Pregnancy Support With Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine


serving Santa Barbara, California

Traditional Chinese Medicine has treated pregnancy and postpartum issues for over 3000 years. Today, in many European countries, Australia, and New Zealand, acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine are provided as a regular part of prenatal care as well as adjunct care during pregnancy and postpartum . Acupuncture is used to support a pregnancy thru every trimester; beginning as soon as one is aware of conception. Acupuncture can also help you prepare your body for birth by minimizing the duration of labor and decreasing the need for interventions. Our treatments can soften the cervix, relax uterine ligaments, calm the nervous system, and boost the mother's energy.

book now

Pregnancy and postpartum are considered major transitions in a women’s life. Traditional Chinese Medicine views these times as an opportunity to enhance a woman’s health. A woman’s body is taxed during pregnancy as she supports herself and her growing fetus. Her body is changing daily, and she may experience physical and emotional issues that she has never experienced before.

Pregnancy should be a happy and positive time for the new mom-to-be but unfortunately for some, difficult symptoms such as nausea, headaches, fatigue and anxiety can dramatically affect quality of life. If you are experiencing such pregnancy symptoms or feel you need some TLC remember that acupuncture is an effective, safe and natural option to help you through the bumps on this amazing journey.

Traditional Chinese Medicine can help:

  • Prevent miscarriage

  • Reduce nausea and vomiting

  • Decrease the need for medications such as cold, flu, or pain medications

  • Reduce headaches, lower back pain, pelvic pain and sciatica

  • Avoid preterm labor

  • Breech presentation (most successful at 34-35 weeks) 

  • Labor preparation

  • Induce labor in post-date pregnancies (on recommendation of the OB or midwife)

  • Our patients choose weekly visits to help them adjust to the physical, emotional, and hormonal changes their bodies are going through.   

  • Patients are seen every other week or every 3 weeks; since this is typically a more stable time during the pregnancy.

  • We recommend patients visit weekly to twice weekly to prepare for labor. This preparation enhances cervical ripening and reduces time between the due date and delivery. It can also reduce the incidence of induction and c-section and can decrease the length of time in labor. If a breech presentation is discovered, then receiving treatment from week 34 on has proven to be 70% successful!

  • We encourage our moms to come in for treatment at the end of each trimester (wk13 and 26) for the “Beautiful Baby Treatment”. This treatment is believed to support a healthy baby and promote a smooth delivery. A golden needle is used on Kidney 9 which is a point associated with strengthening the body's Qi, Blood, and Jing which are crucial for fetal development. This ancient treatment is also believed to clear and separate the karma of the mother and baby. This is to ensure that the baby has a clear path to enter the world and to create conditions for the baby to thrive and be happy!