Labor or Birth Preparation
We do not like to say we induce labor. It is not allowed in most of our malpractice insurances. Acupuncture stimulates the uterus by regulating hormonal changes and balancing the nervous system. Traditional Chinese Medicine is great at relaxing you both physically and mentally in order to prepare you for birth.
In acupuncture, there are contraindicated points when a patient is pregnant, so these exact points are what we use to “induce labor” or for birth preparation. The popular pain point on the hand, which many people know about for headaches called Hegu or LI-4, and a few others, are stimulated by the acupuncturist or by e-stim. Just like with other courses of treatment in TCM, this is not a one and done deal, but you will need a few treatments to prepare the body for birth. We like to start at or around week 36 or 37. We can also help you do some at-home acupressure, alone or with essential oils. Everyone is different; some pregnant patients feel the baby moving around, and some don’t feel much on the table.
Points that are contraindicated during pregnancy but are effective during birth are: Gallbladder 21Jian Jing ,Large Intestine 4 Hegu, Spleen 6 San Yin Jiao, Urinary Bladder 60 Kunlun, Urinary Bladder 67 Zhu Yin, points on the sacrum and low abdomen points
Turning Breech Babies
Due to legal ramifications we do not claim to turn breech babies. We like to say we encourage the baby to get into an ideal position. When encouraging a breech baby, we use acupuncture and a specific herb called moxa (a.k.a., mugwort). A needle is inserted and moxa is burned at a very specific acupuncture point called Urinary Bladder 67.
We typically describe it or write it as BL 67 which is found on the dorsal aspect of the little toe.This point is not as effective when done by pressing or acupressure so we will more than likely send you home with a moxa stick and instructions on how to use it. It is best to start this earlier in the pregnancy if we know the baby is presenting breech as there is more room to turn freely but it is still possible up to 40 weeks.
Acupuncture Post Childbirth
As I mentioned before, acupuncture can play a huge part in all aspects of fertility, pregnancy and also post childbirth. Besides assisting the body in the recovery period as a whole, we can also assist with:
- Issues with lactation
- Hormonal imbalance
- Postpartum depression or “baby blues”
- Night sweats
- Decreased energy
- Mastitis
- Persistent bleeding
- Recovery from C-section or traumatic birth
In Chinese Medicine there are traditional foods that rebuild energy and blood lost during childbirth, replenish lost nutrients and produce breast milk.There are some other traditional Chinese postpartum foods that are even more adventurous, such as pigs feet in molasses, black vinegar and ginger or fish broth soup, which is excellent for encouraging milk production.
