Acupuncture for the Post-natal Period

By Angie
Over the last few blog posts, we have shared some valuable information about how new mothers can look after themselves beautifully in the period following the birth of their baby. These have included: the Chinese tradition of a Sitting Moon; Mother-warming and Meditation;Acupressure for new mums; Nutrition for the Postnatal period; and aSelf-help checklist for mothers. During this exhilarating and tiring time, you may also want to consider seeing a professional acupuncturist for extra support. This blog post is dedicated to sharing some of the wonderful ways that acupuncture can help a new mother during the post-natal period and beyond.

Here are just some of the ways that acupucture can benefit a new mother:

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• Improves circulation to the Uterus

        Acupuncture is effective in promoting blood flow to the uterus, which helps it to shrink back to normal             size more quickly, and thus facilitate a faster recovery.

• Boosts Energy
  During the postpartum period, sleep deprivation, hormonal imbalance and the massive adjustment to motherhood can mean a new mother is in a hypo-thyroid state and extremely fatigued. Acupuncture can boost the endocrine system and regulate the thyroid in order to boost energy and decrease fatigue.
  
  
• Decreases stress and anxiety
  Entering motherhood is breathtakingly beautiful, however it can also a stressful time, provoking feelings of anxiety as the new mum begins a very steep learning curve. Acupuncture is extremely relaxing and can give a new mum a much needed time out from the continual demands of their baby. It can also help rebalance the chemicals and hormones that have been disrupted by the demands of pregnancy and labour. It is important to address feelings of tension or emotional imbalance early in the postpartum period to decrease the chance of developing a postpartum mood disorder.
  
  
• Assists with weight loss
  Acupuncture helps to stablise the thyroid, rebalance hormones, stimulate metabolism and regulate digestion, therefore it can help you lose the baby weight more easily.
  
  
• Reduces water retention
  Acupuncture regulates and stimulates the functions of the kidneys and bladder, thus it can help to eliminate excess fluid and reduce water retention.
  
  
• Facilitates a faster recovery
  The most wonderful aspect of acupuncture, is that it stimulates the body to heal itself. Acupuncture stimulates cell regeneration and promotes the body's natural rejuvination process. This can help to facilitate a more speedy recovery from the demands of pregnancy and labour.
  
  
• Treats scarring
  If you have had a Caesarian section, acupuncture can be very effective for helping the surgical scar to heal, even if it has been several months or years. Acupuncture and moxa around the scar can not only help the skin to heal more effectively, but it can help to reduce any numbness in the area as well. Energetically it is important to address scar tissue, as a scar represents a type of blockage, therefore improving the circulation of Qi and Blood in this area using acupuncture, moxa and massage has a flow on affect to the whole body.
  
  
• Addresses a range of postpartum complaints
  Acupuncture can help with a variety of conditions that may occur in the postnatal period, including persistent uterine bleeding, after-pains (contraction pains after labour), breast-feeding problems, night sweats, body aches and pains, insomnia, constipation and postnatal depression.
  
  

As you can see, there are numerous ways that acupuncture can help to provide extra support during the postnatal period. If you are seeking acupuncture for routine support, strengthening and tonification after the birth, the ideal schedule of treatments would be once a week for three weeks, beginning from two weeks after birth. This will put you in a strong and vital position to start your motherhood journey. If there are further issues that need addressing, you will be able to discuss a treatment plan with your practitioner, depending on your individual circumstances. Most mothers find having an hour away from their baby to just focus on themselves incredibly healing in itself, and combined with acupuncture this makes a powerful recipe for healing.

If you have any questions about how acupuncture can help you or someone you know during the post-natal period, please feel free to leave a comment below or contact us here. We are happy to help in any way that we can.

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