There are many things that can be done with acupuncture to support you through your pregnancy. Acupuncture can alleviate the symptoms of Morning Sickness, making your pregnancy as nausea free as possible, helping you get on with your life while you are pregnant.

It can also prevent Preeclampsia which can be very dangerous to both mother and baby if the early signs go untreated or do not respond to treatment from other means.

Acupuncture can alleviate the symptoms of Morning Sickness Jo Rochford

Occasionally, I use acupuncture to Induce Labour, this is particularly useful when baby is overdue and mum does not want to take drugs to start off labour. Of course, this must be done in conjunction with your hospital consultant, who will need to give permission for an induction via acupuncture. Whilst acupncture is a very safe form of treatment I must be sure that it is safe for your baby to be born before I will perform such a treatment.

Acupuncture can also be used during labour to strengthen contractions, this in turn helps to speed up labour. The benefits of speeding up labour are that both mother and baby stand less chance of complications

Probably the best benefit of Acupuncture during labour is to reduce labour pains. I had acupuncture and acupressure at the birth of both of my children, so I can vouch for how good it is.

Other benefits include:

• Safer, more effective and economical than an epidural
• Pain significantly reduced
• Reduction of stress and tension for both mother and baby
• Less use of analgesics and anesthesia
• Reduce the overall length of labour
• Decreases maternal hypertension, high blood pressure
• Increases maternal connection over labor and birth environment
• Increases maternal autonomy
• Conservation of maternal energy
• Deeper relaxation resulting in hormones kicking in
• Helps to relieve anxiety and promote focusing inward, as labor becomes more intense

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