Pregnancy Care

Preconception care in Chinese Medicine is individually tailored to meet each couple’s/individual’s needs and may involve:

First trimester (Week 1 – Week 12)

Once your pregnancy is confirmed, we usually recommend an assessment with our experienced Chinese medicine doctor – particularly if you have any history of difficulty in conceiving, miscarriage, bleeding, cramping other issues in early pregnancy. We will analyze your body condition with TCM diagnostic techniques to find out if there is any yin and yang, qi and blood, or certain organ imbalance.

During this time,most women will more or less experience these symptoms:

• Fatigue
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Heartburn
• Dizziness (blood pressure lowers)
• Palpitations (anxiety and stress)
• Insomnia

Our general advice for your first trimester:

Rest up – You may experience fatigue in the first trimester, and if you push yourself hard, it only gets worse. Make use of any time you have to rest and accept any offers of help graciously.

Stress – Try to avoid stress and be happy. Slow down at work if possible and try not to take on any new work or large projects that adds extra stress into your life.Napping on the weekends and when you get home from work.

Eat well – In the first trimester you set yourself and your baby up for the rest of the pregnancy journey and beyond. Eat fresh produce and stay away from processed foods. If you are suffering from morning sickness, try to have small meals throughout the day and avoid rich, spicy, greasy or fatty foods, and foods whose smells bother you.

Exercise – You can continue exercising but not too strenuous. If you are not already exercising, light walking is a great place to start.

In the first trimester, we will focus on alleviating the common symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, headaches, fatigue, anxiety, and insomnia, as well as applying strategies for miscarriage prevention.

Acupuncture is a natural and safe treatment often recommended to treat the above symptoms while optimising your general health and well being. While acupuncture may not completely resolve these discomforts, it really does help take the edge off.

Nausea levels can be significantly reduced with specific acupuncture protocols that have shown clinical efficacy. Patients regularly experience relief of headaches and insomnia, as well as the reduction of anxiety levels since the first several weeks can feel worrisome. Chinese herbal medicine may be involved during the first trimester if you wish.

Some of the usual pregnancy related issues acupuncture can safely and effectively address include:

• heartburn
• nausea
• vomiting
• constipation
• haemorrhoids
• urinary tract infection
• musculoskeletal pain
• fatigue
• insomnia
• anxiety
• depression
• sinusitis
• swelling

Suggested Schedule: 1 treatment per week for the first trimester

Second trimester (Week 13 – Week 28)

For many women, hitting the second trimester of pregnancy is like flipping a switch. Suddenly, the nausea is gone, your appetite returns, and your energy is back.

Some women may experience these symptoms in the second trimester:

• Still feeling lack of energy
• A too poor or too strong appetite
• Body pain and swelling
• Constipation
• Insomnia

If you are experiencing the symptoms as above, this may indicate that your body has not become balanced and you may have certain organs which are weaker. In the second trimester, we will focus on regaining your energy, managing weight gain, improving circulation, alleviating body pain, reducing swelling, improving bowel movement and sleeping quality.

Suggested Schedule: 1 treatment in a few weeks for the second trimester depended on body condition

Third trimester (Week 29 – Week 40)

Birth preparation

Around 30-34 weeks is a great time to check in with your Chinese medicine doctors if you haven’t already. At this time, we will check your body through TCM diagnosis method and set up an individual treatment plan for birth preparation. Acupuncture during the third trimester of pregnancy can safely be used to treat aches and pains, digestive discomforts, swelling, fatigue and manage stress, in addition to breech baby and smoother labor unique to the third trimester. Acupuncture also assists in preparing your cervix and uterus for birth, and helping your labour to start spontaneously and on time.

Breech presentation

Breech presentations affect 4% of pregnancies but most of the time the baby turns herself by the 36th week. If she continues to be breech, most OB’s advise a C-section so its worth trying to get the baby to turn if you can.We use a well known acupuncture and moxibustion protocol which involves warming a point on the small toe. This is most effective if the treatment is undertaken between 34 and 37 weeks, and the earlier you begin, the greater likelihood of success.

Labour induction

I recommend patients begin twice weekly acupuncture sessions starting at 36 weeks. This is to prepare you- mind and body- for birth. I’ve found that patients who follow this schedule experience a smoother labor with fewer complications and tend to spontaneously go into labor closer to their due date. Induction with acupuncture still enables a slow build to contractions, not suddenly starting intense contractions, therefore optimising your chances of an uncomplicated labour and natural birth.

Postnatal care

Many physical and emotional changes can bring uncertainty to the post-delivery recovery process. Physically, constipation, urinary incontinence, breastfeeding difficulties, incision pain and pelvic floor pain can be present. Emotionally, mood fluctuations, anxiety and depressions are often seen.

​At this time, we will check your body through TCM diagnosis method and set up an individual treatment plan for postnatal care. Treatment can address any common postpartum issues of diminished milk supply, blocked milk ducts or mastitis, carpal tunnel, back or hip pain, insomnia, fatigue, prolonged bleeding, night sweats, hemorrhoids, lowered immunity, healing from surgery, and mood imbalances such as anxiety and depression.

Do you know about Postpartum Confinement in Chinese Medicine?

A new mother’s confinement period includes traditional postnatal practices that are designed to help her recover from pregnancy, labour and birth. In Chinese culture, confinement (Zuo Yue Zi) is for the duration of one month, but can be up to 45 days for greater healing.
Here is a useful link: Postpartum Confinement and Chinese Medicine