Pregnancy can sometimes bring challenges that acupuncture and herbal medicine can help alleviate or correct by using methods that are safe for both mother and baby.
More and more women are choosing natural methods to aid them in experiencing health and well-being through their pregnancies and births. Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine have been used in China for thousands of years to help regulate the female reproductive system and can be combined easily with modern midwifery to achieve balance and health for women during their entire birthing journey from pre-conception to post-partum.
Pregnancy Challenges
Sometimes pregnancy brings challenges and complications and acupuncture and Chinese medicine can help alleviate or correct these using methods that are safe for both mother and baby. Some of these challenges include:
- Morning Sickness
- Back & Sciatica Pain
- Breech Presentation
- Anxiety
- Fatigue
- Heartburn
- Insomnia
- Constipation
- Edema
- Urinary Infections
- Early Contractions
- Colds/Flu
Pre-Birth Acupuncture
Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine can help the body to achieve a healthy balance and regular pre-natal visits can help to maintain this with monthly or weekly acupuncture treatments tailored specifically to each woman’s individual needs. Acupuncture several weeks before your due date can help reduce the risks of going too far past the due date. See our page Pre-Birth Acupuncture for more details.
Acupuncture During Birth
A woman’s body is perfectly capable of birthing a baby all on its own without any intervention, but the small percent of women who may need intervention can use acupuncture and Chinese Medicine for natural assistance. Some of these needs might be:
- Malpresentation
- Labor Discomfort
- Anxiety
- Fatigue
- Difficult Labor
Labor Preparation
Acupuncture is a gentle, safe alternative to artificial induction of labor. Using specific acupuncture points, we gently encourage the body to produce labor hormones and start contractions. At the same time, we are assessing any positional problems or other factors that could be leading to a delay in the start of labor. See our page on Labor Preparation for more details.
Postpartum Care
After a baby is born it is extremely important to replenish the energy and health of the mother. There are many changes both physically and emotionally that take place during pregnancy and childbirth and acupuncture and Chinese medicine can provide support naturally for this time, including:
- Mastitis
- Insufficient or Excessive Lactation
- Postpartum Depression
- Edema
- Postpartum Bleeding
- Hemorrhoids
- Constipation
- Fatigue
- Insomnia
Our belief in Chinese Medicine is that each person is an individual, intricate being and should be treated in whatever way works with her body. Rather than force the process, we gently flow with it to provide each woman with her own optimal experience.
Why Holistic Women and Families?
Crystal has 15 years of experience in Fertility Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine. She has also been a doula and childbirth educator for over 13 years and is a Fellow of the American Board or Oriental Reproductive Medicine (https://aborm.org/) She is up to date on her knowledge on IVF protocols and medications and continuously reviews research and standards so her care adapts to the fast-changing ART world. She is fluent in the language of modern fertility medicine and lab interpretation, making communication seamless throughout the treatment process. She also carries support through the pregnancy all the way to birth and postpartum.
Not sure if our treatment is right for you? Please call us to schedule a 15-minute Q&A phone session with Crystal.
Like Reading the research? There is a great collection of articles here.
