Vancouver Acupuncture & Pregnancy – A Natural Approach to Health Care
For thousands of years, Traditional Chinese Medicine has promoted focused care and treatment for pregnant women and women in post-partum recovery. Under normal circumstances, being pregnant will not cause a healthy woman any problems. However, if a woman does have any pre-existing conditions, being pregnant might cause those concerns to be accentuated. Chinese Medicine theory holds that pregnancy, childbirth and post-natal recovery are a window of opportunity – a good time to treat any persistent, stubborn health problems that don’t seem to respond to treatments at other times (like migraine headaches, or asthma, or arthritis). As well, if sufficient preventative and restorative care is not taken during this time, consequences may continue long after the birth and post-natal recovery period are over.
Acupuncture and Pregnancy – Supporting both Mom and Baby using Chinese Medicine
The first trimester is an important and precious time – miscarriages happen more during this time than at any other time during pregnancy. Chinese medicine can be used during the first trimester to promote the overall health and wellness of mom and baby. By improving the circulation throughout the body, essential nourishment is passed from mother to child. In addition, acupuncture and Chinese medicine can help reduce stress and help manage anxiety. These factors can help reduce the possibility of miscarriage, and is why weekly acupuncture treatments during your first trimester can be helpful.
Morning Sickness / Nausea and Chinese Medicine
Morning sickness, nausea, dry retching, or full-on vomiting can be extremely uncomfortable symptoms for some women who are pregnant. Chinese medicine can be very effective at reducing the severity and frequency of these complaints – a randomized control trial in Australia showed that women who were given acupuncture treatments according to their Chinese medicine diagnosis experienced significant relief from nausea and vomiting when compared to a control group.
Chinese Medicine for Pain during Pregnancy
As pregnancy advances, women frequently comment about their hip pain, back pain, sciatica, neck pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, or headaches. Chinese medicine can help provide relief for all of these conditions. A research study showed that when dealing with pubis symphysis pain or sacroiliac pain for a pregnant woman, acupuncture was the preferred treatment.
Acupuncture & Moxibustion for Breech and Posterior Babies
The preferred delivery position for a baby is head first, and facing backwards (occipito-anterior). Fetal positions which are more difficult for mom to deliver are breech (feet or bum first), shoulder or face presentation, or a posterior presentation (facing forwards). For hundreds of years, Traditional Chinese Medicine has used acupuncture & moxibustion (and to a lesser extent herbal medicine) to help correct abnormal fetal positions. Research from Italy has demonstrated that moxibustion can have a significant effect in helping to turn breech babies – the activity of the fetus increases, as does the secretion of corticoids which can help get baby into the right position. Treatment is best when given in gestational weeks 33-35, but can also be helpful even if used later in pregnancy.
Acupuncture and Labour Preparation / Cervical Ripening
Starting in gestational week 37, an acupuncture treatment program can be started to help prepare your pelvis and cervix for labour. Studies done by mid-wives in Germany and New Zealand showed that having weekly acupuncture treatments in the last month of pregnancy resulted in a more efficient active stage of labour, as well as a reduction in the number of interventions that were needed (such as medical induction or caesarian section). The goal of the treatments is to help soften tendons and ligaments (including the cervix), to optimize the circulation of blood, and to strengthen the energy of the body in preparation for delivery.
Using Acupuncture to Induce Labour
One of my personal favourite treatments to do is labour induction. Acupuncture can gently induce labour if your “due date” has come and gone, and can be an effective alternative to medical induction, such as the drug Pitocin. Research from 2006 found that when compared to a control group, those women that received acupuncture to induce labour were more likely to labour spontaneously and less likely to deliver by caesarian section.
Chinese Medicine and the Fourth Trimester – Post-Partum
In China, the post-partum period is called the “Golden Month”. It is a time when the new mother is to be taken care of – ensuring her complete recovery from any stresses of labour. Her only responsibilities during this time are breastfeeding, and staying warm and keeping rested. Taking care during this time ensures long-term recovery and health.
How your body, and indeed your mind, adjusts to this new lifestyle is influenced by your internal state of balance. Eat well (but not too rich, you are still delicate), rest lots, and stay warm. Acupuncture and Chinese medicine can help with any concerns which may come up in the post-partum period, such as insufficient lactation, post-partum pain or bleeding, wound healing, urinary incontinence, or post-partum mood disorders.
