acupuncture for Pregnancy & Postpartum
pregnancy
Acupuncture during pregnancy is been proved to help alleviate pain, symptoms, discomfort during this special time women go through. Dr. Tai have seen and treat many women with the following :
Morning Sickness
Hyperemesis Gravidarum
Fatigue
Lower Back Pain
Threatened Miscarriage
Edema & Swelling
Constipation
Anxiety
Heartburn & Acid Reflux
Insomnia
Cough & Cold
Migraine & Headache
Carpal Tunnel
There is a n old saying in Chiniese Medicine, “TREAT THE MOTHER, TREAT THE CHILD”which is to suggest that what is beneficial for the mom, is also beneficial for the baby. Because, acupuncture can promote relaxation by lowering blood pressure, mitigating the release of stress hormones, and promoting healthy circulation in mothers, the same can also benefit the baby. Any good habit you adapt into your lifestyle, like sleeping, exercising, eating nutrient dense foods or getting acupuncture, is just as good for the child as it is for the mother!
Breech Presentation
When a baby is breech it can lead to much anxiety in a pregnant women as it often ends on a necessary C-section unless baby moves to the ideal position. Moxibustion is a popular form of increasing the body’s natural flow of energy at a certain point. Administering Moxa opens up the uterus to make more room for the breech baby to turn. This helps to increase fetal movement, and the effect of gravity will encourage the heaviest part of the baby, the head, to enter the pelvis as it shifts its position. While only the baby can move the baby, moxibustion set an optimal environment for such a movement to occur. This treatment is most effective if administered around the 34th week of gestation.
Labor Preparation
Acupuncture treatments are very effective at preparing a woman’s body for labor and help to make the process shorter and smoother. It works to help relax the sinews through softening and ripening the cervix while encouraging the baby to begin to descend into an optimal position. It helps to balance the woman’s body and reduce stress hormones that may slow labor initiation.
ACUPUNCTURE FOR POSTPARTUM
I believe acupuncture can be a wonderful addition to any new or expecting mother’s self-care routine.
Acupuncture helps manage several symptoms, but the most common are: anxiety; depression; OCD/ruminative thinking; PTSD; panic disorders and general stress.
Depending on which body points are targeted and where the needles are inserted, acupuncture can,
cause the nervous system to produce painkilling chemicals, or neurotransmitters;
jump-start the body’s natural ability to heal itself by resetting the nervous system from its fight or flight activation to rest and digest setting;
and/or stimulate the part of the brain that releases feel-good hormones and controls emotions, including depression and anxiety.
Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine can be an invaluable part of post-labor recovery, helping with lactation promotion; stress management; pain relief; promotion of healthy digestion; improved quality of sleep; addiction, and withdrawal side effects; general immunity, including seasonal allergies; skin issues, in both mother and child; healing of tissues (incision/tearing), post-surgical and wound recovery; improving blood production; and recalibrating hormones as the body transitions from pregnancy through labor and delivery.
Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine can also be extremely essential in: the 1st year postpartum by… reducing anxiety, helping promote calm and positive moods; improving the quality of sleep; supporting healthy thyroid & pituitary function to balance hormones; promoting a healthy appetite and digestion; easing body aches and muscle spasms, before they become chronic pain patterns (like the nursing hunch and the “baby back” low back pain); and reducing overall stress.
DO YOU INDIVIDUALLY TREAT WOMEN DEPENDING ON THEIR SYMPTOMS?
Yes, each treatment is tailored to the unique presentation and current needs of the individual on that day, at that moment. At the same time, there is also similarity in treatments and point selection across the same health concern or condition.
IF I AM NOT EXPERIENCING A PMAD, SHOULD I STILL RECEIVE ACUPUNCTURE TO HELP ADDRESS ANY SYMPTOMS?
Absolutely! Acupuncture is one facet of medical based prevention methods! Supporting the body’s hormones to stay in balance, maintaining healthy blood pressure and appropriately responding to stress, will help prevent any myriad conditions.