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Between your morning sickness and lower back pain, it can sometimes be challenging to see the beautiful side of pregnancy. Fortunately, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) can help mums-to-be cope with these side effects, ensuring a more pleasant and smooth pregnancy experience. Read to learn how TCM can provide expecting mothers with pregnancy symptom relief.
1. Alleviate Morning Sickness
In TCM, morning sickness is thought to happen because the body's energy (Qi) gets disrupted in a specific pathway after pregnancy, and the stomach has trouble settling properly. To help with this, a TCM practitioner would often recommend acupuncture and herbal remedies to strengthen the digestive system and restore proper flow of Qi.
These treatments aim to ease nausea and provide relief from morning sickness for mums-to-be.
2. Relieve Lower Back And Pelvic Pain
Lower back and pelvic pain are some of the most common symptoms of pregnancy. In fact, around 50% to 70% of pregnant women will experience lower back pain at some point during their pregnancy. These side effects are usually caused by the body's ligaments softening and stretching to prepare for labour, resulting in additional stress and strain on the back and pelvic joints.
In these instances, a TCM physician may recommend moxibustion to relieve the pain and promote healthy blood flow to the affected areas. Moxibustion is a gentle heat therapy that may help to alleviate lower back pain, a common issue during pregnancy due to changes in posture and the growing weight of the baby. By applying soothing heat to specific acupoints, moxibustion improves blood circulation and relaxes tense muscles, providing natural pain relief. A weekly session is typically recommended for optimal results.
Feel free to consult our physicians at Thomson Chinese Medicine to determine the most suitable treatment options for your pregnancy.
3. Pre-Birth Preparation
Around 34 weeks into pregnancy, the baby will usually settle into one of two positions in the womb. The first is when the baby is head-down in the ‘cephalic’ or ‘vertex’ position. The second is a breech position, meaning the baby is positioned head-up instead. In breeched cases, most of the delivery will be done via caesarean.
TCM may help to turn the baby around if the treatment is done timely before 35 weeks of pregnancy.
Firstly, acupuncture can be used to stimulate specific points in the mother’s body, which can help to turn the baby. In particular, acupuncture therapy will be performed on the mother’s pinky toe to stimulate connective tissues and nerve channels that release natural chemicals and cause the nervous system to relax.
At the same time, a TCM practitioner may recommend moxibustion, which involves burning a herb called Mugwort over specific acupuncture points on the mother’s body, especially the bladder meridian, known as BL67 or Zhiyin. Applying heat to this trigger point through moxibustion brings movement to the kidney channel, encouraging the baby to revert to a head-down position. This stimulation also activates energy flow along the meridian, promoting harmony and balance within the body for a smoother pregnancy experience.
The application of heat during moxibustion also encourages the release of two specific hormones in pregnancy – prostaglandins and placental oestrogen. The former is known to stimulate the muscles, including those found in the uterus. Meanwhile, the latter is essential in preparing the body for childbirth, promoting the growth of the uterus, and supporting the development of the baby. The release of these two hormones can lead to mild uterine contractions, which may assist the baby in moving into a head-down position, increasing the chances of a vaginal birth.
4. Induce Cervical Ripening
Cervical ripening is a crucial stage in pregnancy that prepares the cervix for spontaneous labour and vaginal delivery.
At Thomson Chinese Medicine, we provide pre-birth preparation through acupuncture at our clinics, specifically during the later stages of pregnancy, to help induce labour and support a smoother delivery process.
By tapping into the body’s ability to produce its own natural hormones (oxytocin) to stimulate cervical changes, acupuncture minimises the need for various medical interventions associated with pharmacological labour-induction methods and reduces the time spent in labour and the amount of pain experienced. It also promotes calmness and minimises stress and anxiety before labour begins, allowing mums-to-be to feel confident and ‘ready’ for their child’s birth.
As you can see, there are various ways TCM can help pave the way for a smooth pregnancy. So, if you are a mum-to-be seeking a solution to managing your pregnancy symptoms, consider consulting our TCM physicians on whether TCM treatment is suitable for your condition. Our physicians can work with you to ensure you and your baby’s health and well-being are well taken care of. Visit our registered TCM clinics across Singapore to experience the compassionate care we offer today.
References:
Physician Seah Ai Wei
Traditional Chinese Medicine
Thomson Chinese Medicine (TCM Novena Specialist Centre)
English, Mandarin
Alliance MediNet
