Acupuncture in Pregnancy
Pregnancy
• When you are pregnant it is possible to be very healthy and troubled by all sorts of ailments – at the same time!
• Pregnancy brings about major changes in your body over a very short period of time and can put it under tremendous strain.
• The same goes for your mind and spirit, too – being pregnant is a significant life event. It is very important not to forget this.
• Being pregnant is not an illness: being pregnant is a special condition.
*All the advice and information given here is intended for women with healthy pregnancies. If you have a diagnosed medical problem, either before you became pregnant, or since becoming pregnant, the information contained may not be applicable to you.
If in doubt:
Consult your medical or midwifery practitioner or Contact The Body Clinic and seek advice from one of our practitioners
*Acupuncture in pregnancy is generally a safe treatment (BMJ,2000). However, it must be administered by a competent practitioner.
Remember:
• If you are already having acupuncture, tell your acupuncturist if you plan to get pregnant or are already pregnant.
• Ask your acupuncturist how much experience they have in treating women in pregnancy.
• If a doctor, midwife, nurse, physiotherapist or other medical practitioner wants to give you acupuncture, ask them how qualified they are to do so.
• Always consult a practitioner who is experienced in both acupuncture and pregnancy.
• If in doubt, don’t do it. Consult The Body Clinic and seek advice from one of our practitioners.
How can Acupuncture help?
In the right hands acupuncture can reduce the discomfort of many common, so-called minor ailments in pregnancy. Some of those ailments are not serious but can be very disrupting and distressing.
Acupuncture can also help with other conditions where the usual treatment is not possible in pregnancy, for example, hay fever medications are not recommended in pregnancy.
Even if you do not experience any problems, acupuncture helps you relax, sleep better and generally prepare your body, mind and spirit for labour and the post-natal period.
Although you, the mother, are very important and are entitled to extra care and attention at this time, let’s not forget the father.
Men can find pregnancy stressful and tiring too, for different reasons than the mother. However, they often feel uncomfortable acknowledging this – many feel guilty to do so or shy about asking for help.
Acupuncture can help fathers-to-be (and fathers-that-are) relax, sleep and manage their stressful lives juggling work, a baby and supporting their partner.
So, acupuncture at all stages of pregnancy, from pre-conception to post natal, proves to be a useful addition to the care given by your GP, hospital and midwifery service.
