Expecting? Here's How Acupuncture Can Help Your Pregnancy Symptoms

Whether you’re newly pregnant or are in the throes of an uncomfortable third trimester, you know all too well the ups and downs of pregnancy.

Sure, it’s a total miracle that we are grateful for. But that doesn’t mean it is easy on our bodies!

Whether you’re struggling with prenatal anxiety, aches and pains from the added weight and pressure of your baby, pregnancy-related insomnia, nausea, restless leg syndrome, or a few other symptoms, we’re here to help.

Yes, acupuncture can and does help relieve many of the physical and mental woes that come along with the pregnancy territory.

According to the famed What to Expect website, science has studied that can relieve the following pregnancy symptoms:

• Morning sickness (acupuncture points around the rest can be targeted. to help reduce unpleasant nausea and vomiting that might come along, especially in the first trimester.) 

• Lower back and pelvic pain (You're bound to have some aches and pains as your uterus expands and you're gaining weight. According to the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, acupuncture can help relieve this by targeting points on the ear. In fact, a study revealed that 80% of women in a group who had this type of treatment had a clinically significant reduction in pain, compared to 56$ of women who had "fake" acupuncture, and 36% of women who received no treatment.) 

• Depression (Hormones are bound to make your emotions feel a little out of whack, but actual depression while preggo is fairly common too, affecting nearly 25% of women. In a study from the journal titled Obstetrics & Gynecology, a clinical trial revealed that 65% of  clinically depressed pregnant women who received acupuncture specifically for depression responded to treatment, while only 44% of women who received general acupuncture or massage responded.) 

• Headaches (Restoring the balance of qi and blood flow can help to relieve the pain brought on by pregnancy-induced headaches.)

• Sleep Problems (Though pregnancy is exhausting, many women find it difficult to sleep. Acupuncture can help people restore their sleep cycles and get meaningful rest, whether they are pregnant or not.) 

There is a slew of other supportive articles too.

Here, WebMD outlines how acupuncture can help with pregnancy-related pelvic pain,

And here, Shape magazine discusses the safety of acupuncture while pregnant — where our very own Ani Baran, LaC is quoted!

If you’re looking to ease some of your pregnancy aches, pains, and symptoms, give us a call or click here to book today.

Pregnancy Acupuncture Fit For A Princess

If you don’t fancy yourself much of an Anglophile, you may not know that Prince Harry of Great Britain and his wife, the American actress Meghan Markle, have broken from royal tradition in many ways. The couple is expecting their first child, and the pregnancy and birthing process is no exception. One way in which the Duchess of Sussex is differing herself from past princesses is opting for a natural and holistic birth process. One of the key aspects of Markle’s pregnancy and birth plan has been regular acupuncture.

“Meghan has been having regular acupuncture sessions to help her unwind and relax,” someone close to the couple’s acupuncturist told Vanity Fair. “It’s brilliant for the blood circulation and boosting blood flow to the uterus. She plans to use acupuncture right up to her due date.”

Markle may be breaking from royal tradition, but from where we’re sitting she’s making a great call. One of the smartest things a mom to be can do throughout her pregnancy is receive acupuncture treatments regularly. While the above quote is accurate, acupuncture does far more than merely help circulate blood. It does that for sure, but so much more.

Pregnancy can place an incredible burden on a woman’s body. Not only is her reproductive system experiencing changes like never before, the rest of the body has to compensate for these drastic changes. Weight gain, body temperature changes, nausea are unavoidable. When we treat pregnant women, we’re not only helping the qi in their body flow freely to help with general stress and anxiety, but with all of the other side effects that this wonderful experience unfortunately also brings.

Acupuncture during pregnancy is fit for a princess…but it’s also fit for every pregnant woman, too.

Baby Overdue? Try Acu.

Anyone who is, or has been pregnant knows that pregnancy is actually not nine months — it’s  forty long weeks and sometimes (especially for first time moms) it can be even longer.  

But once you reach full term (which most doctors agree is 39 weeks and onward) you’ll probably do anything to get the baby safely born, and stat.

While certain medical conditions may require a medical induction — use of various strategies and medications to start labor when the body won’t start on its own — there are other ways to prep and prime your body for labor too, including acupuncture.

Through the process of acupuncture, the production of oxytocin can be produced, AKA the magic hormone that initiates labor. The strategic placement of acuneedles can, and often does lead to cervical ripening, dilation, and effacement which can begin the labor process for those who have not yet begun.

Acupuncture can also help to strengthen and further dilate the cervix for those in early or prodromal labor, which can last from hours to days to weeks.

Stimulating blood flow, production of oxytocin, balancing qi and promoting relaxation are all direct ways that your body can, and will respond to acupuncture while still being a safe way to induce. (As long as you are full term, that is.)  While relaxation can sound nearly impossible when you’re due date is either fast approaching or has come and gone, the state of the body really does come into play as to whether labor will begin or not.

In addition to acupuncture, acupressure (also known as reflexology) can be effective as well. Incorporated into a prenatal massage or as a standalone treatment, specific points along the body can be stimulated to help initiative or strengthen contractions throughout early labor.

When both therapies are used together, though, they typically yield productive results. 

And hey — what pregnant woman would turn down a massage?

How Acupuncture Can Help to Ease Pregnancy Discomforts

Pregnancy is a time of great joy, and great change. 

By now, you've probably heard of the documented benefits that acupuncture can have on fertility and in supporting the efficacy of fertility treatments, but what about acupuncture during pregnancy itself?

If you're looking for relief from some of the physical or mental woes that accompany your miracle,  tiny acuneedles can provide a great benefit. Here's how. 

According to the famed What to Expect website, science has studied that can relieve the following pregnancy symptoms:

• Morning sickness (acupuncture points around the rest can be targeted. to help reduce the unpleasant nausea and vomiting that might come along, especially in the first trimester.) 
• Lower back and pelvic pain (You're bound to have some aches and pains as your uterus expands and you're gaining weight. According to the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, acupuncture can help relieve this by targeting points on the ear. In fact, a study revealed that 80% of women in a group who had this type of treatment had a clinically significant reduction in pain, compared to 56$ of women who had "fake" acupuncture, and 36% of women who received no treatment.) 
• Depression (Hormones are bound to make your emotions feel a little out of whack, but actual depression while preggo is fairly comment too, affecting nearly 25% of women. In a study from the journal titled Obstetrics & Gynecology, a clinical trial revealed that 65% of  clinically depressed pregnant women who received acupuncture specifically for depression responded to treatment, while only 44% of women who received general acupuncture or massage responded.) 
• Headaches (Restoring the balance of qi and blood flow can help to relieve the pain brought on by pregnancy induced headaches.)
• Sleep Problems (Though pregnancy is exhausting, many women find it difficult to sleep. Acupuncture can help people restore their sleep cycles and get meaningful rest, whether they are pregnant or not.)