Pregnancy

 

Pregnancy is a time in which support and care for your well-being is more important than ever. Expectant mothers experience significant physical and emotional changes. Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) meet these unique challenges, ensuring optimal health for you and your baby in a safe and natural way, free of harmful medications.

 

Acupuncture can help with these issues that can arise during pregnancy:

  • Back pain and sciatica

  • Breech birth

  • Constipation

  • Edema

  • Excessive lactation

  • Fatigue

  • Heartburn

  • Hemorrhoids

  • Insufficient lactation

  • Labor and delivery pain

  • Mastitis

  • Morning sickness

  • Physical problems

  • Postoperative healing

  • Postpartum discharge

  • Psychological problems

 

What to expect

Acupuncture has been used in China to regulate the female reproductive system for thousands of years. Acupuncture and TCM are built on the foundation that Qi (pronounced “chee”), or vital energy, travels freely in the body through meridians. Practitioners of acupuncture and TCM balance Qi in the body’s meridian and organ systems by focusing on corresponding body points.

Regular weekly and/or monthly treatments are recommended for a healthy pregnancy. However, your practitioner will plan your treatment entirely for your needs and make suggestions based on unique symptoms and concerns.

It’s important to choose a practitioner experienced in prenatal acupuncture because some acupuncture points should not be used during pregnancy. You should discuss any other treatments or herbal supplements with all of your prenatal health care providers.

 

Relief for common concerns

Regular treatments throughout your pregnancy can balance and enhance your health This can prevent complications and positively influence your baby’s development. Many expectant mothers encounter symptoms such as anxiety, back pain, heartburn, nausea and fatigue, as a result of the numerous new demands placed on their bodies. Acupuncture has been shown to relieve these symptoms.

Acupuncture supports your health during pregnancy by providing relief for these symptoms in each trimester:

  • First trimester – Helps with the foundation created for a healthy pregnancy and alleviates morning sickness, vomiting, headaches and fatigue.

  • Second trimester – Offers relief from common complaints like stress, heartburn, hemorrhoids, sleep problems,  elevated blood pressure, edema and weight gain.

  • Third trimester – Prepares the body for labor and delivery and helps alleviate joint, hip and back pain as well as sciatica.

Morning sickness is often alleviated by acupuncture. Your practitioner can show you specific massage points that you can use at home to regain your appetite. Recent studies show promising results from using acupuncture to treat depression during and after pregnancy.

Breech babies and other issues

Acupuncture has treated serious pregnancy issues. Specific acupuncture points and techniques are effective at turning breech babies (those positioned feet first). Some studies concluded that acupuncture is useful when babies have gotten themselves in a difficult position. It is a relatively simple, effective and inexpensive method for breech birth presentation. Treatment includes moxibustion, or the application of heat from burning the herb mugwort at a point on the toes. The treatment has no adverse side effects.

Acupuncture can also be used to induce labor, if it is past your due date, through more gentle means than traditional Western labor-inducing treatments. Acupuncture and acupressure can be used to control pain, reduce stress and calm the mind during delivery.

After delivery

Recovery is important after childbirth. Acupuncture helps you heal and regain your strength, rebalance your energy, boost your body’s defenses and deal with concerns such as fatigue, and postpartum depression.

Acupuncture and TCM provide a safe way to nurture and take care of f your health, and your baby’s health, throughout your pregnancy and after. If you are pregnant or thinking of having a baby, contact TOTEM Acupuncture today!

References:

1 Acupuncture Conversion of Fetal Breech Presentation. D. Habek, et. al. Fetal Diagn Ther 2003;18:418-421

Non-Stress Test Changes During Acupuncture Plus Moxibustion on BL67 Point in Breech Presentation. I. Neri, PhD., et al. Journal of the Society for Gynecologic Investigation, Vol. 9, No. 3, 158-162 (2002)

Acupuncture during IVF improves pregnancy chances.Link

Research Articles on Acupuncture and Pregnancy.Link

 
 
RuthAnn Rafiq