Pregnancy & Postpartum Treatments

Receiving acupuncture from the start and throughout your pregnancy is a safe, drug-free way to maximize the good development and progression of your pregnancy by supplementing, regulating, and harmonizing the processes that are taking place in your body.

This treatment supports and allows you to come into right relationship within your physical body, thinking mind and feeling heart. The processes then unfold smoothly and unimpeded, helping foster the conditions necessary for a healthy pregnancy and, when it’s time, for labour to start and progress naturally and efficiently. Postpartum, acupuncture supports your recovery in the same way.

Moxibustion is a safe and effective technique for helping babies in posterior, malpositioned and breech positions to turn. If at week 34 it is determined that baby is malpositioned or breech, an initial moxibustion treatment followed by 10 days of home treatment can help baby to turn and stay in optimal position. If baby does not turn, a second attempt can be made. If baby still does not turn, no further attempts are made.

Moxibustion is a treatment where a rice grain sized piece of prepared mugwort (Artemis vulgaris) is placed directly on acupuncture points and lit, or a lit stick of mugwort is brought close to a point on the body with pecking motions. The action of warming or pumping heat into an acupuncture point activates and strengthens circulation, absorption, and healing in the local area.

In pregnancy, when moxibustion is carried out on the tip of the pinky toe using a lit stick of mugwort, the heat generated in the meridian associated with this point activates circulation in the uterus, leading to increased fetal activity and baby turning if conditions within the uterus make it possible.

Acupuncture in the last month of pregnancy physiologically supports ripening of the cervix, and the relaxing and softening of the pelvic ligaments and tendons so that the Baby Gate will open easily, allowing baby greater ease of passage. It regulates and strengthens the abundance and flow of Qi so that you have stamina to labour and ensures that internal conditions are optimal for baby to stay in a good position to spin and descend. It also helps to keep your mind clear and your emotions calm.

Acupressure is the application of pressure to acupuncture points using fingers. It is a safe, effective and accessible technique, making it ideal for support people to do during labour to help relieve pain, promote contractions and assist the baby to descend. I also use it when I treat children and with clients who are initially averse to needles or cannot take needles due to spasticity elated to neurological disfunction.

As part of preparing for labour, I offer a free Acupressure for Labour tutorial to partners and support people around Week 36-37.

If labour stalls or you are scheduled to be induced, induction acupuncture (followed by acupressure given by your partner or support person) can help to promote dilation and contractions and encourage labour to progress more efficiently.

When clients are bedridden, or in hospital and elder care facilities, I offer home visits. This makes treatment possible for people who otherwise might have trouble coming to the clinic. I charge a fee in addition to the treatment fee.