Acupuncture is good for treating many uncomfortable conditions and problems associated with pregnancy.
Prevent miscarriage. Treatments 1-2 times per week help prevent miscarriage or early pregnancy loss by reducing sympathetic nervous system activity, reducing stress, and stimulating blood flow to the developing embryo.
Spotting (subchorionic hematoma). Acupuncture used with a technique called moxibustion can help reduce or eliminate bleeding from the uterus (depending on the cause).
Nausea or morning sickness. Depending on the severity of nausea, 1 to 5 acupuncture treatments per week may be necessary to restore quality of life and ability to eat. Acupuncture is often very effective for this condition, especially when combined with the knowledge and practice of keeping blood sugar levels steady throughout the day.
Headaches Many women experience headaches towards the end of their first trimester. Acupuncture is better known for pain relief than for any other ailment. If you are experiencing headaches that are not obviously associated with dehydration or fatigue, try acupuncture.
Depression. Balancing many emotional conditions is a primary principle of treatment when pregnant women come to my practice. Acupuncture combined with singing lessons given by a singing teacher skilled in proper breathing techniques is quite effective for pregnancy-related or postpartum depression. Sing the blues away.
Stress. The hormones secreted by the adrenal glands cause anxiety and stress. During pregnancy, this can affect the amount of life given by the blood flow that feeds the embryo. Therefore, it is important to reduce stress or use techniques such as acupuncture to relieve stress.
Restless legs. Acupuncture has shown promise in relieving the sometimes agonizing frustration associated with restless legs. If you have, you understand the aforementioned agony all too well. You may also need more calcium in your diet.
Back bread. Again, acupuncture is fundamentally one of the best options humans have for pain relief of any kind. Cupping and moxibustion may also be given when back pain affects a woman who is pregnant.
Short presentation. Studies have shown that moxibustion can be effective in turning a breech baby. It is most effective if done daily for 10-14 days between 34-36 weeks.
Preparation for childbirth or cervical ripening. Between 37 and 40 weeks, acupuncture administered once a week helps prepare a woman for labor by increasing vital energy and ensuring a smooth flow of emotions and blood during labor. Induction is not usually necessary when women commit to the cervical ripening acupuncture protocol.
Induction of labor. Many women quickly go into active labor after a single acupuncture induction treatment. Sometimes 2-3 are required within 1 week of the expiration date.
Mastitis. Blocked milk duct. Acupuncture administered quickly enough, along with some aggressive self-massage and herbal compresses, can help speed recovery from a mastitis infection. This infection can progress rapidly, so feel free to get treated and do as much as you can at home as well.
Lack of breast milk. Acupuncture and Chinese herbs, when given along with a Guinness beer a day, have shown moderate to good results in increasing milk production.