Acupuncture And Pregnancy: What To Expect

Acupuncture And Pregnancy: What To Expect : For many women, pregnancy has brought many changes to their bodies that’s hard to adjust. Fortunately, there’s acupuncture where they can find relief to nausea and back pain, 2 of the most common challenges of pregnancy.

Poking needles or pressing fingers to the right areas are shown to relieve the symptoms in pregnancy. They also help in preparing women for labor pain. Most of the women may not want anything that has to do with prodding and poking needles. The good news is that moms-to-be are often surprised when they find that acupuncture can help them relieve some of their discomforts and pains while carrying their little ones.

What’s the Practice of Acupuncture All About?

The practice originated in China, and it’s a traditional healing method that is popular around the world. A woman who is about to give birth can visit a pregnancy acupuncturist to know more information about the standard practices done in these kinds of therapies. There are also scientific pieces of evidence that can prove that acupuncture is beneficial to people.

Traditional views in this medicine focus on the two opposing forces, namely yin and yang. When there’s an imbalance that occurs on these two forces, this blocks the flow of the chi energy in the body. In the process of acupuncture, the practitioner inserts needles at specific points to unblock the flow of chi and to correct the imbalances. Many people can recover faster from illnesses with the help of this practice.

Will this work? Most of the studies involving acupuncture has found out that the points where the needles are inserted are connected to the nerves. When an experienced practitioner twirls the needles, specific nerves related to pain may be activated. In turn, this will trigger the brain to release chemicals and hormones that help relieve a lot of symptoms during pregnancy.

How Does this Work with Pregnancy?

There are specific preparations done to a women’s body before the labor begins. These preparations can nourish and tone the body so that it can endure pain. The acupuncture is usually done on the uterine ligaments to soften them and make the blood flow more into the pelvis area.

The practice is also believed to encourage the baby in the womb to descent the birth canal with its head first. The cervix’s preparation includes softening the muscles and dilating them so that they can contract when the body is trying to push the baby out.

Some of the benefits that pregnant women can get in acupuncture include spontaneous labor around the due date. This means that one will decrease the likelihood of induction, epidural, C-section, and forceps. The natural way where the baby goes out of the birth canal is beneficial for many mothers as they can recover from their stitches faster.

Many moms say that when they tried acupuncture, their labor and birth process was faster. On average, the ones who have regular acupuncture have 1.5 hours shorter experiences. The recommended stages when a woman should begin the treatment is at 36 weeks. This should continue until her due date, which will be about 39 to 41 weeks.

If the mom-to-be is overdue, the good news is that acupuncture can help her induce her baby. You can read more about what to do when the due date of your baby has passed on this site here. There’s a dilation and softening of the cervix, which will strengthen the contractions. These treatments are often done 1 to 3 days before the labor begins. Most women also experienced a sense of calmness, and they can perform better when they are not stressed with childbirth.

Breech Babies Can Benefit Too

An obstetrician will most of the time recommend a caesarian birth for mothers whose babies are in a breech position. The caesarian wounds are often slower to heal, and mothers may have to wait for days before they can see their babies. Most new mothers are not allowed to go home until they can eliminate, and there are no complications.

Knowing on the ultrasound that the baby is in a breech position is not the world’s end. The good news is that mothers-to-be can still encourage their babies to move into their proper position to consider standard delivery.

Does the Process Hurt?

The answer to this is NO. You can read more about it here: https://www.webmd.com/pain-management/qa/does-acupuncture-hurt. Most people even enjoy the process of acupuncture, and it makes them relax. Others also fall asleep while in session since they feel a certain warmth and heaviness where the needles were pricked. If you get used to it, acupuncture is a painless treatment that will save new moms from unnecessary suffering and anxiety when labor begins.

Which Doctor to Choose?

There are lots of doctors that practice acupuncture. You need a naturopathic who use hydrotherapy, supplements, and herbs. These are the people who usually have hands-on techniques, and they know which points to prick. They can also guide you on the right diet and help you make lifestyle changes to ensure you and the baby will remain healthy.

You can discuss some of the specific needs that you may want to address with the doctor, such as vaccinations, post-partum, and breastfeeding. They can help you advise if these things are for you and the things you need to do to avoid postnatal depression. When you have a support system that can help you with childbirth and someone who can tell you what to expect, then your journey in meeting your little one will be full of excitement, hopes, and joy.