LEARN: Acupuncture to prepare for pregnancy

Introduction:

I have always been fascinated with acupuncture and how it can impact our bodies. I have witnessed my clients feeling better, calmer and more focussed. Therefore, I have met with Kirsty from Acu Hub in Dunsborough to ask about all things acupuncture but especially in preparation for pregnancy. 

If you are planning a pregnancy, why should you consider Acupuncture treatment?

Acupuncture will help your body to find balance through regulating your hormones and promoting the release of neurotransmitters that regulate mood, sleep, digestion and other functions. Acupuncture also activates the parasympathetic nervous system which allows the body to come out of fight or flight mode and into a rest and digest state which allows for optimal health.

Why do you use needles? What do the needles do?

The needles are “instructions” to the body. These instructions allow for the body’s normal physiological processes to improve over time. They needles are inserted in specific acupuncture points which possess different functions and qualities allowing for an individualised approach to care, depending on what each person requires. Therefore, any one treatment never looks the same. 

Can you explain to me the connection in TCM between Mind and Body (uterus)?

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) identifies that the heart “houses” the mind. The heart also has a strong connection to the uterus via the “Bao Mai” (uterus vessel) which is sensitive to our emotional health. This demonstrates the interconnectedness of our minds with our bodies and more specifically when considering fertility, with our uterus and reproductive system. It is therefore of great importance to take the mental and spiritual aspects of the patient into consideration when focussing on fertility treatment. If our mind is not at ease, our body cannot prepare for conception and nourishment of a baby.

Could you outline what acupuncture can achieve especially when considering a baby?

When a woman is considering pregnancy, TCM focusses treatment on calming the mind, and ensuring the smooth flow and supply of blood to the necessary areas of the body. By promoting the movement and supply of blood, essential nutrients, oxygen, electrolytes and hormones can reach the reproductive organs allowing for the optimal environment to be created. The movement of blood also allows for “stagnation” (old blood/cells) to be cleared.   

Many women that are trying to conceive may struggle with irregular, heavy, or light periods, painful menstruation, or other menstrual disorders. These symptoms, demonstrate an imbalance in the body. A TCM practitioner may utilise acupuncture and/or Chinese herbal medicine to restore the flow and supply of blood, allowing for improvements in the uterine lining, egg quality, and general wellbeing. As it takes three months for an ovum (and sperm) to reach maturity, weekly treatment is recommended for a period of three months prior to conception or fertility treatment thus allowing for the optimal environment to be created.

What is your favourite part about your work?

I love my work and my clients and the journeys they take me on. I love that I can treat in such an individualised way allowing for the complexities of each person to be taken into consideration in their care. The best part of my job is when people leave the clinic with the words “I have never felt so good" or "I didn't know I could feel this good". 

Summary 

Acupuncture as an alternative modality can be a useful tool when preparing for pregnancy as it allows the body to come back to balance. Weekly treatment is recommended three months prior to planned conception, to prepare mind and body (both woman and man) for an optimal conception and hopefully a healthy pregnancy. 

I want to say thank you so much to Kirsty for taking the time in her schedule to speak with me and I hope this gives a good explanation why acupuncture may be beneficial when preparing for pregnancy. 

For more information about the services Kirsty and her team offer at Acu Hub in Dunsborough. Please visit their website www.acuhub.com.au