Pregnancy is a very exciting time for any woman, but it is also a time when her wellness and wellbeing become paramount. As well as following your doctor’s advice, you should look at complementary therapies, which can go a long way to helping you mitigate the discomforts that come alongside pregnancy. Whilst many women dismiss these unpleasant side effects of pregnancy as normal (things like swollen ankles, sore backs etc.), there are actually things that you can do to help improve the situation, and acupuncture is one of them. Acupuncture is perfectly safe, and so there is really no need for you to struggle on valiantly.
This is particularly important, as a recent study shows that stress during the prenatal period, including depression and anxiety, can have a negative outcome for both mothers and children, and can lead to things such as preeclampsia, preterm birth and even future obesity and risk of disease in the infant.
Chinese medicine has been used safely for centuries, and treatments with herbs and acupuncture have been contributing to the wellbeing of many for generations. There are suitable acupuncture treatments for all phases of pregnancy, although the treatments change depending on how far along the mother is.
During the first trimester, acupuncture is usually used to help prevent miscarriage, as this is the most dangerous trimester for pregnancy loss. It is also used to help the mother feel better, as the first three months can be a time when the pregnancy drains the woman of energy and also causes nausea, headaches, constipation and other problems.
In the second trimester, the baby is growing a lot, and acupuncture can be used to help negate some of the digestive effects that this causes. During the third trimester, when the baby is storing fat and the body has expanded tremendously, acupuncture can be used to help prepare for birth. Treatments can help relax the uterus, cause the baby to turn the right way and prepare the cervix for a natural labour.
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