Jen L. sent this photo to me with the message, “Use this to promote your “happy baby” pressure point if you like!” Jen received acupuncture in pregnancy, including the happy baby point. She is not the only happy mother who has said to me, “the point must have worked”. Of course, there are multiple conditions that come together to make a baby happy – I don’t think the point is the magic – but it seems to help (and sure doesn’t hurt). Ask your acupuncturist about the Happy Baby Point (Kidney 9). Chinese medicine classics promise that if you needle the happy baby point in pregnancy, the woman will have a happy baby that sleeps through the night.
A 3-5 treatment series, known as Birth Preparation / Labour Preparation / Cervical Ripening, is recommended for pregnant women starting at 36-37 weeks gestation. Research has shown that these treatments can benefit women in the following ways:
-Shorter labour times
-Less medical interventions
-More positive birth experience
In addition to preparing a woman for labour, treatments in late pregnancy can be very helpful for dealing with the common challenges of late pregnancy (such as relieving heartburn, nasal congestion, constipation, varicose veins, backache, hemorrhoids, leg cramps, swelling of the hands and feet, difficulty sleeping, and increased anxiety and tiredness). Treatment protocols combine standard points with points chosen to address a woman’s specific needs. Preparation for labour (and especially for a life of parenting) is a mental-emotional process as well as a physical process. Taking time each week to address this preparation in a supportive environment reduces stress and fosters a calm and empowered attitude.
