancy bodywork. Some provinces also offer prenatal classes that include basic acupressure instruction.

Medical disclaimer: The points listed in the forbidden box at the top of this page are contraindicated throughout pregnancy and must not be used. The safe points described in this article are appropriate for low-risk pregnancies with singleton babies. If you have a high-risk pregnancy, placenta previa, a history of preterm labour, or any active pregnancy complication, consult your midwife or obstetrician before using acupressure. This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always report changes in fetal movement, regular contractions before 37 weeks, or signs of preeclampsia to your care team immediately.