Postpartum Acupuncture

Acupuncture For Postpartum Recovery in Tillamook County

Congratulations!  

You may be a first-time mother, or you may be welcoming another child into your family. I absolutely love supporting women during their postpartum period! The postpartum period traditionally refers to the six weeks directly following childbirth, but actually extends for many months and even years.  

Ideally, your first postpartum appointment will be scheduled for one to two weeks after giving birth. This appointment can be at your home, the Bay City, or the Tillamook clinic. You will receive a special treatment called Motherwarming, which you can read more about below. I will use a modality called moxibustion to warm specific areas of your body to aid in the healing process. This first session will be followed by a minimum of two more treatments focused specifically on symptoms related to the postpartum time, like aches and pains, mood support, breastfeeding support, and general healing. We will also discuss diet and lifestyle recommendations that will be helpful for your long-term recovery. 

Some of the many conditions I can help with: 

My approach: 

I offer specialized care to support your physical and emotional healing after childbirth. Your treatments are focused on restoring hormonal balance, enhancing milk production, treating mastitis, healing C-section scars, and addressing postpartum mood disorders. I provide compassionate care to help new mothers thrive during this transformative time. 

New and returning patients are welcome. During the first postpartum appointment, I take the time to check in on your specific health and wellness needs. Together, we will create a plan that feels both supportive and realistic. 

The treatment

Motherwarming

“Mother warming” is a unique treatment received around the first week or two post-birth. This moxa technique can be used to energize you and aid in your recovery.  

Most commonly, a moxa stick will be used to warm your abdomen for 5-10 minutes or until you feel pleasantly warm. The moxa stick may also be used to warm your lower back for 5-10 minutes. This can specifically help if there is pain at the site of an epidural. Many women have found it helpful to build breast milk supply and aid in healing cesarean section scars.  

Ideally, acupuncture treatment is also given once a week, beginning two weeks postpartum, for a total of three weeks to promote energy and efficient recovery. Acupuncture can also be helpful at this time to balance your emotions, aid perineal healing, and help with any breastfeeding problems. 

My techniques are gentle and painless. Acupuncture points are stimulated using tiny, sterile, single-use needles. The first appointment is about 90 minutes if you are a new patient. If you are a returning patient, follow-up appointments are about 75 minutes to allow for adequate time to discuss your birth and postpartum experience thus far. 

You will leave the treatment feeling rested! 

After the treatment, to achieve the best results, I can give (if necessary) advice, including: 

• Dietary advice
• Exercise suggestions (qigong, breathing, stretching, etc.)
• Referrals if needed 

Postpartum Dietary Treatment 

Dietary recommendations are a significant part of promoting postnatal recovery. I recommend that new mothers emphasize foods that build qi and blood, which can become depleted after pregnancy and childbirth. 

Foods to Tonify Qi: 

Foods to tonify qi include oats, rice, potato, sweet potato, mushroom (button and shitake), yam, basil, cinnamon, clove, dill, fennel, fenugreek, ginger, nutmeg, rosemary, thyme, and jasmine tea. 

Foods to Build Blood: 

Foods to build blood include corn, sweet rice, beetroot, dark leafy greens, apricot, avocado, date, kidney bean, sesame seeds, egg, soy milk, and iron-rich foods like red meat and spinach. 

Cooked foods are seen in traditional Chinese medicine as more nourishing and kinder to the digestive system. Warm soups are considered exceptionally nutritious for women in the initial postnatal weeks.