Acupuncture and Pregnancy
Did you know that we can use acupuncture to assist with many common complaints that occur in early pregnancy such as nausea, morning sickness, fatigue, reflux and sleep issues? It is safe to use acupuncture throughout your pregnancy and we use acupuncture and Chinese herbal Medicine to assist with miscarriage prevention, optimising your health and wellbeing, lowering stress levels, aiding anxiety and increasing energy.
What else can we assist you?
There is so much that Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine may assist with during your pregnancy journey. As well as all the above, Acupuncture and Chinese medicine can also assist you to have an expedient (quicker) labour and birth!
Women have been using Acupuncture for thousands of years to assist with nausea, vomiting, reflux and morning sickness during their early pregnancy. Acupuncture is highly sought out because it is effective, you don’t have to take anything, and it assists to rebalance the energy of the body. We also teach acupressure points so that you can go home and apply this knowledge to help you in between appointments and also manage the nausea / vomiting easily yourself Acupressure is applied for about 3-5 min and will aid with the severity of nausea and vomiting).
During the first 13 weeks we like to see you weekly, especially if you have a history of miscarriage, bleeding, cramps and fibroids. During these early days, we use acupuncture to assist with many common complaints such as anxiety, reflux, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite and fatigue. We use acupuncture to aid with reducing stress, optimizing your health and wellbeing and applying miscarriage prevention measures for miscarriage prevention.
During your second trimester – appointments tend to be about every 4-6 weeks if the pregnancy is going well. If you develop pain, pelvic instability, sleep issues, or you find that you are feeling emotional – we may need to see you a bit more frequently. However, if you are feeling amazing and nothing is wrong, every 4-6 weeks is generally recommended.
It is also important that you exercise during pregnancy to help you maintain your fitness for birth, but also to assist to keep you strong and moving.
Walking, prenatal yoga, Qi – gong, Tai Chi swimming and specialist fitness classes for pregnant women are all excellent forms of exercise.
I highly recommend Anita Guerra Fir for 2 pregnancy and post-natal classes.
Birth Preparation
30-34 weeks is a great time to check in with your Acupuncturist. From 30 weeks, we begin working with you for your birth preparation. It is now recommended that we see you about every 2 weeks and from 35 weeks on every week.
In these weeks we focus on improving your stamina (increasing energy, building up energy and blood) preparing for your birth. We also support you emotionally. We ais with reducing stress and improving digestion. We explain birth positions, optimal foetal positioning and much more to guide you through those weeks prior to your birth.
Studies have shown that women who have visited an acupuncturist from 35 weeks onwards have had shorter labour’s and recovered quickly post Nataly.
Breech Presentation
Acupuncture and moxabustion have a high success rate in enabling a baby to move from a breech position to an anterior position. This treatment is best performed and most successful when performed between 32-37 weeks pregnant as baby still enough room to move. We can also assist with moxabustion 4-5 days prior to an ECV. Studies have shown that moxibustion performed daily 4-5 days prior to an ECV have a higher success rate.
Breech presentation may occur due to the safety of the baby – i.e. this is the safest position for them, due to an anatomical cause due to the position of the pelvis, shape of the pelvis or tight ligaments or tendons of the pelvis area and uterus.
Daily exercises from spinning babies, the Webster method (this needs to be performed by a qualified practitioner) and moxabustion and acupuncture can all be used in combination to assist with changing the baby’s presentation.
Labour Induction
Acupuncture has great success with aiding the body to go into labour naturally. While induction is typically used – I like to call it birth preparation as we also use points that will assist with energizing the body and ripening the cervix.
Natural Pain relief
Acupuncture and acupressure are a great way to aid with pain relief during labour. I teach all my clients the acupressure for pain relief during labour from 36 weeks and get them to practice it and least 4 times a week at home. This helps with preparing the body for labour, ripening the cervix and repositioning a mispositioned baby (baby may be breech, posterior or oblique)
Breastfeeding
Once you have given birth – there are certain acupressure points that can be used to aid with bringing in the mother’s milk and decreasing post labour pains.
Acupuncture and Postnatal care
It is suggested that from 6 weeks you come in for a check up with your practitioner and we can assist with many issues during the post-natal period such as milk supply issues, mastitis, emotional issues, nourishing your body and aiding with postnatal healing and supporting you in your new role as a mum – providing some much needed rest!
Julia has worked together with Anita Guerra to develop the Easy Birthing Online program and workshop and the 4th Trimester online program and workshop.
These will be available as an online course and a 1-day workshop shortly.
Julia teaches Acupressure for natural pain relief to couples, one on one – this is 90 min and $150. Included is a large 23-page handout and cheat sheet which you can take to the hospital.
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Written by Dr Julia Bartrop.
Julia has a special interest in women’s health, and she loves assisting with fertility, preconception, pregnancy and post-natal care. Julia has 2 girls 4 and 2.5 and she also incorporates her own experiences to assist you to be empowered in your own health and wellbeing as well as making educated decisions about your health.
Julia was previously a Medical Scientist and she incorporates her knowledge of the western world with the eastern philosophies to enhance your health and wellbeing and to enable you to reach your natural state of optimal balance so you can play with your kids, garden, play sport and live life to its fullest!
