NAUSEA AND PREGNANCY

Nausea during pregnancy is often dismissed as a minor disorder of pregnancy. As it can be compared to the experience of having persistent food poisoning it is not something that one would volunteer to endure for 12 to 16 weeks. As nausea is estimated to affect one third of all pregnancies it is worth considering the alternatives.

In traditional Chinese medicine, although the nausea associated with pregnancy can arise from a variety of conditions, these all involve the stomach’s energy. If pregnancy interferes it affects not only the process of digestion but also the stomach’s energetic nature of aiding the movement of food downward through the digestive tract. Strong upward rebellious energy or a weakness in this down bearing function results in the nausea and vomiting.

While acupuncture treatment is aimed at strengthening the energetic function of the stomach and correcting any underlying disharmonies, dietary advice is directed at reducing the energetic workload of the digestive system.
To get the most out of treatment, it is essential to be kind to your body.

BREECH PRESENTATION

Breech babies are ideally treated between 34 - 36 weeks gestation. This is often a one off treatment with women being shown how to continue treatment at home with a moxa stick ( a herb that has been shaped into a cigar like stick). The moxa stick is lit and held over specific places in the body to stimulate the acupuncture points.

MISCARRIAGE

The use of acupuncture to  promote circulation to the uterus, support healthy egg maturation, and ensure healthy uterine lining, thereby enhancing your chances to sustain a healthy pregnancy. Following conception, acupuncture and herbs can prevent miscarriage by promoting overall health and proper circulation throughout the body, ensuring that essential nutrients are passed from mother to baby. In addition, acupuncture assists the body in managing stress better and reduces anxiety.

PREBIRTH ACUPUNCTURE

PreBirth treatment involves a series of four treatments weekly from 36 or 37 weeks to prepare for labour. Points are used according a woman's constitution and pregnancy history. These include points to ripen the cervix, to help position the baby in the best presentation for labour and to promote optimal energy and stamina for women to enter into labour.

Data on 169 women was gathered by 14 midwives as part of their midwifery practice in New Zealand and it found that when comparing all caregivers (Midwives GP's and Specialists) to those women who had received prebirth acupuncture there was:

An overall 35% reduction in the number of inductions (for women having their first baby this was a 43% reduction) A 31% reduction in the epidural rate. When comparing midwifery only care to women receiving prebirth acupuncture there was a: 32% reduction in emergency caesarean delivery  and  a 9 % increase in normal vaginal births.