The Benefits Of Acupuncture During Second Trimester Of Pregnancy

For many women, pregnancy symptoms are at their worst during the first trimester, but that doesn’t mean the second trimester doesn’t come with its own set of challenges. For some women symptoms like nausea can continue throughout the second trimester. As your baby continues to grow and your womb continues to expand, this places extra pressure on surrounding nerves, muscles, and organs which can lead to some unpleasant symptoms. Ever-changing hormone levels can contribute to second-trimester symptoms, too. If you’re in the middle of your pregnancy, you’ll be pleased to learn about the benefits of acupuncture during the second trimester of pregnancy, and how this centuries-old holistic therapy can benefit you.

Acupuncture provides expectant mothers with muscle and joint pain relief, all while reducing stress and promoting sound, restful sleep so you can conserve your energy before your baby arrives. 

Acupuncture soothes back and hip pain

During pregnancy, the body produces a hormone called relaxin. As its name implies, relaxin loosens the joints and muscles in the pelvic floor to make it easier for your baby to pass through during childbirth. Unfortunately, because relaxin keeps things loose, it can contribute to back and hip pain and even pelvic floor problems.

Of course, relaxin isn’t the only contributing factor to back and hip pain during pregnancy. The physical weight and pressure that a growing baby places on your insides can contribute to discomfort as well. Either way, the good news is that acupuncture can provide women in their second trimester with back and hip pain relief.

When your joints become loose, often, the surrounding muscles and joints become contracted in an attempt to compensate. Contracted muscles quickly become painful, and just because they’re working overtime that doesn’t mean they’re strong. In fact, they can be quite weak. Acupuncture can help overtaxed back and hip muscles relax so you can begin to use them properly and regain your strength.

Acupuncture is completely safe to use during pregnancy, and it can make a world of difference in your comfort level. Combining acupuncture with some gentle exercises, like yoga, can help reduce your back and hip pain throughout your pregnancy. 

Acupuncture supports pelvic floor health

During pregnancy, growing pressure is placed on the pelvic floor. Many women experience constipation, incontinence, and/or leakage as their pregnancy progresses. When these muscles become overly weakened, this can contribute to pelvic floor issues like cystocele after pregnancy as well.

Acupuncture’s musculoskeletal benefits go beyond the back and hips. The muscles in your pelvic floor will also benefit from regular acupuncture sessions. Acupuncture cannot reduce the impact that a growing baby has on your bladder or intestines. But it can help tone pelvic floor muscles and improve bowel movements and urination as much as possible.

Acupuncture sends blood to the pelvic floor region. This not only helps promote and restore healthy muscle function, but it also tones the uterus itself. The supply of blood supports a healthy endometrium, nourishing your baby as it grows.

For many mothers, we recommend continuing acupuncture during postpartum to help the pelvic floor muscles recover. Acupuncture during the postpartum period is also beneficial for reducing stress, promoting sleep, and fighting off the “baby blues”.

Acupuncture can help you manage stress

Stress is something we all have to deal with. Even if you have a good stress management plan in place, stress can still creep up on you when you’re pregnant. That’s due in large part to the fact that, during pregnancy, cortisol levels begin to climb.

It’s normal to experience some higher levels of cortisol during pregnancy — and estrogen and progesterone, for that matter. Your body relies on these hormones to sustain a pregnancy. However, they can have an impact on your emotional well-being, resulting in an increase in stress.

If you’re feeling anxious, overwhelmed, or even depressed, acupuncture can help you address these second-trimester pregnancy symptoms. Acupuncture modulates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, regulating cortisol levels. Acupuncture also promotes the release of endorphins, which enhance your well-being and make it much easier to have a positive outlook on life.

Acupuncture is a fantastic holistic treatment for stress for people from all walks of life. In some cases, we may use acupuncture in tandem with other treatments, like herbal medicine, to enhance the influence of both. Keeping stress levels in check is important for your health as well as your baby’s, so prioritizing stress management is paramount. 

Acupuncture supports restful sleep

As your pregnancy progresses, you may find that good sleep gets harder and harder to come by. This can only add to your sense of stress. You know that you need to get as much sleep as possible before the baby comes. But it seems like your body just keeps fighting you. The more you try to sleep, the more your body stays awake. It’s a vicious cycle.

Fortunately, acupuncture can be used to break this cycle. Regular acupuncture sessions release deep-seated muscle tension, and this benefit alone can make it easier to sleep. After all, when our body is relaxed, it’s much easier for our mind to relax, too.

But acupuncture’s sleep-boosting benefits don’t stop there. Acupuncture has also been shown to regulate serotonin levels. Known as the “happy hormone”, serotonin promotes feelings of wellness, while also acting as the precursor to another hormone: melatonin.

With your serotonin and melatonin levels back in alignment, you’ll find sleep comes much easier to you. So you can finally put your feet up and relax and enjoy your pregnancy. 

Book your first appointment today

Pregnancy is different for every woman. At Integrative Healing Arts, we understand that each patient is different, and we treat all of our clients like the unique individuals they are. When you come in for your first appointment, we’ll discuss your pregnancy symptoms, health concerns, and future goals, and create a protocol that will put you on the path to meeting them.

Contact us today to book your first appointment. We’ll help you get started with a customized acupuncture treatment plan that addresses all of your second-trimester symptoms and sets you and your baby up for success for the rest of your pregnancy — and even after.

Get in touch today and experience the powerful benefits of acupuncture for yourself!