Should you consider acupuncture during the first trimester of pregnancy?
Pregnancy is a life-changing experience in more ways than one! From the anticipation of welcoming a new family member, to the physical and emotional challenges that can come with it… Indeed, those early stages of pregnancy can feel overwhelming with morning sickness, headaches, and mood swings!
But – the good news is that you don’t have to suffer through them without relief or resorting to drugs! A number of holistic therapies work very well with pregnancy and can help relieve some of those really narky symptoms associated with the first trimester of pregnancy.
Acupuncture is one of these therapies. It is an ancient type of traditional Chinese medicine and has become increasingly popular as a safe, effective way to manage many of the common early pregnancy discomforts.
So, in this post, we’re going to look at 3 good reasons to consider acupuncture during the first trimester of pregnancy. We’ll also consider how it can help you feel more physically and emotionally balanced.
During the first trimester of pregnancy, rapid hormonal changes bring on a range of symptoms including:
Acupuncture targets specific pressure points, or acupoints, to help relieve these early pregnancy symptoms.
This literature review found that acupuncture is safe and effective for reducing nausea and vomiting of pregnancy (NVP).
Morning sickness is a common symptom of early pregnancy. While some (lucky) women manage to breeze through this phase with just occasional bouts of manageable nausea, others are not so fortunate. They can be hit especially hard during those first 12 weeks.
A small percentage (0.3–10.8%) will also struggle with hyperemesis gravidarum, a severe and potentially life threatening type of nausea and vomiting that can require hospitalisation.
Acupuncture works with morning sickness by stimulating certain points in the body to help calm the digestive system and reduce queasiness and vomiting episodes. So it could be just the drug-free game-changer you’re looking for managing NVP!
Several studies have confirmed that acupuncture can be an effective way to treat tension headaches and migraines, including during pregnancy.
Headaches and migraines are other common first trimester symptoms, generally brought on by pregnancy hormones. However, these hormones also co-ordinate the changes needed to support your growing baby and are a necessary part of pregnancy.
Most women find their headaches and migraines usually resolve naturally by the end of the 1st trimester but for some, they can persist well into the 2nd trimester, or even the entire pregnancy.
Acupuncture helps reduce the intensity and frequency of headaches and migraines by targeting specific points throughout your body to balance your internal systems and reduce tension.
For many women, it’s a natural way to handle the discomfort and pain without relying on painkillers, which many prefer to avoid during pregnancy.
Can acupuncture help with pregnancy-related anxiety and depression? According to this small, randomised controlled trial, it may be a very viable option.
Those pesky pregnancy hormones in the first trimester can also affect your emotional well-being with anxiety, mood swings, or even depression. So, the excitement of having a baby is often tempered by concerns about the unknown, worries about health, or fears about the future.
Regular acupuncture sessions can help reduce the production of cortisol (the stress hormone) and increase serotonin (feel-good mood regulating hormone) production.
Regulating these hormones in this way can help manage the emotional roller coaster of early pregnancy by making you feel calmer and more grounded.
Beyond providing direct relief for those first trimester symptoms, acupuncture has plenty of other broader benefits for your health.
Acupuncture supports the endocrine system, which is responsible for hormone regulation. During pregnancy, particularly the first trimester, this system goes into overdrive to help your body support the pregnancy.
Acupuncture helps balance hormone levels to ease some of the symptoms of early pregnancy, like fatigue and nausea.
Bloating, heartburn, digestive upsets, and cramping are also common during early pregnancy. The good news is that acupuncture can help ease these symptoms by stimulating the body’s natural healing processes and improving blood flow.
Mood swings and poor sleep are the result of your body adjusting to changing hormone levels. Acupuncture’s balancing effect on your nervous system can help reduce the intensity of mood swings and support emotional stability. It can also encourage better sleep by helping you relax and wind down.
Pregnancy is an exciting but challenging time, especially during the first trimester. Acupuncture offers a safe, natural, holistic approach to addressing common symptoms like nausea, headaches, and anxiety.
If you’re looking for a non-invasive way to feel better during the first trimester of your pregnancy, acupuncture could be just the solution you need.
contact@wealdchiropractic.co.uk
Unit 29 Graylands Estate, Langhurst Wood Road, Horsham, West Sussex RH12 4QD
Website design by theshapingbay.com