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Pregnancy, Labour Preparation & Post Birth Care

Gentle Chinese medicine support through pregnancy, labour preparation and the weeks after birth, with Angela Koutsofrigas in Fitzroy North and Preston. From early symptoms to labour readiness to postnatal recovery, care is shaped around where you are. Book online, or get in touch to find the right support.

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You're having a baby!

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Discovering you're pregnant can be a time of great joy. That feeling is often tempered by the symptoms of the first trimester: morning sickness, food aversions, fatigue, headaches, heartburn and constipation. Chinese medicine may help women through this first phase.


The second trimester is sometimes called the golden time. Energy often returns and things feel easier, physically and emotionally. It is an ideal time for self-care, bodywork, and becoming informed about the kind of birth you want for you and your baby.


In the third trimester, the growing baby and the hormone relaxin change the body's stability and often place strain on it. Many women feel pelvic girdle pain, back pain, pubic symphysis pain and general discomfort. Keeping the sacrum and pelvis mobile helps ease this and prepare the body for an easier birth. Acupuncture and bodywork, including prenatal massage, can bring ease during this time.

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Labour preparation

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Weekly acupuncture from 36 weeks helps prepare mind and body for the birth ahead. As a birth educator, Angela uses these sessions to inform the birthing mother and equip her with practical skills and knowledge. Nourishing and grounding, it is an important time for mother and baby to tune in and prepare together.​

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Newborn

After the birth, the fourth trimester

 

The first 40 days are a time of great adjustment for every new mother. In Chinese culture and many others, this period is seen as a chance to support the new mother so she can care for her baby. Much emphasis is placed on her diet, to replenish her stores for recovery and to nourish her baby. Chinese herbs and nutritional advice matter here, and acupuncture can help restore energy and balance. Postnatal care may also include hot oil massage to ease discomfort, acupuncture to settle the nervous system, and mother-warming, the time-honoured practice of burning mugwort to warm and nourish the uterus.​​

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Post-birth home visit

 
To honour this deeply transformative time in a new mother's life, Angela offers a post partum home visit. This 3-hour visit to your home includes:

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  • 1 hour massage/acupuncture session (whatever is needed)

  • Belly warming with moxibustion

  • Nourishing confinement soup and other goodies

  • Emotional support - we can chat about whatever is on your mind, I can hold your baby, tend to any household tasks and offer you some respite. This is ideal anytime, in the first few weeks after the birth of your bubs or after your partner has returned to work.

 

Angela will be in touch beforehand to plan how best to support you on the day, working around you and your baby. Available Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Three hours of support, $300. It also makes a wonderful gift: buy a gift voucher for $300, and you or the recipient can contact Angela at info@acupunctureyogi.com to arrange a time. Herbs for the post-partum period can be ordered separately.


Home visit available Mon/Tue/Wed

3 hours of support 
Cost: $300

This is a wonderful for a loving family member or friend after the birth of their baby.  

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Common questions

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  • When in pregnancy can I start? At any stage. Care is tailored to your trimester and how you are feeling.

  • When does labour preparation begin? Weekly sessions from 36 weeks.

  • Is acupuncture safe in pregnancy? Yes, when given by a registered practitioner. Angela has over 25 years' experience and is a birth educator.

  • Can the home visit be a gift? Yes, it is available as a $300 gift voucher.

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Further reading

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