Acupuncture for pregnant women

The article is written by Slava Sviridovs, acupuncture specialist at TMed.

Acupuncture is a safe, natural, non-chemical support recommended for pregnant women during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Acupuncture sessions help relieve the many symptoms of pregnancy: nausea, fatigue, back pain, discomfort and mood swings. On the other hand, at the end of pregnancy, acupuncture can help in the proper positioning of the baby as well as in the gentle and natural induction of childbirth.

Tiredness

During the first trimester of pregnancy, the fatigue experienced by the pregnant woman is caused by the formation of the placenta and hormonal changes. To help her body adapt to these changes, it is important for expectant mothers to readjust their pace of life by favoring gentle activities and periods of rest more often. In some cases, fatigue can be caused by anemia, which will require iron supplementation. Fatigue should therefore not be taken lightly.

Acupuncture treatments can help expectant mothers to regain energy by naturally stimulating the organs responsible for our body's vitality, including the kidneys, stomach and spleen.

Nausea

Nausea during pregnancy appears between the 6th and 16th week and can be caused by the following factors:

• hormonal changes: rapid increase in the level of chorionic gonadotropin and estrogen;
• the brainstem (controls nausea and vomiting) is particularly sensitive to pregnancy hormones;
• stress and exhaustion increase nausea and vomiting.

Gastric reflux, caused by increased levels of progesterone and estrogen, are symptoms that pregnant women will have at some time during their pregnancy. These hormonal changes also disrupt the functioning of the digestive system and cause constipation, especially during the last months of pregnancy.

To relieve gastric reflux when lying down during sleep, it is recommended to sleep reclined (by raising the bed, for example).

Acupuncture sessions help pregnant women regain their hormonal and digestive balance.

The seat position

To 'turn' the baby into the breech position, TMED acupuncture specialist, Slava Sviridovs, uses moxibustion. This painless, non-invasive procedure involves stimulating specific points on the feet with the heat of burnt moxa (a plant). This treatment is performed between the 34th and 36th week of pregnancy.

Prenatal treatment

From the last trimester of pregnancy, it is recommended that you perform acupuncture once a week to prepare your body for childbirth. Treatments are aimed at helping the baby move down into the pelvis, soften the cervix, and relieve other symptoms of pregnancy (hypertension, edema or carpal tunnel syndrome).

From the point of view of psychological well-being, acupuncture sessions help the pregnant woman to relax and regain her inner calm.

Numerous studies have shown that the average duration of childbirth is reduced by an hour and a half in pregnant women who have received acupuncture treatments before childbirth, as well as considerably decreases the rate of use of medical interventions and of pregnancy. cesarean sections.

Natural induction by acupuncture

The use of acupuncture to induce childbirth after term is possible provided the baby and the mother-to-be are in good health and the mother-to-be wishes to try a natural birth.

Postnatal care

During the postnatal period, it is important for the woman to feel well physically and psychologically. Hormonal changes, complications from childbirth, and fatigue can cause low energy, mood swings and physical pain.

Acupuncture during the postnatal period has been shown to be effective for:

• reboost and rebalance mom's energy
• regain deep sleep
• rebalance hormones
• relieve the "baby blues" and postpartum depression
• strengthen the immune system
• reduce breastfeeding problems
• relieve pain associated with childbirth
• regulate temperature fluctuations, especially night sweats
• promote healing in case of cesarean section and treat possible complications of cesarean section
• help with carpal tunnel syndrome
• relieve back, shoulder and neck pain
• to relax

Women who benefited from acupuncture sessions during their pregnancy and the postpartum period reported, in addition to a decrease in their symptoms, an improvement in their vitality, as well as