Second Trimester – Pregnancy Acupuncture

by Pregnancy SupportReproductive Health

Second trimester of pregnancy

The next three months bring lots of changes for your growing fetus and, most likely, welcome relief from early pregnancy symptoms. Here’s everything you need to know to really sail through most women’s favourite time of pregnancy, the second trimester: weeks 14–28.

Once you enter the second trimester you may find it easier than the first. Your nausea (morning sickness) and fatigue may lessen or go away completely.

However, you will also notice more changes to your body.

That “baby bump” will start to show as your abdomen expands with the growing baby. By the end of the second trimester you will even be able to feel your baby move!

Symptoms you may experience

While most mum’s find the second trimester the most comfortable in terms of symptoms or general discomfort, here are some symptoms that you may experience:

  • Heartburn
  • Low back or pelvis discomfort
  • Mild swelling of ankles and feet
  • Varicose Veins

 

What part of my baby is growing?

  • Digestive system
  • Senses: by week 22 of pregnancy, baby is developing senses and is starting to smell, see and hear, and those little eyes are beginning to open.
  • Heart
  • Hair, Skin, Nails
  • Brain

What tests or screening might I need to get?

  • Glucose screening: About one in 10 pregnant women is diagnosed with gestational diabetes, which is why the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends that all women be screened for the condition around week 24  to week 28 of pregnancy.
  • Ultrasound/ Reveal the sex of the baby: Usually between 18 and 22 weeks of pregnancy, your doctor will measure the baby, check developing organs, determine the amount of amniotic fluid, and — if you like — clue you in on the sex of your baby.
  • Possibly, prenatal genetic screening: If you haven’t already and if you have certain risk factors, your doctor may suggest a genetic screening
How should I be taking care of myself during these few weeks?
  • Eating a well balanced, nutrient dense and nourishing diet. Think lots of vegetables, health fats and quality protein.
  • Making sure to move your body at least a little every day, gentle yoga, a walk around the block, a living room dance party, increasing blood flow and strengthening muscle tone is crucial.
  • Tracking your weight gain and making sure you have your doctors appointments scheduled.
  • Consider planning a baby moon. Since first-trimester nausea should be quelled (and some airlines put restrictions on traveling later in pregnancy), now’s a good time to plan one last hurrah before baby’s arrival.
  • Continuing on with your regular acupuncture treatments to keep you feeling as good as possible!

 

 

Stefanie Miska is a licensed acupuncturist and herbalist with a practice focus on reproductive care. Call 1 778 400 6360 to schedule a consult.

 

period

The Menstruation Phase Of Your Menstrual Cycle

by Menstrual CycleReproductive Health

What is happening when you are on your period?period

The first day of bleeding is considered day one of your menstrual cycle. On this day, the hormone progesterone plunges, which causes the uterine lining to shed, AKA “your period”

Each menstrual cycle starts with menstruation (the period). A period is the normal shedding of blood and endometrium (the lining of the uterus) through the cervix and vagina.

A normal period may last up to 8 days, but on average lasts about 3 to 6.

The first day of your period is the start of your menstrual cycle. The reason you might experience menstrual cramps during the first days of your periods is that the uterus lining breaks down and sheds. In order to do this, the muscles of the uterus contract (to help push the blood and tissue down) which can cause cramping.

You begin menstruation- old blood and tissue from inside the uterus is shed through the vagina

Why energy is lower on your period

During your first week, estrogen starts out at its lowest point and begins a steady climb. For the first day or so of this cycle week, the low level of this hormone combined with period-related aches and fatigue may make you a bit quiet and have you preferring to stay close to home.

This is why it is important to rest while you are bleeding. This can be counterintuitive to how society and your schedule is structured. While it may seem less productive for those few days while bleeding, if you allow your body space to rest during this time, your overall productivity will be greater.

What exercise to do when you are on your period

This is a great time to keep your to- do list short, and your calendar clear.

By honouring your body and its rhythms, unwanted symptoms tend to be less.

Simple and gentle movement like yoga, deep stretching, or a walk out in nature are great things to schedule during this time. Strenuous activity should be kept for the other few weeks of your cycle.

 

 

 

Book your consults by calling 1 778 400 6360 or if you are not local, we can connect virtually by booking your 15 minute here.

 

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Herbal Medicine During Cold & Flu Season

by DietLifestyle

herbal tea for cold season

Back to school season has arrived, and likely along with it, the influx of cold and flu germs

Herbal medicine is an extremely effective way to help boost your body’s immune system and also help rid the body of pathogenic illness, if and when it does arrive.

Most of us are familiar with the concept of boosting or building up our immune systems.

Have you ever fallen ill and then been advised to load up on Vitamin C, Echinacea, ginseng etc.?

You can understand that those herbs, in theory, would be helping to build up the immune system, so that you get better faster and start to feel better… right?

Let me explain the theory from a TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) perspective:

Your body’s immune system is on and in action 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

That’s its purpose, to protect you from bacteria and viruses, otherwise known as external invasions. If, for whatever reason, your immune system is compromised or weak, cold or flu viruses are able to invade into the body and cause illness.

The first step to getting better, would be to rid the body of that outside factor.

Imagine for a moment, a small village, swarmed by villains suddenly. Would you want to get those villains out of the village as soon as possible, or would you want to build up a surrounding wall to lock in the villains with the village people?

This is essentially what is happening when you take immune boosting herbs when you are sick with the cold and flu. You may, in fact, building up and tonifying the illness instead of your immune system, causing you to be sick for potentially worse and longer than you would have been otherwise.

What we want to do, is, first, get the illness out of the body and then, work on restoring our health.

For that same reason, it is always better to be supporting your health and your immune system pre-emptively and pro-actively so that your defense systems in place can the best job they can to protect you.

Herbal medicine offers effective, safe, and side effect free treatment of common ailments like cold, flu, strep throat, sinus infection, cough, and more.

One of my favorite herbal formulas coming into cold and flu season is Immune Defense by Dao Labs. This offers 2 immune boosting herbs, paired with a single herb that helps dispel any pathogens that do try and invade your body’s immune system.

*Herbs to be taken during illness should always be prescribed by a licensed herbalist.