How Chinese Medicine Can Support You Through Your Pregnancy

You may have been trying for years, or it may have been a total surprise. Either way, getting that positive pregnancy test is usually a very memorable moment. Many midwives and doctors don’t schedule the first prenatal visit until after 10 weeks. Coming into the clinic in that interim time can help you feel seen and supported during early pregnancy. Beyond the early weeks, acupuncture treatments help mitigate the wide array of symptoms that arise during the winding 9 month journey of pregnancy.

Pregnancy offers a potent opportunity to connect to yourself and your growing fetus. There’s a graciousness to the 9 months, as it provides time to prepare both your inner and outer world for the profound change to come. As blood volume increases and life quite literally blooms inside of you, a particular magnetism and awareness arises. Even if you’re slogging through the many symptoms that might pop up, remember that you are a radiating vessel for new life.

While each pregnancy is different, there are common symptom sets in each trimester.

First trimester:
Nausea
Fatigue
Headaches
Threatened miscarriage

The first trimester of pregnancy is marked by an intense shift in physiology. From a Chinese medicine perspective, your Qi, Blood, and Essence are being used to form the embryo then create the fetus’ primary organ structure. Your body is also working hard to create its own new organ, the placenta. This is an incredibly taxing process; if there are underlying disharmonies present, they are often exacerbated by the demands of the first trimester.

Second trimester:
Heartburn
Back pain
Edema

The second trimester is often referred to as the “golden” one. That said, there are still many discomforts that may arise. As the fetus grows, back pain and heartburn can arise. Edema can also come up when stagnation of Qi prohibits smooth fluid movement. Growing a fetus places intense demands on the body. This reality becomes increasingly more apparent as your bump grows more visible during this second trimester.

Third trimester:
Insomnia
Back pain
Pelvic pain
Turning breech babies
Labor preparation

By the third trimester, the fetus and pregnant body have grown quite large. This can lead to a number of musculoskeletal discomforts, and make sleep increasingly more difficult. If your baby isn’t in an optimal position, we can work to loosen the uterine ligaments to allow your little bud to turn head down. As your due date gets closer, it’s essential to both strengthen and open the body in preparation for labor.

Coming in for regular acupuncture treatments can help to mitigate all of the symptoms mentioned above. The soft and loving space tapped into during an acupuncture treatment can offer your body the opportunity to rest and integrate all of the work its doing during pregnancy. This rest will naturally minimize emotional and physical discomfort. Along with regular treatment at the clinic, ensuring good nutrition and adequate restoration can ensure a healthy pregnancy and smooth labor. During treatments, we’ll discuss more specific lifestyle recommendations that can help make your pregnancy more easeful.