It’s going to sound unbelievable, but when you are affecting a woman who is pregnant, you are not only affecting that woman, but you are also affecting that child and that child’s child. It is because the baby will be born with all of its eggs.
In East Asian medicine, they call it jing or essence from not only the mother but the father as well. The healthier the baby and the fetus develop, then that will affect the next generation. Many people don’t realize that number one, the knowledge around treatment for acupuncture during pregnancy is lacking.
So, primarily number one is to inform you of all the benefits of acupuncture and East Asian medicine that can help during pregnancy and number two is to take out the fear that is circling this medicine and fear of miscarriage and it’s quite the opposite.
Building a Support Team
Acupuncture During Pregnancy
It is extremely important to recognize that it takes a village. It takes a team. And you start to develop a team. East Asian medicine providers, acupuncturists, midwives, OBS, therapists, all sorts of people who are going to support you in that journey. Build your team. Chiropractic, naturopaths, your primary care provider, if it’s a medical doctor, East Asian acupuncture, medicine, whatever therapy.
Different Stages Of Pregnancy And Acupuncture
Preconception Care
Before you even consider getting pregnant, if this is something that you are planning, come 3 to 6 months and start getting treated before you actually want to try actively. You are setting yourself up for a healthy, smooth pregnancy. Preparing the palace in a way, i.e., the uterus, because the uterus needs lots of support and nutrients, etc.
First Trimester
So you’re already getting some really wonderful benefits in the first trimester, and that includes tonifying and nourishing the body to help maintain the pregnancy and to prevent miscarriages. It can also help reduce constipation and heartburn. It can really help to decrease that morning sickness that kicks in during the first trimester. So if you are struggling with a lot of sickness or nausea, acupuncture might be your best friend.
Then, once you are pregnant, people fear the first trimester and there’s a history of people trying to avoid it in fear of miscarriage. There are definitely points that contract the uterus. There are definitely points that descend the pelvic floor. So, anyone that you’re going to in regards to pregnancy or fertility, you go to someone who specializes in this.
If you are pregnant and you have a history of some sort of miscarriage or difficulty getting pregnant, fear creeps in. Get out of fight or flight, feed or breed. Once that positive pregnancy test is there, you need blood flow to the uterus. So, it is so important to find yourself relaxing one to two times a week, relaxing and getting out of that fight or flight and increasing the blood flow to the uterus.
There are proven studies regarding PC6, which is a very classic point that you can use with needles. You can use it with tacks, you can use it with magnets, and it has been proven to reduce morning sickness. There’s one nice one here on the wrist. That one’s really nice for kind of calming. It’s also really good for nausea.
Another option is posture. The spine is very important and this is why chiropractic is often used in pregnancy as well. Also, nausea is highly associated with a toxicity that the liver doesn’t want during pregnancy. Which is why they recommend that you don’t do cold cuts and turkey meat and sandwiches like sandwich meat. If you aren’t supposed to have it in pregnancy because it’s neurotoxic, you shouldn’t have it. So just be mindful of all of that. A lot of these symptoms don’t exist if you are in alignment.
Second Trimester
So in the second trimester, you’re not only going to get the amazing benefits from the first trimester, but some added benefits are that it can help reduce anxiety, insomnia, as well as aches and pains. And it does really start to kick in those aches and pains around the second trimester because the bump is becoming much bigger, and the body is expanding.
The baby is starting to grow and the relaxation is starting to kick in. Stay in alignment as much as you can because it’s in this time that, as the baby grows and this hyper mobility in joints, things can get out of alignment, and if they get out of alignment now, you’re going to have more trouble in your third trimester, and oftentimes they continue even after pregnancy if you don’t get them treated.
There are studies on lower back pain and pelvic pain and pubic symphysis pain that are treated with acupuncture in pregnancy and they compare it to sham acupuncture. They will see a reduction of 30 to 40% of pain within a few days and then no pain after 2 weeks.
When you are sitting a lot for work, the baby doesn’t have room. The baby will go into positions like an occipital posterior position. Sunny side up or a breach position. Some points will lead to the third trimester, and moxa, and things that are going to help with flipping the breech baby.
Third Trimester
So in the third trimester of pregnancy, this is probably where you’re going to feel the biggest benefit from going to acupuncture. It is a neurological reset.
Keep all of those hips open, especially for a first-time mama. There is support for induction. There are points for contracting the uterus. There are points for dilating the cervix. There are points for descending the pelvic floor. Now, again, do not rush any of this timeline.
Talk to the baby and support the baby in conversation with the baby. The less interference, the smoother the birth will be and the healthier the baby will be. Everything that goes into mama goes into the baby, and that baby’s baby.
Natural Birth and Postpartum
Natural birth is not something that you decide at labor time. Natural birth is like training for a marathon. And it’s brainwashing that you must do to undo the brainwashing that has been done. And if you are not medicated, you can walk around. You’re able to move your hips, and even if the baby is in a less optimal position, i.e., sunny side up, the baby can flip, the baby can move and rotate because of that movement in the hips, and that’s what it’s meant to do.
Research why it’s beneficial, why it’s helpful, and why going through the vaginal canal and the absorption of enzymes help process dairy. This is also why hypnobirthing or a hypnotherapist or a therapist, any way they want to do it, to really address their fears and their visions of delivery and birth, because you really want to change that mindset.
What to Expect in a Session
During pregnancy, what you’re doing is trying to just loosen everything up, get the cervix to dilate, and kind of ripen all that stuff. Do some on the lower half of the body. There are a few points on the outside that help with losing the tension in the muscles, keeping things relaxed, and relaxing the body and mind. Work up to the head, too, so the head points are literally for the mind. It’s gallbladder thirty-four, it’s called. That’s very good for loosening up the tendons, like keeping the muscles relaxed, so that’s really good throughout practice and especially towards the end too.
The stomach 36 is another good point. That is good for boosting overall blood in the body. That’s good for immune system health as well. This is on the liver channel. These points are really good for reducing stress, more calming.
The information provided in this blog post is for educational and informational purposes only, and it is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your health, medical treatment, or medication.