Acupuncture and massage can help new mothers and mothers-to-be in many ways, even IVF clinics now are recommending acupuncture as an adjunct therapy for the women attempting to conceive. Traditional acupuncturists have known for a long time that acupuncture helps with infertility but the acknowledgement that it is now so from the Medical establishment is very satisfying. Women wanting to conceive who also suffer from chronic lower back pain may infact find that they can benefit in both ways using acupuncture.
After conception has taken place many women can suffer alot of morning sickness, acupuncture is one of the very few forms of therapy that is considered safe for the treatment of morning sickness, I have successfully treated many expectant mums over the years for morning nausea.
As womens’ bellies swell later into the pregnancy their body weight increases and their centre of balance shifts, frequently resulting in lower back pain and even sciatica, acupuncture and massage helps with this too. If you are worried that you are too big to lie face down to get treated don’t be, because you can receive these therapies sitting up or lying on your side with no problems, purpose made pregnancy tables are also used.
Sometimes mums-to-be can get carpal tunnel syndrome in their wrists from the extra fluid their pregnant body contains, acupuncture and massage helps with this problem too. The extra fluid in their wrists physically pressurises the blood vessels and nerves in the carpal tunnel inside the wrists.
Towards the final stages of pregnancy indigestion and reflux are frequent discomforts that expectant mums can do without, fortunately acupuncture can help with this too as it can with insomnia this often causes. Acupuncture can help sooth people’s emotions whether they are pregnant or not, pregnancy can be a very emotionally trying time for women, if you go to get some acupuncture for your morning sickness ask your acupuncturist to make you feel more relaxed too if this is a problem for you.
If a woman goes past her due date or finds it difficult to properly establish labour, drugs are used, acupuncture can assist with stimulating contractions too ( and even help reposition a baby in breach position).
After you get your new bundle of joy spending hours hunched over your baby breast feeding can produce neck, upper back and shoulder pain, acupuncture and massage can be of great assistance helping you with this. Carrying your baby around on one arm while you use the other hand to open doors, turn taps on and off and get the change table ready can also be a real pain in the shoulder, if this is you acupuncture, massage and Self Massage will help you.
If you haven’t had any kids yet you will soon discover that after you do, plenty of people in white coats are terribly interested in the baby but not in you! Acupuncture and massage can help prevent adhesions forming on C-section scars. If you feel down and tired acupuncture and massage can help that too, getting fit again is given a helping hand with these therapies also.
Always remember to take the time to look after yourself, your baby will notice if you are not happy even if you don’t.