Many people think acupuncture is only going to be useful when they are trying to get pregnant or, at the other end of the journey, looking to induce labour.
Of course acupuncture & herbs are very helpful at these times and in my last blog post I talked about the value of acupuncture in preparing the body even before trying to conceive in order to have a healthy pregnancy.
I want to talk now about the value of acupuncture & herbs - and even hypnotherapy, a new passion of mine - throughout pregnancy and in the postpartum period.
The 9 month journey of pregnancy is divided up in to 3 phases or trimesters as most of us know.
In the first trimester (up to end of the third month), acupuncture & herbs can help ease the nausea and ensuing appetite issues that can arise. It's important for both mom/birthing parent to get the proper nourishment and energetic support from food as it is for the developing and growing fetus.
There is a lot going on in this first trimester, of course, from stress and excitement to nervousness and fear. Acupuncture helps ease stress, which helps us sleep better as well.
Acupuncture, and the use of herbs, can also help prevent miscarriage in this vulnerable first trimester.
In the second (months 4-6) and third trimesters (months 7-9), acupuncture can help mitigate back pain that results from the weight of carrying a growing being as well as continue to help you manage stress and improve sleep quality.
After the birth of the baby is a special period many refer to as the fourth trimester. In this 3 month period, both mother/birthing parent and baby are adapting to their new lives.
Acupuncture can play an important role in the replenishment of some of the vital nutrients and essences that leave the body with the birth of the baby. Acupuncture and herbs can also help with milk production and flow.
Too often in this Western culture, new parents are left with precious few resources to deeply replenish themselves and are often expected to jump back to regular life as soon as possible. It's often even erroneously worn as a source of pride.
However, allowing space and care in this time to replenish, rest, restore is also important in keeping postpartum depression at bay.
Now, I mentioned hypnotherapy at the beginning of this blog so let me return to that now. Many expectant parents are likely to feel some anxiousness and fear around giving birth and being parents. This is quite normal and it's important to manage.
This is where hypnotherapy can be very useful in guiding you to explore your fears in a safe way and come to embracing and holding your own vision for the kind of pregnancy and birth experience you hope to have.
I help create a script and meditation for you to use any time you want to relax and be guided calmly and safely toward what you do want in your pregnancy and birth not in what you don't want. This is so very helpful because typically - in addition to our own concerns and fears, we're also often the recipient of other people's often unhelpful advice and scary stories.
What do you think? Did you receive acupuncture throughout pregnancy? Are you interested in trying?
Please keep posted to my Instagram as I tell you about a new package coming soon.