Birth preparation therapy involves the use of acupuncture and/or natural therapies to assist you and your body with the process of preparing for an efficient labour. If labour begins naturally, it is more likely to proceed normally with minimum or no requirement for medical intervention. If you experience anxiety or stress, this may delay uterine contractions and prevent you from moving forward into labour.
Birth preparation sessions aim to relax you, relieve stress and reduce anxiety, to help facilitate the physiological onset of labour. Treatments may reduce the need for medical induction of labour, caesarean section and epidural use. It is also reported, that, if treatments are ineffective, prior use of complementary therapies may help prepare and establish a medical induction.
I offer pre-birth treatments from around 36 or 37 weeks pregnant and suggest continuing with weekly sessions until labour commences. Each week we will review your treatment plan to ensure that you are receiving maximum benefits from the sessions and to assess if we need to adjust the treatment to suit your individual needs.
PRE-BIRTH ACUPUNCTURE
Treatments consist of using a combination of acupuncture points according to your constitution and your pregnancy history. Points are used to help balance your hormones to assist in softening and ripening your cervix, while encouraging your baby to move down into your pelvis and to be in an ideal position ready for labour.
RESEARCH REPORTS THAT PRE-BIRTH ACUPUNCTURE TREATMENTS:
BIRTH RELAXATION THERAPIES
You can also choose to have reflexology, aromatherapy, or massage as birth preparation therapy, as evidence suggests these also promote relaxation, by reducing cortisol levels (stress hormones) and increasing oxytocin levels (good feel hormones) all of which have been reported to encourage the natural onset of labour, improving the chances of a normal birth.
USING ACUPRESSURE FOR LABOUR AND BIRTH
Acupressure is a form of touch therapy that utilise the same principles of acupuncture and Chinese medicine. In acupressure, the same points on the body are used as in acupuncture, but are stimulated with finger pressure instead of with the insertion of needles.
I offer acupressure teaching sessions for you and your partner. The acupressure points which I teach, aim to help with pain relief in labour and promote an efficient labour. The points can also be used if you have gone over your due date, to assist in cervical ripening, helping the process of natural onset of labour.
Massage techniques, can also be taught to your partner, which can be used for relaxation prior to and during labour.