Pregnancy & Postpartum Support

New moms are often on their feet, up and down constantly preparing bottles, changing diapers, and soothing fussy newborns. Motherhood is a physically demanding job! No matter how thrilled you may be with your baby, being a new mom can still be overwhelming — and that’s okay. 

Childbirth is a miraculous experience. But carrying a baby and enduring the delivery process takes a toll on your body. So in the weeks following your baby’s birth, it’s important to give yourself the patience, attention, and TLC you need to recover.

Including acupuncture in your postpartum care plan can help alleviate stress, reduce muscle strain, and gently support muscle tone by improving blood flow. Acupuncture supports your hormonal health as well as your physical and mental wellness in the months following childbirth.

In addition to acupuncture, we advise many of our new moms to engage in the traditional Chinese practice of “Zuo Yue Zi”, or “sitting the month”. This postpartum care practice gives new mothers a chance to recover from childbearing and childbirth by placing a healthy emphasis on self-care. 

We’ve also found that many of our patients enjoy a speedier, smoother recovery from childbirth with the help of Chinese herbal medicine. The right herbs in the right doses support your body’s ability to restore balance following childbirth so you can get back on your feet quickly and start enjoying all the little joys of being a mother.

We always advise expecting mothers to consider acupuncture therapy. We also recommend using acupuncture to help new mothers recover from childbirth. This wonderfully supportive therapy promotes health and wellness, no matter which condition you’re currently going through.

Acupuncture has a normalizing effect on the body, which helps stabilize hormone levels after delivery. This, combined with its stress-reducing benefits, makes acupuncture for pregnancy and post-partum care a must.

In a review, acupuncture was shown to significantly reduce the risk of postpartum depression in new mothers. At the same time, acupuncture also led to an increase in estrogen levels, which helps restore normal menstrual cycles after childbirth. Because estrogen plays such an important role in the genitourinary tract, this increase in estrogen can also help strengthen your pelvic floor after giving birth.

Interestingly, acupuncture can even be used to stimulate lactation. If you’re struggling to produce enough milk for your baby, acupuncture has been shown to increase breast milk supply in nursing mothers.

Overall, acupuncture supports your body as it shifts from carrying a child to supporting that child’s ability to grow and thrive in the outside world

Pregnancy can be an exciting time in your life, especially if you’ve always dreamed of having a baby. If you struggle with infertility or have invested in IVF and/or IUI treatments, the moment you find out you’re finally expecting is twice as sweet. 

During pregnancy, your body goes through a number of changes to accommodate the growth and development of your baby. Hormone fluctuations, including increasing progesterone levels and relaxin production, can contribute to a variety of unpleasant symptoms. 

Additionally, the physical impact of having a growing belly can put a significant strain on your body. As your uterus expands, this places pressure on the spine, as well as the surrounding nerves, ligaments, and organs. The extra weight, combined with gravity, only serves to increase the intensity of your symptoms.

Research shows that acupuncture is safe for pregnant women from the first trimester to the last. So, no matter what stage of pregnancy you find yourself in, whether you’re in the first few weeks or rapidly approaching your due date, it’s never too late to start acupuncture for pregnancy support.

Acupuncture is a popular holistic treatment for pregnancy symptoms, and has been shown to be an effective therapy for the back pain, morning sickness, and pelvic pain that many mothers-to-be experience. Acupuncture has even been used to correct breech position, thus preventing a birth complication.

Because every patient’s needs are different, at Integrative Healing Arts, we will work with you to come up with a plan that supports you throughout your pregnancy. While acupuncture is the primary tool we use, we also rely on other therapies, like massage, to help you control your stress and manage your pain.