From conception to cradle
Pre pregnancy
Trying for a baby can be an exciting, and sometimes challenging journey, but there are many things you can do to help yourself along the way. Acupuncture and Chinese medicine can support fertility, aid conception and balance your mind and body to keep you in the best of health.
The management of infertility using acupuncture is an expanding area of practice. By looking at the body from a different perspective, Chinese medicine offers an effective complementary therapy to support Western reproductive medicine and assisted reproductive techniques, including IVF.
For couples and women trying to conceive, the struggles of infertility can be difficult and painful. The causes of infertility are widespread and often many couples don't know there’s a problem until they start trying. Sometimes the spiral of diagnosis, tests and treatment can be overwhelming, and the disappointments hard to manage. Often as well there is no clear diagnosis - unexplained fertility with no obvious physical or hormonal cause can be equally frustrating and just as challenging to overcome.
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It is estimated that one in seven UK couples has difficulty conceiving (HFEA, 2006). Correcting imbalances in the body through Chinese medicine can complement Western healthcare to move women naturally to a state of health, helping them to successfully conceive and carry a pregnancy. ​
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I understand the variety of conditions that can affect your wellbeing and chances of becoming pregnant, and have worked with a wide range of patients to:
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Regulate the menstrual cycle
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Balance fertility hormones
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Improve blood flow to the ovaries and uterus, enhancing ovarian function and encouraging follicle production
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Improve the thickness of the endometrial lining and increase the chances of embryo implantation
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Reducing uterine contractions after embryo transfer
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Reduce the chances of miscarriage
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Balance the immune system
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Improve sperm parameters
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Improve egg quality
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Support women with PCOS and endometriosis
I use a range of techniques, including
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Acupuncture
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Moxa
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Cupping
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Electroacupuncture
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Tui na (Chinese massage)
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Dietary advice
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Chinese herbal medicine
As well as your physical health, your emotional wellbeing can also play an important part in getting pregnant. I pay close attention to both throughout your treatment, and aim to make every session and soothing and supportive as possible.
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I encourage my patients to be completely transparent with their fertility medical team about the treatment they’re receiving from me, and where possible I always like to collaborate with patients’ doctors to tailor treatment plans in the most effective way possible.
Pregnancy
My journey with you doesn’t end at a positive pregnancy test! Supporting fertility is not just about boosting the ability to conceive, it’s also about nurturing a safe and comfortable pregnancy and the birth of a healthy baby.
Your body is working hard during these months to grow and nurture your baby. Acupuncture can relieve many of the aches and anxieties that many mothers-to-be experience along the way. Regular advance treatments can also help you prepare to deal effectively with stress and pain during labour.
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Acupuncture is safe throughout pregnancy, and can provide relief for a range of common conditions, such as:
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Morning sickness
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Threatened miscarriage and bleeding
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Anxiety
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Tiredness
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Sinusitis/rhinitis (blocked or runny nose)
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Anaemia
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Insomnia
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Swollen feet
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Carpal tunnel
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Migraine and headaches
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Body aches and pains, such as backache, sciatica, carpal tunnel, pelvic and groin pain
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Digestive issues, such as constipation, haemorrhoids, reflux and heartburn
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Threatened miscarriage and bleeding
My experience has shown me that whilst inevitable miscarriages due to chromosomal abnormalities cannot be prevented, acupuncture can support the health and constitution of the mother to help stabilise pregnancies and reduce the chance of a threatened miscarriage.
Breech babies
NICE guidelines (2012) into the use of moxibustion (using a herb called moxa to gently warm acupuncture points on the body) have shown promising results for the turning of breech babies. The best results are seen when this technique is used at around week 36, while the baby is still small enough to turn.
Inducing labour
Working closely and with the consent of my patient’s obstetrics team and midwife, I often use acupuncture to help induce labour in overdue pregnancies. Sometimes this can take effect quickly overnight, but often takes a couple of treatments or a few days.
Preparing for labour
The prospect of labour can make mothers-to-be anxious and intimidated, especially the first time. Acupuncture can work wonders to help women relax in preparation for giving birth, and maintain that relaxation to help labour progress smoothly. The potential for acupuncture to reduce the time women spend in labour, and the level of medical intervention required, is recognised by The World Health Organisation.
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I have 20 years’ experience working with women before, during and after their pregnancies, and have taken a number post-graduate courses with specialists in this field, including Debra Betts, Jayne Littleton and Dr Trevor Wing. I always take special care to collaborate with midwives and doctors to deliver the very best care, avoiding acupuncture points that are contraindicated during pregnancy, and keeping the number of needles to a minimum.
Postnatal
Giving birth places huge demands on a mother. Her body goes through enormous change, performing the magic of making a baby, and needs rest and recovery in the postnatal period.
Emotionally the early days, weeks and months of motherhood can be an overwhelming time. Learning about your baby, adapting to feeding and sleep patterns, and sometimes the challenges of breastfeeding, can take time.
I support mothers, and fathers, as they adjust to new parenthood, helping them build strength and vitality, overcome common challenges and concerns, and feel fit, healthy, comfortable and confident.
Many emotional and physical issues can be effectively treated through acupuncture and Chinese Medicine. As well as supporting overall recovery after birth, I regularly care for women with:
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Problems breast feeding, including mastitis and problems with the flow and quantity of breast milk
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Postnatal depression
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Persistant uterine bleeding
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Hair loss/thinning
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Acupuncture can also be a very effective, natural way to treat a whole range of ailments in babies and children.
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"I started to see Katie a few weeks before my fourth and final go at IUI.
I immediately felt relaxed and had an increased sense of wellbeing and confidence. I fell pregnant five weeks later. I have now returned for help to conceive my second child. I would not hesitate to recommend Bump Acupuncture."
— Harriet B