Congratulations mother-to-be! What a joyous, special, exciting time you’ve embarked on!
Congratulations mother-to-be! What a joyous, special, exciting time you’ve embarked on! And how wonderful that you’ve discovered acupuncture at just the right moment. But what is pre-birth acupuncture? Practised for millenia, acupuncture is a natural, proven discipline, known for working with the body. This means that you can feel the benefits of being nurtured and assisted with all your mother-to-be needs, during what is probably the most important journey you’ll ever undertake. It’s vital that you feel relaxed and supported – both for you and the little one (s!) growing inside you
Can Acupuncture Help?
Acupuncture is a safe, effective system of treatment. In recent decades pre-birth acupuncture has been further refined to support you both before and after delivery. Feet, legs, lower ankles and hands are traditional pre-birth acupuncture areas. Because of the significance of this time, practitioners will be aware of all your concerns. Treatment times conventionally run for 4 weeks, beginning with weeks 36-40 pre-birth. This is about you and your individual experience, and having trust in your practitioner will help prepare you for the most natural delivery possible. Acupuncture treatment will help reduce fear and anxiety, emotions which can also be transmitted to your baby. While addressing anxiety, investing in pre-birth acupuncture can also mean serious physical benefits. These will include reducing overdue delivery time, reducing birthing time, and reducing the need for medical intervention. Pre-birth acupuncture supports breech babies, while helping your baby to engage. It may be tailored to assist in any back complications such as back ache / pelvic dysfunction. During birth, acupuncture may additionally be used for analgesic effects.
Pre-birth acupuncture treatment
Debra Betts, a highly-regarded acupuncturist specialising in pregnancy and women’s health, conducted a small, observational study in 2004. Drawing on the cumulative experiences of 169 women, Betts discovered that a course of pre-birth acupuncture treatment caused significant reductions to common birthing challenges. Her findings concluded that epidurals were reduced by 32%, chemical inductions by 35%, and caesarians by 32%, while smooth vaginal births increased by 9%. These are serious figures – which may significantly impact on your experience of the birthing process.
Whether you choose a home birth pool over a hospital, a mid-wife over a doctor, relaxing whale music over current pop music, think carefully when considering pre-birth care. Key preparation can impact significantly on the birthing experience. However you choose to embark on this important journey, it’s vitally important that you feel nurtured and supported, with all your physical and mental needs fully addressed. If you’re happy, there’s a greater chance the little one inside you will feel safe and happy!
Byline: Rebecca Swirsky