Pregnancy & Postpartum
Pregnancy, labor, and the post-partum phases are an amazing and dynamic chapter in a woman’s life. The process creates an enormous amount of changes physically, mentally and emotionally. Acupuncture and Chinese medicine offers safe, gentle and effective treatments for addressing many concerns that can occur during this time.
What can Acupuncture do?
Receiving regular acupuncture treatments during pregnancy prepares both mother and baby for a healthy birth. While pregnant, treatments ease common discomforts of pregnancy and can help reduce the risk of miscarriage. Acupuncture is a great tool to use in the last few weeks of a pregnancy to help facilitate a healthy labor. Both acupuncture and herbs, can offer great benefit during the post-partum window to further ease any pain, support mood, and regulate milk supply
Conditions we commonly see:
- Nausea/morning sickness
- Constipation, heartburn
- Depression, anxiety, and mood swings
- Back and hip pain, headaches
- Swelling in the hands and feet, carpal tunnel syndrome
- Recurrent miscarriage
- Breeched presentations
- Postpartum depression and anxiety
- Decreased milk supply
How many acupuncture treatments are needed?
- Once per week for the first 12-16 weeks if you have a history of pregnancy loss or are experiencing nausea/morning sickness.
- After 12-16 weeks, once per month
- If baby is breeched, optimal time for treatment is around 34/35 weeks
- Once per week from 36/37 weeks until birth
- Post-partum: once to twice per week depending on severity of symptoms