Pregnancy Health with Melbourne’s Acupuncture Experts

pregnancy acupuncture melbourne

Pregnancy is a transformative journey, and many people are turning to ancient practices like acupuncture to enhance their well-being during this special time. At Fertile Ground Health Group in Melbourne, we understand the unique needs of pregnancy, providing expert acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine services tailored to support a healthy pregnancy, labour, and parenthood.

Unlocking the Benefits of Acupuncture During Pregnancy

For centuries, women have embraced acupuncture and traditional Chinese herbal remedies as integral parts of their pregnancy journeys. Acupuncture, administered by experienced practitioners, offers a safe approach to addressing pregnancy symptoms, particularly nausea (without needing to ingest anything). At Fertile Ground Health Group, our skilled practitioners specialise in caring for pregnant women, ensuring expert support with a focus on both the mother and baby’s well-being. For extra help navigating nausea in pregnancy:

Free Download – Alleviate Nausea in Pregnancy

Navigating Pregnancy Challenges with Acupuncture

Acupuncture has proven to be highly effective in alleviating various pregnancy-related conditions. From nausea and lower back pain to pelvic girdle pain, acupuncture addresses these challenges with a growing body of evidence supporting its benefits. Our team at Fertile Ground Health Group excels in providing expert care for expecting parents, offering solutions for breech presentation, labour and birth preparation.

Safety Assurance in Acupuncture During Pregnancy

Research (Moon H-Y, 2020) supports the safety of acupuncture during pregnancy, emphasising the importance of seeking experienced practitioners. At Fertile Ground Health Group, our daily practice includes caring for pregnant women, ensuring that our acupuncturist are not only experts but also understands the unique needs and limitations of this crucial time. Whether opting for acupuncture or Chinese herbal medicine, both can be employed successfully to support a healthy pregnancy.

Optimal Frequency of Acupuncture Sessions

Upon confirming your pregnancy, we recommend weekly acupuncture visits, especially if you have a history of conception difficulties or early pregnancy issues. The first trimester focuses on treating common complaints while enhancing overall health and well-being. As the pregnancy progresses, appointments may become less frequent, with a focus on addressing specific issues that may arise.

Birth Preparation with Acupuncture

Around the 30-34 week mark, consultations with your acupuncturist become crucial for labour preparation. Weekly sessions from 34 weeks onward help ensure optimal fetal positioning, stress management, and improved energy levels. Acupuncture plays a pivotal role in preparing the cervix and uterus for birth, promoting spontaneous and uncomplicated labour.

Turning the Tide: Acupuncture for Breech Presentation

Our practitioners have achieved remarkable success in turning malpositioned or breech babies using a moxa technique, with optimal results if treatment begins between 34 and 37 weeks. The earlier the intervention, the higher the likelihood of success in repositioning the baby for a smoother delivery.

Inducing Labour Naturally with Acupuncture

For overdue pregnancies, induction acupuncture offers a natural alternative to medical induction. The gradual build-up to contractions helps ripen the cervix and minimise the need for interventions. The relaxing effects of acupuncture also contribute to a positive mindset, ensuring you are mentally prepared for labour.

Acupressure and Pain Relief in Labour

Our acupuncturists not only provide acupuncture but also educate you and your partner / support person on using acupressure points during labour. Read our blog post (Top Tips To Get Your Labour Started) to prepare to get your labor started naturally, harnessing the power of acupressure.

Chinese Herbal Medicine: A Complementary Approach

In addition to acupuncture, we offer Chinese herbal medicine to support expecting and new parents. Our practitioners are available to answer any questions you may have about the herbal medicines we recommend. However, the choice to incorporate Chinese medicine during pregnancy is entirely yours.

Experience Excellence at Fertile Ground Health Group

At Fertile Ground Health Group, our highly skilled team of practitioners is dedicated to your preconception and pregnancy needs. Whether you are exploring acupuncture for fertility, seeking pregnancy care, birth preparation, or postnatal support, we are here for you. Contact us today to discuss your unique needs and embark on a journey towards optimal pregnancy wellness with acupuncture in Melbourne.

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Getting to know your practitioner – Sonia Millett, FGHG acupuncturist

Fertility Sonia

What inspired you to become an acupuncturist and Chinese Herbalist, with a special interest in fertility and pregnancy?

Fertility, pregnancy and women’s health conditions are some of the most interesting and complex to treat, for this reason it has always drawn me – there are so many interesting aspects to consider, such as hormonal and emotional factors.

I love the challenges fertility issues present, and in particular the joy of hard-fought successes such as conceiving a baby after years of trying.  I also enjoy then treating  patients up until they give birth –  there is a real sense of completion and connection with the patient.

I first experienced the benefits of Chinese Medicine when my infant son did not gain weight and was diagnosed with ‘failure to thrive’, and was very unsettled. Several pediatricians were unable to provide a reason or a solution. Chinese Medicine, however, provided some notable improvements, and I was hooked.

What do you see as the strengths that acupuncture and Chinese Medicine (CM) have to offer in terms of fertility and reproductive support?

Fertility and pregnancy treatments are a major area of strength in Chinese Medicine as it fills a gap in conventional Western Medicine. This makes it a wonderful adjunct to medical treatments such as IVF.  If a pathology is not visible (eg in scans/to the eye) or does not show up in testing such as blood tests, Chinese Medicine excels. This is why Chinese Medicine can be effective with diagnoses such as ‘unexplained’ infertility, or for older patients. Traditional Chinese Medicine has a different diagnostic system and we can find a diagnosis (and therefore help treat) even when there is none in Western Medicine.

Chinese Medicine practitioners treat the individual, not the disease, and aim to strengthen underlying issues in the body.  The treatments are more patient- centred.

Also, Chinese Medicine is a holistic approach, supporting the OVERALL health and vitality of the body, as well as treating health issues directly. The principle aim of Chinese Medicine and acupuncture is to recover the equilibrium between the physical and emotional aspects of an individual, by treating the whole person. This is why we also provide lifestyle and dietary advice, and consider the emotional state of patients.

Patients often report they feel less stressed and more able to cope following acupuncture treatments, and we see this as a vital part of the treatment.

In your work you assist a lot of women on their journey to becoming pregnant, do you recommend they continue to see you after they have fallen pregnant? What does acupuncture and Chinese medicine have to offer during pregnancy?

Chinese Medicine is very useful throughout pregnancy. It offers a gentle approach to treatment without side-effects. It can help treat conditions such as nausea in early pregnancy, and any pain throughout the pregnancy. In late pregnancy, acupuncture can be used to prepare the patient for an on-time labour.

The benefits of treatment also extend to post-partum for issues such as poor milk supply and for a boost in energy when exhausted.

Your week tends to be very busy, what sort of self-care do you do to recharge outside of seeing patients?

I get lots of benefit from connecting with special friends, and possibly combining this with a walk. Also a regular yoga practice. I find that any practice that nourishes you emotionally as well as physically, has more far-reaching benefits. Whenever time permits, I also enjoy  acupuncture, kinesiology or massage treatments throughout the year.

I enjoy massage treatments primarily for stress relief, and acupuncture or kinesiology when I have a more acute condition that needs addressing such as pain.  I personally really enjoy kinesiology – it’s an eclectic mix of treatment approaches (and even incorporates some Chinese Medicine channel theory).

What are your top five tips for others to help maintain a healthy lifestyle?

  • Eat a nutritious diet with primarily fresh fruit and vegetables (no need to eat low fat foods) and get daily exercise (doesn’t need to be strenuous).
  • Make time for fun and nurture the special relationships in your life. Particularly important when going through challenging times such as when trying to conceive or with a new baby.
  • Find Gratitude – notice things in your life daily that you are grateful for
  • Get plenty of sleep, ideally within the hours of 11pm – 6.00am.
  • And of course have regular therapeutic treatments such as acupuncture, massage, naturopathy, kinesiology, to maintain health – after all, prevention is better than cure! CM is great as a preventative to help keep you in peak heath and manage stress.

Learn more about Sonia Millet on our practitioner page here: Sonia Millet, FGHG Acupuncturist

Who is Ashley Gordon, Acupuncturist?

Ash Acupuncture

We talk to Ashley Gordon, Acupuncturist at FGHG and discover what makes him such a fabulous, dedicated practitioner and why he has chosen to focus on reproductive health, fertility and pregnancy acupuncture.

What initially ignited your interest in studying to become a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioner and acupuncturist?

Before my time as a TCM practitioner, I was a middle school Biology and Maths teacher. This was good, but I knew there was something… I was on the prowl for job satisfaction. Whilst having a treatment from my acupuncturist, she said “you seem to know a lot about it, ever thought of studying it?”… baffled at the timing of that statement, my answer was “not until now…” and the rest was history!!

How does an Eastern philosophy differ from a western philosophy in terms of fertility and reproductive support?

In my understanding, as different as they can be, they are both just as crucial as the other. Simplistically and generally, Western philosophy seems to go by numbers… if they fit, then they are good. This may not always take into consideration factors such as stress, emotions, sleep and their related symptoms in the body… this is where Eastern philosophy comes in quite strongly. Together, they can make as awesome team, but each have their own ability to stand independently. Fertility and reproductive support can be so easily affected by so many different lifestyle choices. It make sense to sort these out ASAP!

What unique challenges and rewards come from working with your patients in an independent, non-Western healthcare care setting ?

The rewards are many. In fertility and reproductive support specifically, the answer is simply sharing in the joy of people succeeding in their goal of having a baby. In general, assisting people in working towards better health and maximising all that their body and life has to offer. The body knows, we just need to point it in the right direction sometimes…

Chinese Medicine is such a broad discipline with so many different tools, could you offer some insight into how Chinese Medicine works best for you as a practitioner and which areas you particularly love treating?

Without a doubt, my passion lies in treating pregnancy with acupuncture. My fascination and intrigue with the human body is epitomised by pregnancy. Watching the body, grow, adapt and mould whilst still supporting the day-to-day life of a human, blows me away. My other favourite is pre-conception care – assisting this miracle to happen is such a joy!

 

Ash-Gordon-colourAshley Gordon, FGHG Acupuncturist

Ashley is an experienced acupuncturist and Chinese herbalist who is passionate about utilising the innate healing qualities of the body in achieving the desired outcomes. Be that in fertility, pregnancy or general health.

Ashley has a strong focus on preconception care, pregnancy and birth preparation and is motivated by the journeys and emotional and physical changes that these experiences bring. It is his privilege to a be a part of such a personal and life-changing journey.

Natural Induction. Could it really help?

Natural induction for labour podcast

We hope you enjoy this Finding Fertility podcast interview by Naturopath Gina Fox with Acupuncturist Jo Sharkey and Massage Therapist & Birth Attendant Fiona Harrison on everything you wanted to know about natural induction and birth preparation techniques.

At Fertile Ground we’re receiving more and more referrals from midwives and obstetricians to encourage going into labour naturally, using acupuncture, massage and other techniques that have become increasingly popular.  With more questions than ever being asked, we thought it was time to share everything you needed to know to prepare your body and mind for labour and birth.

Listen here to learn more about how acupuncture, massage and naturopathy can help to prepare your body for spontaneous labour.