What are the benefits of pregnancy acupuncture, or to use its official name – obstetric acupuncture?
Acupuncture perhaps isn’t the first thing that springs to mind when you’re dealing with the many physical and emotional changes that come with pregnancy. From nausea and fatigue in the early days to back pain and swelling in the latter stages, the journey can be as challenging as it is rewarding.
Fortunately, pregnancy acupuncture offers a holistic, non-invasive option to help manage the symptoms that typically accompany each trimester.
In this post, we’ll explore the benefits of pregnancy acupuncture during the three trimesters, how it can help with common pregnancy symptoms, and why it’s worth considering during this special time in your life.
During the first trimester, your body is adjusting to the considerable hormonal changes required to support the growth of your baby. It is the time of morning sickness, fatigue, and emotional fluctuations!
Acupuncture can provide gentle holistic support to help balance your body and reduce these discomforts.
Acupuncture during the first trimester of pregnancy has multiple benefits. From helping with nausea and morning sickness to dealing with the ups and downs of fluctuating hormones…
Acupuncture helps reduce the severity of nausea and vomiting, AKA morning sickness! Good news for holistic pregnancy care as this is one of the most common complaints during early pregnancy.
Research also suggests that it may even help with hyperemesis gravidarum, a particularly severe form of morning sickness that typically requires medical attention.
Acupuncture is thought to trigger the parasympathetic nervous system (rest, repair, and digest) to help calm and regulate hormonal fluctuations during the first trimester of pregnancy. This lessens those mood swings and feelings of anxiety that often accompany this stage of pregnancy.
Literature reviews indicate acupuncture can help reduce fatigue. Again, it’s a non-intrusive way to combat the overwhelming fatigue you may experience during your first few months of pregnancy.
There isn’t a lot of research into acupuncture for miscarriage prevention. But what there is note is that regular acupuncture treatment results in a ‘statistically significant reduction’ in miscarriages amongst women with ‘threatened miscarriage symptoms’. Particularly during the first trimester…
Treatment frequency will obviously vary depending on your requirements and how well you respond to acupuncture. If your symptoms are severe, you may find weekly sessions provide the most benefit.
Or you may only need it intermittently to help manage ongoing issues like nausea and improve your overall wellbeing.
As you transition into the second trimester, you’ll likely find many of your first trimester symptoms resolve as your body adjusts to pregnancy. However, the baby grows rapidly during this stage, and that creates new challenges to deal with!
You’ll likely find digestive issues like heartburn and constipation become more common… Your back, and balance, will start to feel the effects of the additional weight you’re carrying around. And circulation changes can cause uncomfortable cramps in your legs…
Acupuncture during the second trimester of pregnancy can help you stay comfortable through these challenges!
From helping relieve back pain to improving your digestion, and reducing painful leg cramps – regular acupuncture during the second trimester is often very beneficial.
As your baby grows, it puts increasing pressure on your spine and pelvis. This can lead to lower back / pelvic pain and discomfort.
Several studies indicate acupuncture is a safe and effective way to improve pregnancy-related lower back and pelvic pain. Specifically, it can improve blood circulation, relax muscles, reduce inflammation, and regulate hormones.
During the 2nd trimester, your body continues to adjust to the hormonal changes and increased blood flow associated with pregnancy. These changes are perfectly natural but they can come with some uncomfortable side effects, including digestive issues like heartburn, indigestion, and constipation.
Acupuncture is a good way to reduce many of these issues during pregnancy and avoid resorting to medications.
Leg cramps during pregnancy are also common. They’re usually associated with weight gain, hormonal changes, poor circulation, and mineral deficiencies. Whilst generally not a serious health concern, they can still be uncomfortable.
Acupuncture helps alleviate leg cramps during pregnancy by stimulating blood flow to affected muscles. It also reduces muscle tension, thus encouraging relaxation.
The second trimester is a time of increased emotional sensitivity for many women. Acupuncture can help alleviate anxiety and create a sense of calm and emotional balance.
Treatment frequency will obviously vary depending on your requirements and how well you respond to acupuncture. If your symptoms are severe, you may find weekly sessions provide the most benefit.
Or you may only need it intermittently to help manage ongoing issues like nausea and improve your overall wellbeing.
As you approach the 3rd trimester and final weeks of pregnancy, your body is working hard to prepare for birth. Many of the symptoms of early pregnancy, like morning sickness, have thankfully resolved.
However, you’re now dealing with the challenges – swelling, back pain, insomnia – that come with this trimester. Acupuncture can provide relief and even help prepare your body for labour.
Did I mention swelling, back pain, insomnia?
As your delivery date creeps closer, regular acupuncture can be a godsend for coping with these and other 3rd trimester pregnancy symptoms.
Acupuncture can help reduce oedema, or swelling, which is common as the body retains more fluid during the final stages of pregnancy.
As your due date approaches, acupuncture can help your body prepare for a safe, smooth delivery. Importantly, research verifies that correctly applied acupuncture softens and expands the cervix ready for birth. This may reduce your likelihood of needing medical interventions.
There is also plenty of evidence suggesting acupuncture can encourage relaxation and improve sleep quality, both of which are often disrupted in the third trimester. Getting enough of both is particularly important for your health and that of your baby.
Many women experience increased back pain, pelvic discomfort, or hip pain in the final weeks of pregnancy as the baby places more pressure on these structures.
Acupuncture offers a natural, drug-free way to manage these various aches and pains.
Although this is very much an individual thing, many women find they do benefit from increased treatments as they approach the final weeks of pregnancy. So, practitioners may recommend increasing these to weekly sessions and then more frequently during the last few weeks.
Each pregnancy is unique, and so are your acupuncture needs. This means your acupuncture treatment plan should be customised so it addresses your specific health concerns.
To facilitate this, your acupuncturist first assesses your condition and then creates a plan designed to support you and your baby’s health throughout your pregnancy.
Obstetric or pregnancy acupuncture is a safe and effective way to manage the many changes and symptoms that accompany pregnancy.
From morning sickness in the first trimester, back pain and digestive issues in the second, or preparing for labour in the third, acupuncture offers a holistic, drug-free approach that supports both your physical and emotional wellbeing.
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