Recently, acupuncture has become a popular choice as a method for inducing labour over drugs due to it's natural and wholistic approach.

Ancient wisdom

for modern problems

Step 1: Common problems during pregnancy before birth

As the result of our highly stressed lifestyle, common problems experienced by many first time mother (to be) include:

► severe fluid retention and weight gain

► fatigue and exhaustion

► sugar craving

► sleeping problems before labour

► degrees of emotional stress and anxiety

► delayed labour

► problems with dilation

► over-sized baby.

Other common situations include:

 "delayed labour" or "labour overdue", meaning that the baby is past the due date but the mother still has not experienced signs of contraction. This case is especially typical of expecting mothers who had history of stress, anxiety or depression in the past or are on anxiety or depression related medications.

Step 2: Chinese medicine perspective on pregnancy maintenance and labour.

Chinese medicine perceives pregnancy as a serious matter for your body as having a baby growing inside you poses a HUGE load on your system, it is similar to how buying a house can affect your bank account balance.

Consequently, it is important for you to ensure your body is well rested, having an adequate diet and supplements to support the complete needs of a growing baby inside your body. Problematic labour usually occur when you are not aware of your stress level, sleeping troubles as well as how your body is coping. Running on adrenaline can cause cravings, excessive fluid retention and weight gain.

As the result, it often leads to delayed labour with excessive pain, chaos and serious complications to both the mother and the baby.

Delayed labour also happens when the mother is severely stressed, tense and fatigued.

This is because, from a Chinese medicine point of view (or from my clinical point of view), that stress, anxiety and depression often bear high levels of tension in the body, eg, the person often feel uptight or tense, so, the body "HOLDS TOO TIGHT" and doesn't "LET GO" , the natural signal and trigger for labour is blocked.

The labour is often delayed and overdue. In addition, the expecting mother may also suffer from some degree of (vary from moderate to severe) fluid retention, which also indicate the body is under "stress".

Step 3: How Can Acupuncture Help ?

Acupuncture offers a safe, effective and ideal treatment to minimise your stress, boost your energy and making the whole journey a better experience. It ensures your body is in-tuned with the pregnancy and "proper signals" flow through at the right time to minimise chances of delayed labour and other possible complications.

In the case of using acupuncture to facilitate a smooth labour or even to induce an overdue labour, acupuncture works on the following aspects including:

Key aspects:

► Reduce stress and tension in the body, minimise "stress reactions" in order for the "body's natural signal to "kick in" to bring on dilation and contraction.

► Relax the muscles around the lumbar, sacral and coccyx areas to initiate dilation

► Reduce emotional stress and anxiety.

► Making sure you gain good quality sleep, so you would have fresh energy to deal with birthing process.

► Relax the pelvic muscles to help with dilation

► Assist in "fully" dilation of the cervix, therefore, when contractions start, you are ready to push.

► To quicken or push forward a weak and sluggish contraction to start the "whole process"

► Minimise complication

Detail Information:

- Reduce stress and tension in the body. It helps to relieve the emotional worrying that often associate with labour in new mothers or mothers who had a traumatic labour in the past.

Through reducing emotional tension, it helps the body to  relax. It also helps you to sleep better at night, so, you are well rested and energised for the event.

In addition, it helps to relax the tighten muscles in the lumbar-sacral-coccyx area and assists in " fully" dilation of your cervix, so it is ready for the baby to come through. Consequently, when your contractions start, you are ready to push.

Also through reducing tensions in the body and mind, it "switches off" the "stress mode" when the body is under stress, therefore, it allows the body to "function" normally and allows the signals of labour to occur.

Acupuncture also helps in reducing fluid retention, reducing "sluggish feeling", and allowing labour to proceed quickly, smoothly with the mother feeling "in control".

Step 4: When to Start Acupuncture Treatment?

Step 5: How many sessions are needed?

Acupuncture During Pregnancy

After giving birth, our body is often drained both physically and emotionally. It requires time, adequate nourishment and nutrition to recover. Acupuncture and Chinese herbs provide natural and effective treatments allowing our body to recover without any interference with breast feeding.

For more information or appointments, please call (02) 9386 1018 during clinic hours

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