Acupuncture for Childbirth & Postpartum

While there are acupuncture points that can provide natural pain relief during labor, acupuncture is more commonly used to induce labor. There are several points that stimulate contractions and influence cervical ripening. There is also an acupuncture point that has been found to turn a breech baby.

Acupuncture Postpartum

Many women feel depleted after the birth experience. Acupuncture and Oriental medicine can help the transition of those first few months after birth to ensure a quick recovery. Postpartum care focuses on the physical, emotional and psychological recovery of the mother from the effects of pregnancy and labor, as well as encouraging breast feeding.

Here are some of the postpartum issues that can be treated with acupuncture:

* Fatigue

* Postpartum Depression

* Mastitis

* Insufficient or Excessive Lactation

* Post Operative Healing

* Night Sweats

If you would like to know more how acupuncture and TCM ease discomfort and facilitate pregnancy, please call for more information.

source: Qi Mail

Repost: The MUST-Have Talk Before Labor

Deb of the Prenatal Yoga Center keeps a blog about pregnancy-related issues. Below is an excerpt of the July 31st entry entitled, "The MUST-Have Talk Before Labor," in which she discusses something rarely considered when preparing for the birth of a child.

Recently I was at a couple’s apartment doing a private childbirth education class. We went through quite a bit of information that covered everything from pain management techniques to understanding the different stages of labor to how the mom’s partner can support her through the variations and complications that might arise during labor and delivery. Near the end of our session, I asked the couple, “How do you work as a couple in highly emotional or uncontrolled situations?” The father-to-be looked at me oddly and said “I think we work well together, but why are you asking?” I think this is one area that is not given much attention, but is really important. I am not trying to say that labor is innately stressful, but it is a departure from normal everyday occurrences, a situation where one part of the couple is going through an intense physical experience.

Read more here.

Moxa for Breech Babies

Below is an instructional video from Acubalance Wellness Center to show a Chinese medicine acupuncture technique called Moxibustion that is used to turn breech babies.

A Happy Home Birth Story!

I've been following this blog for several months, as author Ryan has chronicled his wife's pregnancy in weekly photos like the one above and almost-daily entries. His posts are candid, smart, hilarious—and addictive.

Last week, his wife, Cole, gave birth at home to a beautiful baby girl, and he has been posting photos and updates, along with the Birth Story. It's a wonderful read if you have a few free minutes in your day!

Spanish Commercial Features Real Home Birth

The slogan of this new ad campaign by Spanish company, Flex, is “Tu cama, el lugar más importante del mundo,” or “Your bed, the most important place in the world.”

This commercial, released in April, spotlights the home birth of Waira, daughter of Carolina and Nicholas Umpierrez of Barcelona, Spain. In the advertisement, they claim that their bed is special to them because it is where there son was born and they would like for their daughter to be born in the same bed.



This commercial would probably never fly in the US (where we like our ads as glamorous as the celebrities in them), but it's great to see a home birth portrayed in such a positive light!

Post-Partum Haircare

After giving birth, when hormone levels return to normal, new moms often experience many physical and emotional changes. One of the most frustrating is hair loss. Just as you’ve gotten used to enjoying the thick, healthy hair you had during your pregnancy, it starts to fall out, sometimes in clumps! There’s no need to panic, though—It’s completely normal and temporary. Hair loss usually begins three to four months after the baby’s birth, but within a year, your hair should be back to its vibrant self.

Normally, most of the hair on your head is growing and the rest is in a resting stage. After the resting period, this hair falls out and is replaced by new growth. An average woman sheds about a hundred hairs a day. When pregnant, however, fewer follicles are in the resting stage, so she enjoys thicker, more lustrous hair. After giving birth, your estrogen levels fall, causing more hair follicles to enter the “resting” stage, so you may notice more hairs in the shower drain or hairbrush.

Before you reach for the scissors, though, there are plenty of ways to help promote healthy hair growth. As a new mother myself, I definitely plan to try them out!

Through birth and breastfeeding, women literally give energy to another life. They need to make sure that they get enough nutrients so they have plenty to pass on to their baby without draining their own supply.

Chinese medicine has been treating hair loss for hundreds of years with acupuncture and herbs. As Paul Pitchford explains in his book, Healing with Whole Foods, “In Chinese medicine, hair is said to be an extension of the blood and therefore influenced by the health of the spleen-pancreas and kidneys.” To help restore hair to its healthy state, you need to nourish the blood qi. After giving birth, mothers are encouraged to take blood tonifiers for overall benefits (not just hair loss).

There are two general approaches to enriching and building blood through nutrition. First, you want to increase absorption of nutrients and secondly, you also should add nutrients that generate healthy blood.

The nutrients most often needed to cure blood deficiencies include iron, folic acid, and vitamin B12. Getting enough protein is also important.

Legumes, grains, nuts, and seeds are all good sources of iron, especially when eaten in their raw forms, as protein, copper, and B vitamins needed to aid absorption are still intact. It is also helpful to combine these foods with vitamin C to further enhance absorption.

Folic acid can be found in micro-algae, sprouts, leafy greens and other chlorophyll-rich foods. However, you have to be careful not to lose those nutrients by overcooking, so it may be best to eat these foods raw or lightly steamed.

One of the most convenient ways to obtain adequate levels of B12 is to use bacteria-derived tablets. Grains, legumes, sprouts, green foods, and vegetables are also good food sources of this key nutrient.

In some cases, animal protein may be necessary, as it is a more direct source of these nutrients.

At Five Seasons Healing, I use acupuncture treatments and herbs such as sangshen, he shouwu, and heizhima. to help encourage absorption, by building spleen-pancreas qi and reducing any damp/mucus conditions.

Something else you might want to try is an armotherapy oil blend tested by Scottish dermatologists at the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary. In a clinical study, patients massaged their scalps for two minutes every evening with the a blend of thyme, lavender, rosemary, and cedarwood oil mixed with a carrier oil—a combination of jojoba and grapeseed oils. They wrapped a warm towel around their head afterwards to further enhance the absorption. Patients were advised to use this treatment every night. After seven months, forty-four percent of the patients using the aromatherapy blend had improvement, compared to fifteen percent in the control group.

To promote health hair growth, try this aromatherapy blend:

Cedarwood 2 drops
Thyme 2 drops
Lavender 3 drops
Rosemary 3 drops
Jojoba oil 1/2 teaspoon (carrier)
Grapeseed oil 4 teaspoons (carrier)

This is great to try if you’re suffering from post-partum hair loss or simply want to add some life to your locks! I’ll keep you posted on my results!

Pregnancy Sciatica

During the last few months of pregnancy, as the baby grows more rapidly and the pelvic joints begin to relax to accommodate birth, expectant mothers may experience back pain and sciatica that can range from a minor discomfort to an exhausting, crippling condition.

Sciatica may be causes by the weight of the pregnant uterus, altered posture to compensate for altered shape, fatigue leading to poor posture or other factors such as softened, relaxed pelvic ligaments due to the presence of progesterone and relaxin in the body.

The pain is often worse at night and there is little western medicine can offer for relief aside from back exercises and advice about proper posture.

From the Chinese medicine standpoint, pregnancy sciatica is due to stopping of Blood and Qi (energy). Strain can weaken the back muscles, and exposure to cold can wear on the immune system, making the mother more susceptible to ailment and injury.

Acupuncture is one of the few safe and effective treatments for pregnancy sciatica. First, the acupuncturist determines whether the pain is acute or chronic. Severe pain that gets worse with rest but improves with light exercise and tender to the touch is connected to the stagnation of Blood and Qi. A large area of pain could indicate an invasion of Cold or Dampness or a constitutional deficiency. By identifying the blocked meridian, or energy channel, acupuncture can help to Qi flow and resolve the condition.

Breech Presentation and Moxabustion

In one out of every six pregnancies, the baby turns into the breech, or upright, position. There are several different variations of breech. The baby may have its feet flexed or its legs extended and raised up towards its face, or its knees may be folded up near its chest. In some cases, a foot may be extended downwards.

While in most cases, there is no obvious causes for for a breech, but it may be due to a low-lying placenta, premature birth, a multiple pregnancy, polyhydramnios, hydrocephalus, fibroids or an unusually shaped uterus.

If a breech presentation is diagnoses around thirty-two weeks, there is still a chance that the baby will turn spontaneously during the next two weeks. After thirty-two weeks, however, there are ways to correct the position so that a mother may avoid delivering via cesaerean section.

Acupuncture and moxibustion can successfully turn the baby back into cephalad (head-down) position. In some cases, as little as a single treatment can turn the baby.

Moxa is a plant used as a heat source to stimulate acupuncture points, and in addition to its use in the office, you may be sent home with a moxa stick and instructions on how to continue treatment. The greatest success rates are for 32-35 weeks, but the treatment can be effective as late as 38 weeks in some cases. Still, a mother should always check with her midwife or doctor to insure that the baby should be turned. In some instances, such as twin pregnancies or a history of previous breech births or cesaerean section deliveries, the baby should not be turned.

Orgasmic Birth

On Thursday, December 11th, an article about New York-based childbirth educator Debra Pascali-Bonaro's documentary (which airs on January 2 on ABC's 20/20), Orgasmic Birth, appeared in the New York Times. The film asks,What would happen if women were taught to enjoy birth rather than endure it?

While an orgasmic birth may not be for every woman, it's great to see childbirth portrayed in a positive light rather than as a painful medical procedure. Tune in on January 2nd for more.

10 Helpful Hints for Pregnancy, Labor and Postpartum

—from the Prenatal Yoga Center

October 23rd, 2008

Please enjoy this list of 10 healthful hints for pregnancy, labor and postpartum. Much of this information is gathered from friends, students, hands-on experience, mentors and teachers. I strongly believe in learning from others, so please feel free to pass this along to all your friends!

1. Olive Oil on Baby’s Bottom to Prevent the Meconium From Sticking

Vanessa, one of my recent doula clients, enlightened me to this brilliant idea. Right after your baby is born, take a few drops of olive oil and rub it onto the baby’s bottom. When your baby passes the meconium (your baby’s first poop), this dark, tar-like substance will be easy to wash off.

2. Arnica Helps Heal Tears of the Perineum After Labor
Most use the pellets rather than the cream for this type of wound. The cream is not supposed to be used on broken skin - though I have known women who have used the cream and found it to work without problems.

With the pellets, the you can put 2-3 in your peri bottle before you fill it with water, and use that solution when you pee. You can also take it orally (2 pellets) whenever you remember to. Try to avoid taking it around meals or touching the pellets with your hands. As you start to feel better you will naturally start taking it less often. Any dosage you can get will be helpful, but I think the stronger the better for this.

3. “The Midwive’s Pitocin”
Make a bowl of oatmeal, honey and nuts during labor and graze on it as you desire. If you break down the ingredients, you will find the perfect balance of complex carbohydrates, protein and natural sugar.

4. Hard Candy to Help Boost You During Labor
Because so many hospitals restrict eating during labor, it is possible for mom to get a little low in the energy department. I always bring hard honey candies with me to labors. This can give the laboring mom a bit of energy, and it dissolves in the mouth so it does not count as eating food, should any one ask.

5 Apple Cider Vinegar for Acid Reflux
Drink one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in the morning, before eating. Theoretically, it works because the stomach is fooled into producing less acid. (Midwifery Today Winter 2007)

6. Cold Maxi-Pads with Witchhazel, Lavender and Vaseline
Before you head to the hospital, take several maxi pads and pour witch hazel and several drops of lavender on them, and then place them in the freezer. Not only will this small science experiment feel good on your sore bottom, it also promotes healing.

One of my students recently passed on the idea of smearing some Vaseline on the pad to prevent any stitches you might have needed from sticking to the pad.

7. Breastmilk for Cracked Nipples
It is not uncommon for women to experience sore or cracked nipples while breastfeeding. It is usually a sign that your baby is not latching correctly. One treatment for helping heal your nipples is to express a small amount of breast milk or colostrum onto the nipple and allow it to air-dry.

8. EAT YOUR GREENS!!!
Dark leafy greens, such as kale, collard greens, spinach, arugula, beet greens and dandelion are packed full of vitamins and minerals, and they can alleviate many pregnancy-related discomforts. Studies have shown increasing your iron intake can help relieve restless leg syndrome. A lack of calcium and magnesium (both found in dark leafy greens) can help rid you of middle-of-the-night calf cramps. For those that suffer from constipation, the fiber in these vegetables will help get things moving along!

These dark greens are also rich in vitamin K. Insufficient Vitamin K can contribute to postpartum hemorrhaging.

9. Coconut Water for Electrolytes, Edema and Constipation
Tender coconut water (elaneer/nariyal pani) is one of the richest sources of electrolytes. It is high in chlorides, potassium and magnesium and has a moderate amount of sugar, sodium and protein. Potassium helps regulate blood pressure and heart function. Coconut water is also a good source of dietary fibre, manganese, calcium, riboflavin and Vitamin C.

Coconut water is also a natural diuretic, which will help prevent urinary tract infections as well as relieve constipation.

10. Check Out the Wonders of Nettles: A Safe, Wonderful Herb for Pregnancy and After
The use of herbs may be a very new concept for some, but I would like to introduce you to the nettle leaf. There are no contraindications to the use of this leaf during or after pregnancy. (Holistic Midwifery, Anne Frye) And the benefits are bountiful!

*Vitamins A, C, D and K, calcium, potassium, phosphorous, iron and sulphur are particularly abundant in nettles.

*Increasing fertility in women and men.

* Nourishing mother and fetus.

* Easing leg cramps and other spasms.

* Diminishing pain during and after birth. The high calcium content, which is readily assimilated, helps diminish muscle pains in the uterus, in the legs and elsewhere.

* Preventing hemorrhage after birth. Nettle is a superb source of vitamin K, and increases available hemoglobin, both of which decrease the likelihood of postpartum hemorrhage. Fresh Nettle Juice, in teaspoon doses, slows postpartum bleeding.

* Reducing hemorrhoids. Nettle’s mild astringency and general nourishing action tightens and strengthens blood vessels, helps maintain arterial elasticity and improves venous resilience.

* Increasing the richness and amount of breast milk.
–
The benefits of nettles listed above are an excerpt from Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year by Susun Weed

Benefit for NYC Midwives and a New Center for Healthy Birth!!

As a doula and acupuncturist who specializes in fertility, pregnancy and labor care, a question I often receive from my clients and patients is “why is there just one birthing center in Manhattan?” Living in one of the largest, most progressive cities in the world, and being personally and professionally surrounded by an overwhelming number of women who are passionate about healthy and natural birth, I, too, have been puzzled by the scarcity of choices available to this population. While the quality of care that does exist is marvelous: the amazing group of homebirth midwives, the St. Lukes-Roosevelt Hospital Birthing Center, the Brooklyn Birthing Center, and the plethora of obstetricians and hospital midwives throughout the city, I am giddy with excitement over the much anticipated 2010 opening of the New Space For Women’s Health, an independent center for birth, breastfeeding, and women’s health care.

Please join me at the 6th Annual Miles for Midwives and New Space 5K Run/Walk and Picnic in Prospect Park on October 5th, 2008 at 10am. Proceeds from the event benefit the New York City Chapter of the American College of Nurse-Midwives and the New Space. I’ll have a table at the event entitled, “Childbirth Acupuncture.” Please support healthy childbirth, stop by my table to say hello, and enjoy a beautiful fall Sunday in the park to boot!

Ronan's Birth Story

It has been two days since I attended the birth of Jasmine and Leo’s son as their acupuncturist and doula, and I am still waking up smiling at the vision I have of Ronan entering into the world. From a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) perspective, childbirth is considered the transition from the accumulation of ‘yin’ to the movement of ‘yang’. An expecting mother spends nine months growing and nurturing a new life, a lovely bundle of ‘yin,’ until finally, the bundle is ready to burst forth during the very ‘yang’ activity of labor. The moment of delivery is when yang expels yin. Childbirth, the steady and rhythmic opening of the pelvic floor and gradual descent of the child, may very well be one of the most ‘yang’ activities a woman ever experiences in her life.

As a doula, I am trained to offer a mother and her partner continuous emotional and physical support during labor and birth. As a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner, I can assess how each mother and each labor may need distinct forms of care and then provide appropriate support. Some mothers are said to be ‘qi stagnant’ and present with an abundance of energy, but the heightened emotional state or concern for a safe and comfortable labor may cause her difficulty in the relaxation of the pelvic floor muscles, the lowering of the baby into position or the dilation of the cervix. Some mothers may be more ‘qi and blood deficient’ and are weakened or exhausted by prolonged labor or other contributing factors. Jasmine’s labor falls into the latter category for her labor proved to get off to a rocky start.

Six days before Jasmine went into labor and at 38.5 weeks, she had come into my office for an acupuncture labor induction treatment. These treatments are usually scheduled between week 37 and 42 of a pregnancy to help build energy, relax the pelvic floor muscles (and the mother!), lower the baby into place, and soften and dilate the cervix. Just hours after the treatment, she noticed some spotting. Her midwife informed her that her mucus plug was beginning to slowly release. A great sign that her body was preparing for labor! Over the course of the following six days, she continued to have mild spotting as the plug loosened up. Throughout her third trimester, Jasmine had also experienced intermittent Braxton-Hicks contractions. But when she woke up three days ago, she knew something was different. The hormones of labor affected Jasmine very strongly and she felt nauseas during the onset of early labor. She attempted to eat and drink but over the course of the day she had vomited several times. She had also noticed that the usual Braxton Hicks contractions were beginning to become more intense and more frequent although irregular in length and rhythm.

I gave her an acupuncture treatment to help with the nausea and fatigue (PC6, ST36 and pole moxa ST36) and made her some warm congee (rice porridge) with ginger. I left her with some ear tacks at PC6 and KD1 to direct her qi downward. I suggested she try to rest as much as possible since the vomiting and subsequent dehydration took a toll on her energy. The treatment seemed to abate the vomiting and she was able to take in some food but after consuming the congee rather enthusiastically, she vomited again a few hours later. Seven hours after the acupuncture treatment, and more than 12 hours after she began to feel contractions, her contractions were 3-6 minutes apart and lasted 30-40 seconds. Her midwife suggested she come to the hospital.

The previous ear tacks removed, I added tacks at LI4, SP6, UB31, UB32, and ear shenmen, uterus, and endocrine, for the transfer to the hospital. The change in environment from the comforts of one’s home to the cold, rainy city streets, bumpy car ride, and unfamiliar hospital ward, can often disrupt the steady flow of labor contractions. Hence, ear tacks are used to help assuage the transition and regulate the nervous and endocrine systems. At the hospital, Jasmine was nearly 80% effaced and at station -2, but only 2 cm dilated. She was given fluids intravenously to counter the dehydration. Although the contractions were increasing in strength as her labor progressed, the frequency of contractions diminished to about every 6-10 minutes as she became more hydrated. It is interesting to note that dehydration is an added stressor that can ‘falsely’ increase the frequency of contractions. We returned to their home where Jasmine was encouraged to rest as much as possible.

By this point, it was clear that what Jasmine needed most was to refuel and recharge. She had already been in labor for more than 18 hours in which time she slept little, kept very little food or water down and was dehydrated. While at home for the following four hours, Jasmine was able to sleep between contractions even as they increased in regularity, strength and duration. Her husband and I supported her through each contraction with comfort measures such as massage, hip and lower back counter-pressure, warm and cold compresses, emotional support, and verbal coaching, as well as by assuring that she ate or drank a little and rested between contractions. It was very clear that Jasmine was exhausted and engaged in a very inward and personal journey. After an hour long bath where Jasmine was able to sleep between contractions, her water broke. Her contractions had increased to a minute in length and 3-4 minutes apart. It was time to go to the hospital!

At the hospital, Jasmine was 8cm dilated, and at station -1. Within an hour of arriving at the hospital and after only 5 minutes of pushing, Jasmine gave birth naturally to a beautiful, healthy baby boy.

This birth is a wonderful example of the best that Western medicine, Eastern medicine and doula support can offer to a couple during labor and delivery. Both the midwife and nurse were exceptional in their support, breadth of knowledge and skill, and the IV fluids were important in rehydrating the mother and regulating contractions. I believe that Jasmine’s sheer exhaustion coupled with her deep, even, and diaphragmatic breathes during each contraction (she is a flutist and vocalist by trade), allowed her body to completely relax into each contraction, making them more effective at softening and dilating the cervix and lowering the baby into place. While my traditional Chinese medicine training and experience inform me that needling so and so acupuncture point may be good at increasing the mother’s strength and endurance during labor, needling can also disperse an already low supply of qi (or energy). Childbirth is such an intense and dynamic experience, as the caregiver, it is important to judge in the moment what support to provide. TCM wisdom includes the knowledge that emotional and physical support, food, water, and rest can be just as nourishing as a tonifying acupuncture treatment. But this didn’t stop me from applying acupressure at SP6 during contractions and ST36 between them!