Fertility - Pregnancy & Birth - Postpartum Support
Pregnant 1st Trimester
Congrats! You are growing a human! Your baby's most critical development will occur during the next ten weeks. Optimize your health by eating right, avoiding toxins, gently exercising, and getting lots of extra rest and relaxation.
Common first trimester ailments include fatigue and ‘morning' sickness, which can actually be nausea and/or vomiting that lasts all day. Many mommies-to-be may also experience some anxiety. Anxiety, which often goes undetected, may intensify your fatigue and nausea. Your first trimester care focuses on reducing tension and anxiousness and working to replace it with a calm mind and relaxed nervous system. Morning sickness often responses well to gentle acupuncture and minor dietary modifications. Oriental medicine has also been used for centuries to "secure the fetus" or strengthen the pregnancy to prevent miscarriage during early pregnancy.
2nd Trimester
Yes, you are finally glowing! By now, much of the discomfort of early pregnancy has subsided or soon will. You're beginning to have a little bump, which probably makes the last several weeks seem all worth it. While your energy may be strong, your body continues to change. You may (or may not) notice headaches, leg cramps, back pain, abdominal pain, heartburn, pain in the buttocks or down the leg (sciatica), and wrist. Acupuncture is extremely effective in alleviating many of these aches and pains as baby begins to make his or her presence known.
3rd Trimester
Feeling a bit crowded? By this point your body has expanded a great deal and you have gained twenty to thirty pounds or more. Baby takes up a bunch of space and plays trampoline on your ribs. The strain on your body may cause shortness of breath, swelling of your hands and feet, varicose veins, achy hips, abdominal cramps, round ligament pain and difficulty sleeping.
Aside from providing you with incredible symptom relief, third trimester acupuncture and bodywork help prepare you and your baby for a natural and healthy birthing experience.
Labor Preparation
Beginning at 36 weeks acupuncture is administered once a week as a safe and effective treatment to encourage natural labor. Studies indicate that gently needling specific points on the body can help to reduce the length of labor, prevent overdue births, and accelerate cervical ripening and dilation. The protocol calls for acupuncture once a week from week 36 through the 40th week. From your due date forward, sessions increase to 2-3 times a week until you go into labor.
PRE-birth Acupuncture
Prepares you for a healthy natural labor
Acupuncture has been showen to reduce the need for medical inductions, epidurals & emergency room c-sections and increase the likelihood of a natural, health vaginal birth
I specialize in Safe, gentle and relaxing treatments that help with many pregnancy related conditions:
- emotional stress
- hormonal fluctuations
- back and body pain
- heartburn, constipation
- swelling
- insomnia
- rhinitis / sinusitis
- carpel tunnel
Postpartum Support
Yeah! Baby's here! …Now what??? For some new moms the transition from pregnancy to parenthood isn't always smooth sailing. Fatigue and hormonal shifts team up with new changes in your body. The dynamics of the household suddenly shift as an amazing, new person now lives with you and runs the show. Acupuncture and herbal therapy can provide a vital support during this transition. If getting out of the house seems impossible with a new baby, your practitioner can usually arrange a house call.
Birth and Post Partum Care Package for Mama
Headed to a baby shower and want to get something unique and well-needed for the mama-to-be? She's sure to appreciate these remedies more than a "diaper cake" or frilly baby outfit.
Put together a Birth and Post-Partum Care Package, and nestle this kit into a sitz bath complete with labels describing how/why to use each item and tie with a bow. Though not as darling as yet another pink or blue receiving blanket, the new mama will be forever grateful for these soothing gifts meant just for her.
- Homeopathic Remedies
- Nux Vomica – For nausea and vomiting during labor.
- Arnica– For pain and body aches during labor. Also take every 15 minutes post partum to speed recovery.
- Silicea – To heal sore nipples from breastfeeding.
- Sitz bath herbs (Wish Garden) and Sitz Bath Basin (drug store) - A bottom saver for postpartum days.
- Lansinoh HPA Lanolin – For preventing and healing sore, dry cracked nipples.
- Calendula tincture and plastic bottle – Mix 1 squirt with warm water to flush your bottom clean every time you visit the potty after birth.
- Electrolyte Drinks and Drinking Straws– Vitamin Water, Coconut water, or simply filtered water with a pinch of sea salt and a squeeze of lemon for laboring and breastfeeding moms. Straws provide that extra comfort when she's just to tired to lift her head.
- Herbal Tea - Buy pre-packaged Nursing Mom's Tea and Red Raspberry Leaf Tea, or for a special touch, mix up your own blend. Avoid mints which may reduce milk supply. Some good herbs to include are:
- Oat Straw - Soothes the nerves, promotes hydration.
- Red Raspberry Leaf - Helps to tone and heal the uterus. High in calcium and other minerals. Bitter, so use sparingly.
- Catnip - While this may get your cat stoned, it has has a wonderful soothing effect on mom's nervous system without the disorientation.
- Fenugreek - Promotes lactation and increases milk supply.
- Hibiscus - Fruity, red, refreshing. High in Vitamin C.
- Chamomile - Calming.