What Are The Benefits Of Acupuncture After C-Section?
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Motherhood is a gift, but, let’s face it, pregnancy and childbirth are major life changing events. Carrying a baby can take a lot out of you, and the journey doesn’t stop once you’ve delivered your baby.
Vaginal delivery, while natural can be challenging with recovery, and C-sections (a major surgery) come with longer healing time and their own set of side effects that can be difficult to manage.
It can take up to a year or longer to recover from having a baby to feel “normal”.
If you’ve recently had a baby via C-section, and are looking for natural ways to help you as you recover, you may be wondering what benefits acupuncture after C-section has to offer.
Many mothers rely on acupuncture after delivery and their C-sections to speed healing, relieve pain, reduce stress, support postpartum depression, and rebalance hormones. Acupuncture can play a critical role in supporting pelvic floor function post-pregnancy.
Acupuncture alleviates postoperative C-section pain
A C-section isn’t just a means of giving birth. It’s also a major surgery, one that places a huge amount of stress on the body when it’s already quite vulnerable.
During a C-section, the surgeon makes an incision through seven different layers of tissue.
Skin.
Subcutaneous fat.
Fascia.
Muscle.
Peritoneum.
Uterus.
Amniotic Sac.
You can imagine the healing needed once the layers are stitched back up after the procedure. A C-section involves cutting through flesh and muscle, and it can be painful, especially as your body begins to readjust after pregnancy.
While a C-Section is a major surgery and painful; if she intends to breastfeed a woman is prescribed ibuprofen or NSAIDS, to help them manage pain. Opioids or codeine may be prescribed for breakthrough pain.
But pain meds can contribute to liver damage, and if you have a personal history or family history of addiction, you may want to steer clear of these types of medications. Fortunately, acupuncture can be used to ease pain naturally, so you can reduce your reliance on pain meds and support healing.
In a randomized trial, women who received acupuncture shortly after their C-sections reported less pain than women who did not receive acupuncture. Additionally, women in the acupuncture group were mobilized more quickly than the control group.
Even if it’s been several weeks months or even years since you had your C-section, you can still reap the benefits of acupuncture. Acupuncture accelerates the healing process by calming tense muscles, supporting healthy muscle function, and stimulating collagen synthesis to promote C-section incision healing and prevent the development of scar tissue.
Acupuncture rebalances hormones postpartum
During pregnancy, the body ramps up hormone production to support a growing baby, and after labor, hormone levels fall. It’s all a natural part of the process. But because hormones play such a huge role in mood regulation, postpartum hormonal imbalances can leave you feeling down. Baby blues are real. Don’t worry, though, acupuncture can help you through it.
Sometimes, after childbirth, the body starts producing too much cortisol and not enough estrogen or progesterone. For some women, the opposite is true. Regardless of the nature of your postpartum hormonal imbalances, acupuncture can help because of the balancing effect it has on the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis.
Acupuncture gently supports hormonal balance, so you can get back to feeling normal after your pregnancy. Regular sessions also help regulate neurotransmitters to stabilize your moods and enhance your well-being. Acupuncture has long been used as an alternative therapy for postpartum depression, and it can help you feel better faster after your C-section.
Acupuncture can help new mothers cope with stress
Caring for your newborn after a C-section can be stressful. Because a C-section is an invasive surgery, patients require downtime to heal. But getting downtime during one of the busiest times of your life is a lot easier said than done.
New moms have a lot on their plate. Between caring for a baby, coping with the pain of a C-section, and dealing with hormonal fluctuations and mood swings? It’s a lot of stress. And stress is terrible for your health, especially as you begin postpartum recovery.
We always recommend our new moms start acupuncture as a part of their stress management plan as soon as possible after their C-sections. Acupuncture promotes healthy stress hormone levels. On top of that, acupuncture encourages muscle relaxation.
Ever get a stress headache? Or maybe your back or neck gets a cramp when you’re feeling overwhelmed. That’s because, often, we carry tension in our muscles. Because acupuncture physically forces muscles to relax, this sends a message to the brain, encouraging it to relax, too. And so, the circle of relaxation continues so you can enjoy being a new mom.
Acupuncture helps restore healthy pelvic floor function
One thing that doesn’t get talked about enough is postpartum pelvic floor dysfunction. Pregnancy stretches the muscles in your pelvic floor, and this weakens them. Many women develop cystoceles or rectoceles after their pregnancies, and even though these conditions are most often seen in women who have given birth vaginally, they can still develop in women who have undergone C-sections.
Pelvic floor dysfunction is a common after-effect of pregnancy, one that can lead to bladder and/or fecal incontinence, as well as recurrent UTIs and a host of sexual issues. But acupuncture can help with all of that, too.
Acupuncture supports healthy muscle function, and because it also stimulates collagen synthesis, it can keep your muscles nice and supple as they regain their strength post-pregnancy. Not only that but because the muscles that make up the pelvic floor are estrogen-sensitive, acupuncture can further improve pelvic floor dysfunction symptoms by regulating hormones.
One study showed that using acupuncture after giving birth reduced pelvic pain and improved pelvic floor strength. So much so that the women who receive acupuncture saw a reduced chance of developing a prolapse after giving birth.
Get in touch with us today
With so many benefits to offer, acupuncture can play a valuable role in your C-section recovery plan. Regular sessions will help you get back on your feet faster so you can feel better and cherish every minute you spend with your newborn.
At Integrative Healing Arts, we’re passionate about helping out clients as they embark on their health journeys. We understand that every client is unique and that no two treatment protocols look exactly alike. We’re happy to work with you so you can meet your wellness goals.
Get in touch with us today to book your first appointment. You’ll be amazed at just how beneficial acupuncture can be to your overall health.
