Acupuncture and Pregnancy» Labour

Sometimes Post-Dates is right on time!

Dawn Aarons — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:27:48 +0000

It was my pleasure to treat Sarah twice late in her pregnancy. She went into labour the day after her 2nd treatment. It was bound to happen some time soon. As I explained to Sarah, an acupuncture “induction” treatment is just an invitation. We have no real control over the mystery of labour. Even so, treatments are also helpful to prepare and relax the mother. Sarah wrote me this update on her positive experience.

Our baby, named Vita Pope Cullen, was born on November 13th (9lbs1oz!). I ended up going into labour on my own on Saturday the 12th and arrived at the hospital one hour before my induction was scheduled! Amazing. The combination of things I did in the preceding days made a huge difference and really got things moving. I got to 7 cms on my own while walking the halls. Things weren’t progressing so I ended up having an epidural and oxytocin and slept for 5 hours. When I woke up I was fully dilated. They turned off the epidural so that I could feel the contractions and I pushed her out in about 30 minutes. No tearing. Easy! Thanks for fitting me in at the last minute!

Congratulations Sarah and family!

Patience and Post Dates

Dawn Aarons — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 21:46:35 +0000

A patient woman visited me for an acupuncture treatment today. It is rare for women who are still pregnant after their due dates to be so calm. What was her secret?

Most women are told that a due date is “plus or minus 2 weeks”. While they may know that intellectually, anxiety often surfaces even before that magical date. I sometimes recommend women to be vague about their EDD with family and friends, since the daily calls from well wishing loved ones (“nothing yet?”) can add tension and distress.

My visitor today appreciates having the time to rest when she wants to rest. She is enjoying romantic time with her partner – including dinners out and lots of sex (and actually enjoying it, not just doing it as a measure that can bring on labour). She knows that she is powerless in making labour start and maintains faith in her body and her world.

She also takes action to do what she can. She is active, eating well, staying well rested, drinking lots of water…and coming for acupuncture.

For those who are impatient (as we all are at some points in our lives), my hope is that you treat yourself kindly. Acupuncture treats the whole person and is reliably successful at relieving impatience, fear, and anxiety – as well as encouraging labour.

Lovely labour and birth

Dawn Aarons — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 01:58:17 +0000

Dear Dawn
I’m happy to let you know that our daughter was born on Friday morning at 9:07 am. She was 7lbs 14oz and 21 inches long.

After I saw you on Thursday, I had a pretty vigorous stretch and sweep both by my midwives. I think perhaps the combination of that plus the great work you did got things moving through the night and by 4:30 am I realized I was probably in labour. The funny part was that my next door neighbour and good friend had dropped off her son at our house a few hours before as she and her husband headed to the hospital to have their baby – their baby girl ultimately arrived 10 minutes after our daughter.

I had about 3 hours of relatively calm and relaxed labour to get to 10 cm. After that I had a bit of a stall and my water still hadn’t broken so the midwife broke my water but still nothing. With the help of a breast milk pump, I had 2 very intense contractions and she popped out into my hands on the birth stool just after 9 am.

Thanks again for your great sessions – I found them calming and relaxing and really enjoyed them.

JT- July 2011

Newborn baby Viviane

Dawn Aarons — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 01:08:56 +0000

It was a honour to assist Viviane’s mother at her birth. Her mom especially liked the pain relieving support from auricular acupuncture (pressure on the “shenmen” spot on her ear during contractions). Acupuncture is used to support women in labour, for progress, to help turn babies and for pain relief. For more information, contact Dawn or your local acupuncturist.

Labour Support with Auricular Acupuncture

Dawn Aarons — Mon, 31 May 2010 18:18:22 +0000

The entire body is mapped onto the ear.

“Thank you for your listening ear” a patient just said as she was leaving her appointment. So often, a great part of the therapeutic work I do involves listening.
And then there is the LABOURING EAR. The most effective point I have found in my practice for labour support and pain relief is on the ear. Known as auricular acupuncture, the entire body is mapped onto the ear and stimulating the ear can treat conditions all over the body.
In the case of labour, I have been told by patients that stimulation of a point on the ear cuts their labour pains in half. I have attended numberous births at which I set up a tiny needle in both the women’s ears. The needles are covered with adhesive tape (much like a bandaid). During contractions, one ear is pressed, with thumb on the needle, and counterpressure with the index finger on the back on the ear at the same level. Sometimes I stay for the labour. More often I teach the woman’s partner how to apply the pressure. I also have one patient that preferred pressing the point by herself.
On a couple occasions I have wondered if this pressure is making a significant difference and have decided to try a contraction without pressing. In both cases, the labouring women have called out, “ear, ear”. They did not want to withstand any contractions without this support.
This auricular stimulation does not interfere with the woman’s mobility or positioning and needles are easy to remove if they are not wanted.

In my experience, auricular acupuncture is a low cost, non-evasive, and miraculously effective support for labour.

Acupuncture in Labour

Dawn Aarons — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 03:19:47 +0000

I love attending births. It is a magical experience and a great honour to attend a birth. I also love the experience because I feel I have so much to offer the labouring woman.
As an acupuncturist, the main thing I offer is the use of needles and acupressure to help a woman have an efficient and positive labour. Every birth is unique. Acupuncture and acupressure can be used for pain relief, augmentation (making contractions stronger and more effective), relief from nausea, encouraging dilation and fetal descent, improving energy, and helping focus.
In my experience, the use of small auricular needles or tacks (the entire body is mapped out on the auricle of the ear) is the greatest support I can offer. Ear needles do not interfere with the woman’s mobility. My favorite point, Ear Shenmen, has made an enormous difference for many of the women I have supported in labour. On a couple of occasions, I have pressed on that point in the ear through every contraction. If I stepped away, the woman would call me to her ear. She would not want to endure a single contraction without that pressure. In addition to offering intense pain relief (in part by bringing pain to the ear and splitting attention?), the pressure increased a woman’s focus and ability to cope.
I am very interested to hear about other people’s experiences and questions. From my experience, acupuncture is a wonderful support for labour.