Helping you have a Healthier Pregnancy...Happier Baby


Your third trimester (27-42 weeks)

During the third trimester focus generally shifts from "being pregnant" to "having a baby". Your body will be changing in preparation for the impending birth and you may feel a mixture of emotions – from excitement and anticipation to anxiety and fear. Treatments at this time will help you adjust physically and mentally and provide support and reassurance. 

Me & My Baby's recommended Workshops
Me & My Baby's recommended Treatments:
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Pre Birth Package - £250.00 for 4 sessions

From week 36 we recommend weekly sessions of acupuncture and/or acupressure & reflexolgy to help prepare the body and mind for birth by boosting energy, helping fluid retention and supporting the pelvis and cervix which research supports*. Research and feedback from New Zealand midwives indicates that the use of pre-birth acupuncture results in a reduction in medical intervention rates, reduction in epidural rates, reduction in emergency c-sections & and increase in normal vaginal births. We recommend your birthing partner attends one session to learn simple acupressure techniques to use during labour for general pain relief.

* Gaudernack L, Forbord S, Hole E. (2007) Acupuncture administered after spontaneous rupture of membranes at term ignificantly reduces the length of birth and use of oxytocin . A randomised controlled trial. Midirs Midwifery Digest. Vol 17, No 2.

Lee MK. Chang SB. Kang DH. (2004) Effects of SP 6 acupressure on labour pain and length of delivery time in women during labour. J Altern Complement Med. Dec:10(6):956-65

Rabl M, Ahner R, Bitschnau M, Zeisler H, Husslein P. (2001). Acupuncture for cervical ripening and induction of labour at term - a randomised controlled trial. Wien Klin Wochenschr; 113 (23-24): 942-6

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Acupuncture

Resuming acupuncture at this time is recommended to maintain health and vitality in preparation for labour as well as potentially avoiding the need for an "emergency induction" treatment and providing benefit for some of the more uncomfortable symptoms of late pregnancy.

Acupuncture for breech - best begun from 32 to 35 weeks of gestation
Treatment involves the use of "moxa" close to an acupuncture point on the little toes for up to 10 minutes in one session. This treatment may have to be repeated 2 times a day for up to 10 days. It can be performed by the mother or her partner after the initial clinic session at home, so we recommend both you and your partner attend this session. It is understood to work by stimulating the tone of the uterine muscle, thereby encouraging the baby to find the head down position.

Acupuncture for induction - after 41 weeks of gestation
Acupuncture should only be used for the induction of an otherwise healthy pregnancy at least 7 days after the estimated delivery date. The effects of acupuncture induction are a slow increase in tone of the uterine muscle which means that the effects of treatments are cumulative and not sudden. Treatments involve needle stimulation of points in the hands, feet and lower back, and may include massage of shoulder points. Needles are left in for up to 50 minutes per treatment, during which the mother might experience mild contractions and feels the baby move. Successive treatments over a period of 3 to 5 days may be required.

A specific treatment at week 36 using "moxa" is recommended as a energy boost for labour.

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Homeopathy

In the third trimester homeopathy can help with exhaustion; optimal positioning of your of baby; discomfort and false pains of birth. During labour it can strengthen ineffective contractions and help with anxieties that hinder a good delivery. After birth, homeopathy can help the release of a retained placenta and with general recovery.

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Me & My Baby Signature Treatment

During the last trimester our Antenatal treatment is perfect for reducing many aches and pains in the shoulders, lower back and legs. It can also reduce swollen ankles and feet and allowing you to feel pampered, rested and relaxed. Many anxieties surface at this time and aromatherapy can soothe a stressed nervous system, helping relieve fear related insomnia. During the last few days and weeks, many oils can support you as you progress into labour.

Please note our Personal Blends can be created for your own use at home.

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Nutrition

A consultation during this period will ensure good nutritional health in preparation for labour and guidelines for eating with your new baby. Postnatal nutrition can be overlooked but it is an important way to ensure you stay mentally and physically healthy and have the energy to meet the demands of being a new mother. Following the birth, eating well may be the last thing on your mind but good nutrition can support you to breastfeed successfully, help reduce the likelihood of postnatal depression and ensure perineum or caesarean scars heal effectively.

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Osteopathy

During the third trimester your body is actively preparing for the process of labour and delivery. The hormone relaxin is softening all of your tendons and ligaments so that your pelvis can expand to accommodate the baby as it settles into the head down position and eventually passes through the birth canal. However, this softening affects your whole body and can leave you more vulnerable to strains.

The correct positioning of the baby and its free passage through the birth canal depend on your posture and on your pelvis's ability to expand. Routine osteopathic screening in the third trimester can identify the kinds of mechanical strains that might affect your baby's position and its ability to freely navigate the birth canal.

Gentle osteopathic treatment, including the use of cranial techniques, can help to address these strains, realigning your body and giving your baby the room it needs to turn into the optimal position. This can help your body to guide the baby gently through the birth canal and may reduce the risk that tension in the pelvis will cause the baby to get stuck.

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Reflexology

Reflexology is ideal throughout your pregnancy but is highly recommended at this stage - building strength for labour and encouraging well being. Reflexology combined with pure essential oils can help treat restless legs and swollen ankles, reducing puffiness almost immediately. Combined with visualisation and relaxation techniques it can support treatment for a breech presentation and induction.

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Yoga

Starting yoga in your last trimester can help both your mind and body gently prepare for labour. Generally recommended until your baby's birth, classes are adapted to consider the changing needs of the group and during this time the classes may be visited by some of our therapists giving a brief overview of the treatments available prior to labour and with your new baby.

 
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