Prenatal and Postpartum Care

Prenatal care is the attention and support provided during pregnancy. A woman who is pregnant in the first, second, and third trimesters may be experiencing significant physiological and psychosocial changes. Our goal is to help you during this time with safe, natural, and effective methods of East Asian medicine.

Perinatal is the period of time before and after birth. Prenatal is only the period of time before birth.

Prenatal care can prevent the risk of miscarriage. It can also improve your overall health and pregnancy experience. Prenatal care includes labor preparation for delivery and birth.

East Asian Medicine such as acupuncture can help turn a breech baby safely and naturally. Acupuncture can also induce labor, reduce pain, and support vaginal births so you can have a smooth delivery.

There are many benefits of prenatal care. East Asian medicine can help you in the first, second, and third trimesters. Experience the following health benefits:

• Eliminate severe fatigue
• Stop morning sickness
• Reduce acid reflux
• Alleviate musculoskeletal pains (sciatica, low back pain, pelvic pain)
• Address painful dysmenorrhea
• Prevent miscarriage
• Quell irritability, crankiness, and impatience
• Calm prenatal anxiety and depression
• Sleep better and insomnia
• Moisten dryness anywhere — dry skin, eyes, lips, throat, mucus membranes, vaginal secretions, dry/difficult stools or constipation
• Clear inflammation and stabilize autoimmune conditions
• Address hot flashes and night sweats
• Reduce swollen ankles
• Alleviate muscle cramps, numbness, and tingling in extremities
• Alleviate headaches, breast tenderness, and moodiness
• Eliminate pregnancy brain fog
• Birth induction
• Breech presentation

You should schedule your first prenatal visit when you know you’re pregnant or you want to have a baby. If you’re having difficulty getting and staying pregnant, schedule an appointment right away.

Ideally, prenatal visits are weekly, but we can modify and design a plan that supports you and Baby.

While treatment plans vary, new prenatal patients can expect continuous care with treatment once a week. At every follow-up visit, you’ll discuss your primary concern and what’s changed — whether things have improved, gotten worse, or stayed the same. When your primary concern has been resolved, you can bring up another pregnancy health concern that you’d like to address.

For your first and all prenatal appointments, please wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing. Ideally, a loose-fitting top and wide-legged pants are good. It’s important that they can be adjusted, so I have access to your legs, knees, and feet.

Don’t wear yoga pants because they’re usually super tight and binding, making it difficult to access acupuncture points located on your legs.

Postpartum care is the care of the new mother and newborn during the first year of life. From a Chinese medicine perspective, postpartum care involves acupuncture, herbs, and nutritional counseling.

Postpartum care is important because it improves recovery time and protects new moms and babies from life threatening health complications. There are many benefits to postpartum care in addition to your OB-GYN and pediatric visits.

• Decrease fatigue and exhaustion
• Reduce sore nipples or infections from breastfeeding
• Minimize scars from C-section
• Improve hair loss
• Reduce body aches and stop cramps
• Eliminate constipation and regulate stool movement
• Improve sleep
• Reduce stress and anxiety
• Relief from postpartum depression or self-esteem doubts
• Experience physical and emotional support

Acupuncture and herbal medicine can help you during this time. Book an appointment today.

Postpartum is defined as six to eight weeks after delivery. However, in Chinese medicine there is great importance placed on the first three months for rest and recovery.

One year after delivery is also a big mile marker for mama and Baby. Your mental health will be influenced by how much sleep you’re getting and how you are adapting to motherhood. It is very important to nap when baby naps. You can think of postpartum recovery as taking one full year after delivery.

Yes! Acupuncture can help you through postpartum. Acupuncture will help with the following symptoms:

• Decrease fatigue and exhaustion
• Minimize scars from C-section
• Reduce sore nipples or infections from breastfeeding
• Improve digestion and eliminate constipation
• Reduce body aches and stop cramps
• Improve hair loss
• Improve sleep
• Reduce stress and anxiety
• Relief from postpartum depression or self-esteem doubts

Why handle it on your own when you can have an extra set of hands to make sure you’re taking care of yourself. When mama is happy, so is baby.

Postpartum depression is a mood disorder that occurs after birth. Postpartum depression is different from the “baby blues,” which describes mild mood changes during the first two weeks after birth. Postpartum depression may last up to one year after birth.

It is unclear exactly what causes postpartum depression. New mothers are experiencing radical shifts physically, emotionally, chemically, behaviorally, and socially. Key causes:

• Hormone Levels Drop: After birth estrogen and progesterone dramatically drops and it’s possible that this shift in hormonal balance may make you feel tired, sluggish, and depressed.
• Sleep deprivation does not help. When you have a lack of sleep, minor problems can feel overwhelming.
• Anxiety: You may be feeling insecure about caring for a newborn especially if this is your first time being a new mom.
• Body-image: Perhaps you feel less attractive or you are experiencing a loss of identity wishing you had the life you had before the baby.
• Family History of depression or other mood disorders
• Life Stressors: Marital conflicts, job loss, or a health crisis
• Twins or Triplets: Need I say more?

Any of these issues and a combination of life complications can point to postpartum depression.

Postpartum depression is common. One out of five moms are affected, nearly twenty percent. However, I suspect that there’s a higher percentage.

The way to prevent postpartum depression is with a plan and to be proactive. If you’re pregnant and have a predisposition to depression or a family history of depression, seek counsel and support before you deliver.

Postpartum depression is treated with a number of modalities, most commonly with a combination of psychotherapy and medication. Acupuncture and herbal medicine are also effective in balancing your emotions and making you feel like yourself again. Acupuncture medicine is a holistic approach that enriches your postpartum care plan.

When creating your postpartum care plan, consult a licensed acupuncturist and oriental medicine (AOM) practitioner on how acupuncture and herbal medicine can help you.

If you do experience postpartum depression, it will begin a couple weeks after birth.

Postpartum depression may last a couple of months to a couple of years after birth.

If you’re unsure whether or not you have postpartum depression, speak with your doctor and your baby’s pediatrician. Some of the symptoms may be one or a combination of the following:

• History of depression or family depression
• Prolonged deep sadness
• Fatigue and exhaustion
• Inability to take care of yourself and your baby
• Lack of sleep or restless sleep
• Stress and anxiety due to life stressors: marital conflict, job loss, or a health crisis
• Thoughts of harming yourself and your baby

It’s important that moms seek professional help with postpartum depression. It’s common to feel baby blues, but if uncomfortable feelings of distress continue more than two weeks, please seek medical counsel.

Yes, men can have postpartum depression, though it is called paternal postnatal depression (PPD). About one in ten males experience PPD after birth. Signs that your partner is depressed:

• Mood swings that range from fear and loneliness to anger, irritability, and aggression
• Crying and feeling sad, overwhelmed and unable to find joy in activities he used to
• Lack of sleep or excessive sleep
• Lack of attachment to baby
• Acting distant, withdrawing from family and friends
• Working all the time and losing interest in hobbies or favorite activities

Some of PPD is hormonal, but a lot of it is environmental and shifts in relationship dynamics. Once baby enters the picture, dads can easily feel like a third wheel. Naturally, they‘re experiencing less of their partner’s attention. Another emotional stress placed on dads relates to the societal norm of providing financially. Lack of sex can also make a couple feel disconnected. Here are five ways to maintain a positive mood when you’re in the thick of new parenthood:

1. Rest when your baby sleeps
2. Eat well (and avoid junk food)
3. Exercise… at least take some brisk walks to get fresh air everyday
4. Avoid drinking, smoking, and gambling
5. Talk to your partner, family, and friends about what you’re experiencing

You are not alone. Let’s break the social stigma that you can handle it on your own. Acupuncture is known for helping reduce stress and making you feel more relaxed. When you feel better, you can actually enjoy these beautiful years!

A postpartum period is prolonged bleeding that begins immediately after childbirth. It occurs as the uterus contracts and hormones return to a normal, pre-pregnancy state.

Postpartum bleeding lasts for up to six weeks. A postpartum period can be divided into stages:

1. Initial stage (8-19 hrs) after birth
2. Subacute postpartum period (2-6 weeks)
3. Delayed postpartum period (lasts up to eight months)

There are a number of ways to stop postpartum bleeding faster. The goal of stopping the postpartum hemorrhage bleeding is to help the uterus contract.

• The first way is breastfeeding. Oxytocin is released during breastfeeding which simultaneously signals the uterus to contract and to reduce bleeding.
• Avoid sex and early hormonal contraception for the first six weeks after birth delivery to reduce spotting and bleeding.
• Avoid blood thinners such as aspirin and ibuprofen (NSAIDs).
• A uterine massage can help the uterus contract and get back into place.
• Herbal medicine can also stop postpartum bleeding.

If there are no complications there are two Chinese herbal formulas that can help stop the bleeding.

1. The first formula is used in the first seven days after birth to promote bleeding in order to shed.
2. The second formula is used during the subacute postpartum period to build blood and nourish fluids.

As mama bonds with baby through skin-to-skin contact and breastfeeding, it’s essential that mama is replenishing her life reserves as she gives, gives, and gives. Acupuncture and herbal medicine can help promote vitality and stamina.

Postpartum cramps, also known as “afterpains,” last 7-10 days after birth. Afterpains are caused by the uterus shrinking to its original size. Postpartum cramps feel like menstrual cramps and peak in intensity around Day 2 or Day 3. They’re more noticeable during breastfeeding and then fade away after seven to ten days.

There are a number of ways to reduce cramping to make your experience more comfortable. The Western approach is over-the-counter (OTC) pain medication. If you prefer a drug-free approach, here are a few suggestions:

• Walking — gentle movement may ease your afterpains.
• Practice deep breathing exercises to help promote relaxation and to focus on being calm.
• Apply heating pads to provide relief.
• Hydrate and keep your bladder empty.
• Eat a high fiber diet with lots of green vegetables and a little fruit. Walking — gentle movement may ease your afterpains.
• Practice deep breathing exercises to help promote relaxation and to focus on being calm.
• Apply heating pads to provide relief.
• Hydrate and keep your bladder empty.
• Eat a high fiber diet with lots of green vegetables and a little fruit.
• Get acupuncture treatments — Acupuncture is best known for pain relief. It’ll stop cramping and promote relaxation.

Chinese herbs, there are a number of formulas that will ease the pain and eliminate cramping.

Postpartum hair loss may start a couple weeks after birth to four months after delivery. This is caused by new hormonal levels related to estrogen. Once your hormone levels return to normal after delivery, the drop in estrogen levels triggers your hair to go back to the original cycle of growth, resting, and falling out. Postpartum hair loss is noticeable because it can be three times the typical amount leading to excessive shedding.

Have no fear! Postpartum hair loss is not permanent. Your hair should return to its normal hair growth patterns, and by the time your baby is one year old, your hair will be full at the roots. If your hair does not seem to be growing back at this time, it may be due to anemia or a thyroid condition, at which point you may wish to consult your primary care physician.

There is no way to prevent postpartum hair loss. It’s a normal part of the postpartum recovery process. It’s recommended to eat a healthy, balanced diet, and get as much sleep as possible. You may also wish to get a new haircut to improve your hair’s fullness and volume.

Postpartum fatigue lasts for months—it’s inconclusive for how long it actually lasts. Acupuncture and herbal medicine can make you feel better. Acupuncture can be a central cornerstone of your postpartum recovery. Rebalance your energy, alleviate aches and pains, and support your wellbeing.