Acupuncture, an ally during pregnancy

Nausea, back pain, fatigue, constipation … Did you know that during pregnancy, acupuncture could help you soothe your little ailments? It is also used in case of poor presentation of the baby or to help induce labor. Chinese medicine practitioner Laurent Turlin tells us more about the benefits of the technique for pregnant women.

From the start of pregnancy and until term, acupuncture can be used. There are no contraindications for the health of pregnant women. " However, certain points should not be stimulated, such as the lower back or the lower abdomen, at the risk of triggering contractions. But every serious practitioner is supposed to know it », Notes Laurent Turlin. Moxibustion (a roll of mugwort that you heat up) also cannot be used lightly, except at the very end of pregnancy.

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Video by Catherine nowak

The benefits of acupuncture for pregnant women

Pregnant women do not have the right to resort to medication. Acupuncture is very helpful in this regard since it is a natural therapy that does not include any chemicals, and does not induce side effects. " It is a thousand-year-old technique that adapts to the terrain of each individual, and helps the body to naturally recreate balance. Acupuncture acts on the blood and energy, which will give the mother strength to carry out her pregnancy ", says the Chinese medicine practitioner.

Treat nausea and vomiting with acupuncture

Nausea is very common during the first trimester, and sometimes is accompanied by vomiting. It also happens that these inconveniences continue throughout the pregnancy. In Chinese medicine, this phenomenon is explained by an imbalance of the penetrating vessel (Chong Mai) which maintains a relationship with the uterus, and exits through the abdomen. " During pregnancy, this vessel can become imbalanced, causing a counter current of energy (Qi). The Qi will then rise and cause nausea and vomiting », Reports Laurent Turlin. To restore balance, the acupuncturist can actuate the 6th point of the meridian of the pericardium which will help to rebalance the energy of the stomach. Indeed, in Chinese medicine, the meridians act at a distance on the organs, the pericardium balancing the stomach. The needles provide almost immediate relief from nausea during the session, but you can also activate this point at home, by pressing on it with your fingers, for at least 2 minutes.

Relieve intense fatigue

To relieve fatigue during pregnancy, the practitioner will often activate the 36th point
on the meridian stomach, which is three finger wide at the external level of the peak of the knee. But in Chinese medicine, there are many explanations for fatigue, and the answers may therefore be different for each patient.

-In case of fatigue, with sweating at the slightest effort, weak voice, inappetence, it will be a fatigue by Qi vacuum. It will be necessary to tone up the Energy.

-In case of fatigue, chilliness, pale complexion, soft stools, cold extremities, edema, the practitioner in Chinese medicine will rather lean for a yang void. Yang represents forces of active type, light, hot, surface, drought, etc.

-In case of fatigue, nervousness, feeling of heat, insomnia, night sweats, the practitioner will tend more for a Yin vacuum (passive type forces, shadow, cold, depth, humidity).

-In case of fatigue, pale complexion, dry skin, memory problems, difficulty concentrating, dizziness, we will rather speak of empty blood, which can be quite logical during pregnancy, since the blood is excessively stimulated for the baby. " In this case, we can do 2 to 4 sessions per month until full term. I also show points to be stimulated to the spouse (Stomach 36 and Pericardium 6) ", Continues the expert.

-Finally, in the event of exhaustion, the practitioner will instead stimulate the meridian of the kidney, in addition to an overall balance depending on the person's terrain.

Treat constipation

Constipation is another fairly common problem during pregnancy. It occurs when there is a dysfunction of the large intestine which can cause the following imbalances: a buildup of heat in the intestines and stomach which creates dryness and leads to dry, hard stools. A blockage of the Energy of the Liver which causes stagnation in the intestines and gives goat poop. Or a deficiency of Qi and blood and / or Yang of the kidney which generates persistent constipation. In this case, the acupuncturist often uses the area of ​​Sanjiao 6 in addition to a suitable balance. The Sanjiao 6 can also be activated in acupressure.

Soothe back pain or sciatica

In pregnant women, the square of the loins (area between L1 and L5) is often very painful because of the curvature which naturally increases with the weight of the belly. The sacroiliac area is also affected, with the onset of pain that radiates into the buttocks and sometimes the leg. There are several channels that can be activated to relieve this pain, including the gallbladder duct. It is solicited through the point 30 gallbladder. The bladder can also be responsible for lower back pain or sciatica. In this case, the practitioner will unblock this area through the point 5 lung and search on the same line for pain on the way and massage over the entire painful area. "Acupuncture is zone therapy. As soon as it is found, one can feel immediate relief from the pain. When you feel blocked, you can activate this area in acupressure yourself. I advise you to move your lower back at the same time as you massage yourself to better circulate the IQ », Recommends the practitioner.

Returning a baby to a seat

If the baby does not come upside down (breech, transverse or horizontal position), acupuncture can be used in the 30th week of pregnancy. " In Chinese medicine, the improper position of the fetus often results from a lack of energy and blood, not allowing the baby to make the movements necessary for proper positioning. », Says Laurent Turlin. We will then act on the point 67 bladder to stimulate the movements of the fetus. In this case, we also use moxibustion to create heat. A Chinese study has shown a positive result of 80% on women who are 7 months pregnant.

Help prepare for childbirth

When near term, acupuncture can be a good preparation for birth, especially to soften the perineum and stimulate uterine contractility. It is possible to stimulate the area of ​​the uterus by activating the point pericardium 7.2. " This is an area that the mother can stimulate on her own with acupressure, and works very well to induce contractions. », Says the practitioner.

Note that in some countries such as China or Canada, acupuncture can be used during childbirth in hospital (if the mother does not have an epidural). The goal is to speed up the work and promote the opening of the basin. Acupuncture is also used post-natally for the treatment of childbirth-related sequelae, trenches, breastfeeding-related problems or the baby blues. More and more midwives are learning acupuncture in this way.