Pregnancy Acupuncture | Brisbane Northside

Pregnancy Acupuncture Brisbane Northside

At The Fertility & Pregnancy Acupuncture Clinic in Chermside West, I provide gentle pregnancy acupuncture support for women across Brisbane’s Northside. Treatments are tailored to your stage of pregnancy, your symptoms and your comfort.

With a background as a registered nurse and midwife, and experience in fertility and pregnancy acupuncture since 2010, I aim to provide calm, informed and supportive care throughout your pregnancy journey.

The clinic is located in Chermside West and supports women from nearby Brisbane Northside suburbs including Chermside, Kedron, Wavell Heights, Stafford, Everton Park, Aspley, Nundah, Clayfield, Wilston and surrounding areas.

Book a pregnancy acupuncture appointment in Chermside West

How Pregnancy Acupuncture May Support You

Pregnancy can bring many physical and emotional changes, and each woman’s experience is different. At The Fertility & Pregnancy Acupuncture Clinic in Chermside West, pregnancy acupuncture treatments are gentle, personalised and adapted to your stage of pregnancy, symptoms and comfort.

Many women seek pregnancy acupuncture as supportive care for common pregnancy-related concerns such as nausea, fatigue, heartburn, constipation, sleep difficulties, stress, and hip, back or pelvic discomfort. Treatment may also be used later in pregnancy as part of birth preparation and general wellbeing support.

My 60 minute appointments provide time to discuss how you are feeling, what has changed in your pregnancy, and what kind of support may be most appropriate for you. Your treatment position is adjusted for comfort, whether lying face up, side-lying, or supported with a pregnancy pillow.

With a background as a registered nurse and midwife, and experience in fertility and pregnancy acupuncture since 2010, Georgie Smith provides calm, informed care for women throughout pregnancy. Acupuncture is used as a complementary therapy and does not replace care from your GP, midwife or obstetrician.

Common Pregnancy Concerns I See

Morning sickness

80% of women experience morning sickness during their pregnancies. It ranges from mild symptoms to severe and protracted vomiting (hyperemesis). Usually it will resolve early in the second trimester but for some women it will remain an issue through-out their pregnancy. There are numerous ways which may help with the nausea and vomiting, ranging from natural remedies or supplements (such as ginger or B6) to prescription medication which your care provider (midwife, GP or obstetrician) can provide for you. Check out this article for more information which may help you or your loved one cope with this common complaint.

Fatigue

Fatigue or feeling exhausted is really common in all stages of pregnancy, but especially in the first 12 weeks. I think it is almost a universal experience for my clients during the first trimester. The hormonal changes which take place in the first trimester play a big role, especially the rising progesterone levels. The good news is that it is also one of the first complaints to resolve. The placenta will start working around the 9-10 week mark and often women energy’s levels improve around this time. Rest is the best remedy when it’s available. Naps at this time are great, especially if sleeping at night is difficult. Other things which might help are eating small, frequent healthy meals, doing a little bit of exercise, such as a brisk walk around the block at lunchtime or afternoon tea if you are having trouble staying awake at work, and going to bed earlier. And remember, it will pass, take it easy on yourself, you won’t be able to do everything you could before you were pregnant and that will be okay.

Heartburn

Heartburn or indigestion is a very common complaint during pregnancy. It can be very painful and can really interfere with a good nights sleep. Often my clients will tell me they are sleeping in a chair or propped up on pillows to try to cope. There are lots of ways to try to alleviate the symptoms, including avoiding spicy foods, eating early in the evening, not eating a large evening meal or close to going to bed. There are also over the counter and prescription medications available if the simple methods don’t work for you.

Constipation

For many women pregnancy might be their first experience of constipation and it’s not fun! It generally rears its ugly head early in the first trimester. It’s probably due to the increased progesterone levels which warms your body up and slows everything down. A lot of women also eat differently at this time due to morning sickness and food aversions. Luckily there are lots of remedies, both natural and otherwise, to help. As always prevention is better than cure. Here is a link to my article which discusses all the ways my clients have found which help them cope with this complaint.

Insomnia

Insomnia or sleep disturbances are common in pregnancy. Between the frequent trips to the toilet, heartburn, trying to learn how to sleep on your side and having to completely wake up to reposition yourself there is numerous reasons why pregnant women sleep poorly. Annoyingly, most pregnant women get more sleep during their pregnancies but he quality is far lower, making you feel tired all the time. Some women will have trouble falling asleep, whilst others will have trouble staying asleep and some will experience both. Some ways to ret to improve your sleep are to develop a good bedtime routine. Avoid screen time before bed and read a book instead. Make sure you drink enough water during the day but minimise fluid intake after 7pm and avoid caffeine after midday. Eat you evening meal early and a light snack before bed to avoid both feeling hungry and heartburn. Try to do some exercise during ht day. Make yourself comfortable and buy a pregnancy pillow sooner rather than later. These can help you stop worrying about sleeping on your side and help you get comfortable. If you are lying awake it might be worth getting up for a while and reading a book until you fall tired enough to fall back asleep. And lastly, try to nap during the day if you can.

Swelling

Swelling of the lower legs, ankles, feet and fingers is more common in the later stages of pregnancy but can occur throughout pregnancy. For some it just looks bad and for others it’s very painful. It is often worse at the end of the day. It is due to the extra fluid you body needs for the pregnancy and the pressure from the growing uterus.  

Hip, back and pelvic pain

Back pain affect 50-75% of women at some stage during their pregnancy. It can occur during any stage of the pregnancy and range from a mild niggle to debilitating, with some women using crutches or wheelchairs to cope with it. It is due to a range of reasons, including hormonal and structural factors. Here is a link to my article which explores ways you may be able to help relieve your back, hip or pelvic pain.

Breech presentation

Breech presentations refers to when a baby is not head down during a pregnancy. In the earlier stages of pregnancy it doesn’t matter which position your baby is sitting in. However, by 30 weeks most will have settles into a head down position and will remain there until they are born. Some babies might sit in a breech or transverse position for a known reason, such as a differently shaped uterus (such as bicornuate or one with a septate). But for many women there isn’t an apparent reason for it.

There are interventions available which you can try to see if your baby would like to turn. These include positioning techniques, chiropractic techniques, certain massages and you care provider may offer you an external cephalic version (ECV) if it’s applicable for you and your baby.

Preparing for birth

For women who are planning a vaginal birth there are many things which may help you prepare for your imminent birth. Most have limited research  and evidence but have stood the test of time and are unlikely to cause harm. These include eating dates, using clary sage oil, using acupressure points, or drinking raspberry leaf tea. Click on the links available to find out more about these things.