Pregnancy – the third trimester

Posted on by angela

Pregnancy – how acupuncture can help in the third trimester

pregnancy -how acupuncture can help in the third trimester

Pregnancy – how acupuncture can help in the third trimester. During the final trimester of pregnancy the baby grows considerably in size and this can lead to a number of health issues for you, as the mum-to-be. This is because the baby’s growth causes your internal organs to be squashed into ever smaller spaces. You may also have trouble sleeping and if you are pregnant during the summer, then you may have difficulting keeing cool. Issues can include:

  • back pain
  • heartburn
  • sciatica
  • symphysis pubis pain

Acupuncture may help. Please contact me any of these are giving you problems. Another issue which you may experience is breech presentation

Breech presentation

Breech babies can be turned using a special technique. This is the gentle technique of moxibustion. Moxibustion is the use of gentle heat on a specific acupuncture point. Research in Italy has shows that moxibustion can have a significant effect on this situation and can be undertaken between 34–36 weeks. Turning a breech baby cuts the need for a caesarian section.

Cardini F, Weixin H. (1998). “Moxibustion for correction of breech presentation”. Journal American
Medical Association. 280:1580-1584

So now birth is not many weeks away, So what can you do to make your labour as comfortable and easy as possible?

Pre-birthing treatments

If you are anticipating a normal delivery then I offer pre-birthing treatments from about 37 weeks. These aim to get your body ready for the process of birth and also provide an opportunity for you to relax. German research shows that such treatment can cut labour time. First time mums had a lower labour time, cut from 8 to just over 6 hours. So pre-birthing treatments can be seen as a safe and effective treatment to promote natural labour. It provides you with a way to prepare yourself for labour and to make it as efficient as possible. For more information on how acupuncture can help in pregnancy visit my pregnancy page

NB Always consult your midwife/Dr if you have any concerns during pregnancy

Share