acupuncture for pregnancy & birth
“I was unable to keep food or liquids down during my pregnancy
and it is only thanks to Amanda’s treatments that I finally turned a corner”
What to expect
The first consultation consists of a full medical and emotional history. I look at the colours and cracks on your tongue and take your pulse, whilst you relax on the couch. Most of my clients then relax or fall asleep as the points are stimulated for 21 minutes.
How many treatments?
This is like asking how long is a piece of string!! Most clients come with chronic problems and often so-called ‘acute’ problems have their origins way back. My aim is to create a sense of peace and well-being in you and if you think this is a good investment then investments take time and patience to mature. I am not in the business of sticking plasters as this is not satisfying to you or to me. Most clients who settle into regular treatments (once every 3 -4 weeks) see a steady and lasting improvement. Some conditions require shorter time intervals in between treatments, but eventually, these time intervals will start to lengthen as well. I would love to say I could sort your life with two needles, and although this has happened on occasions, generally things can take some time to resolve fully. Having said that you will start to notice changes from the start. Some clients come for a series of treatments for a specific condition and then come and go as required. Other clients stay on after the initial treatments to maintain the benefit of Acupuncture for ongoing well-being and maintenance.
This gives the Acupuncture a good chance to work and allows the treatment protocol that I work out, during our first meeting, to be worked through.
…read about how acupuncture works here
Clients can then choose to stay on a maintenance program every 6 – 8 weeks or come 4 times a year, at the change of seasons to balance the Qi. I recommend you come in the 18 days leading up to the energetic change in Seasons.
These are the dates
Spring: 5th February; Summer: 6th May; Autumn: 8th August; Winter: 8th November.
I am a certified Acu ~ Silk practitioner. This is the practice of using naturally dyed pieces of coloured silk on the Acupuncture points instead of using needles. Small squares of the silk are taped onto the points, using hypoallergenic tape and left there for 24hrs. I often send clients home with a patch or two to continue the effects of the treatment I initiated with the needles. It is a very gentle but effective treatment. I can also use the silks on children or those of you that may be needle phobic. They can be an easier way to use Acupuncture during labour and birth.
During PREGNANCY I recommend monthly treatments to energetically support both mother and baby. Towards the end of pregnancy and nearing the BIRTH, the treatments may need to be closer together, every second week or possibly weekly. “Rebellious Qi’ which can be experienced as nausea at the beginning of pregnancy is best treated every few days for the first few weeks according to the severity of the symptoms.
Post-birth I recommend that you continue your treatments, as this is an excellent time to keep the Qi of the body/mind balanced and to nourish Yin and Yang.
My treatment protocol for IVF; ideally I would see you and your partner, for a series of treatments prior to the IVF protocol. This is to get you both in the optimal state of balance and well-being.
I usually step back from treating the woman once she starts on her down regulation medication, but I continue treating the man. As long as everything is going well with the woman I next see her after egg collection to “clean” her system and to get it ready to receive her future baby. If practically possible I may see her a few hours prior to transfer, but it is important to see her within 24hrs after transfer. Some studies show that good results are obtained if Acupuncture is done 20 mins before and after transfer. I then do another treatment 10 days later and then 2 weeks after that. Depending on how the pregnancy is progressing I will then see the mother every month.
If during the time when the ovaries are stimulated they are either under or over-stimulated, I will then use Acupuncture to try to get the ovaries to respond better by invigorating the Qi or to calm them down by removing the “heat” that is generated by the “pushing” action of the stimulating drugs.
Go to this page for some excellent research on Acupuncture and FERTILITY rates in IVF.
Interesting article on Acupuncture and babies presenting in a breech presentation, HERE.
Another interesting article on BREECH PRESENTATION by the amazing midwife Ina May Gaskin.
So if this sounds interesting to you and you would like to experience a sense of well being and balance, please contact me. We can then arrange a time for a no obligation chat on the phone to see if I can help you get to where you would like to be in terms of your well being. Remember to ask about the Acu ~ Silk as a possible treatment for you if you don’t want needles or if you are bringing your children for treatment.
