Postpartum Care with Traditional Chinese Medicine
It goes without saying that pregnancy and childbirth are very difficult on a women’s body. A substantial amount of blood, body fluids and Qi (our vital energy) is lost, often leaving the mother feeling depleted. Breastfeeding also reduces blood and fluid levels in the mother’s body. When a mother becomes deficient she is at a greater risk of postpartum depression (PPD) and/or rage, increased difficulty breastfeeding and supply issues, menstrual irregularities, increased fatigue and brain fog, hair loss and a longer recovery period.
However, when one’s Qi and blood are ample and strong, our postpartum time with baby can be quite enjoyable and beautiful! With the help of acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine, you can build your body back stronger by deeply nourishing our reserve energy, tonifying Qi and Yin and strengthening our Yang and immune function.
The approach to postpartum care for recovery according to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is simple: improve blood circulation, stay warm, allow time for physical and mental rest, and incorporate a nourishing diet. We will look at 5 ways TCM supports a healthier, happier postpartum recovery including:
Mother Warming
The Sitting Month
Food as Medicine
Herbal Allies
Acupuncture
Mother Warming
Mother warming is a treatment that’s traditionally given 4-5 days following childbirth and in the weeks to follow to aid in postpartum recovery. Mother warming provides warmth to the channels that have been opened and made vulnerable during childbirth. It’s very nourishing.
In TCM, the use of moxibustion aims to replenish the Qi and Blood that is lost through pregnancy and childbirth. Moxibustion has amazing warming properties and enhances the circulation, especially to the uterus and pelvic organs. It involves the use of the Chinese herb mugwort, aka “the Mother herb”, which is burned and then used to heat up specific acupuncture points on the body.
The benefits include:
Replenishing Qi helping to improve energy levels
Strengthen the immune system
Nourish the blood to help prevent and treat postpartum depression
Increase milk supply
Tonify the uterus, preventing prolapse and helps shrink back to original shape/size
Warm the womb space to ensure healthy menstruation and future fertility.
The Sitting Month
Sitting the month is a postpartum practice that offers mothers the opportunity to rest, restore and recover. Although traditionally, called “Zuo Yue Zi”, rules are more rigid and somewhat odd like staying indoors, not washing your hair or taking showers, there are many benefits for the modern woman.
Instead of rushing back to one’s daily routines, the sitting month encourages mothers to slow down and focus on their own health. Taking this time gives us the much-needed rest and energy to be able to better care for the newborn and return to family and work stronger. During the sitting month we want to avoid strenuous physical activity and restrict visitors. We want to keep ourselves (and uterus) warm.
Food as Medicine
In TCM we focus on the digestive organ systems the Spleen and Stomach, which are responsible for transforming food into Qi, Blood, Yin and Yang. When the Spleen and Stomach Qi is strong so is our immune system and stamina, which is especially important postpartum.
To support the digestive system and aid in postpartum recovery:
Eat warm, cooked food such as soups, stews and congee.
Drink room temperature water and teas avoid iced drinks, as they will put out the digestive fire.
Eat smaller meals or snack every 2-3 hours to avoid overwhelming your digestive system.
Focus on Qi & Blood nourishing foods such as clean animal protein and seafood, bone broths, raw dairy, black beans, pasture raised eggs, whole organic grains and red fruits.
Add goji berries and red dates to recipes to further tonify the Blood.
Herbal Allies
The simplest way to increase the absorption of nutritious postpartum meals and restoring lost reserves is to add bulk Chinese herbs during the cooking process, prepared in broths or drank as a tea. Common herbs such as Chinese yam, goji berries, Chinese red dates, ginger, Dang Gui, and Reishi mushrooms are useful allies for postpartum health.
Our custom made Broth Bags using carefully chosen tonic herbs are great for postpartum recovery to deeply nourish the body and restore vitality. They are used to tonify Qi and Yin and nourish Blood. With the help of your herbalist, custom formulas can be made to address a myriad of postpartum issues that need extra support including:
Postpartum depression
Abdominal pain following childbirth
Persistent discharge or bleeding
Insufficient lactation
Mastitis
Constipation and hemorrhoids
Postpartum hair loss
Insomnia and anxiety
Acupuncture
It’s recommended patients start coming back in for acupuncture two weeks following delivery. Acupuncture shifts us from ‘fight or flight’ (sympathetic) to ‘rest and digest’ (parasympathetic), promoting relaxation, stress management and regeneration on a cellular level.
Taking care of a new baby comes with many challenges! Regular acupuncture following childbirth helps keep our emotions and hormones balanced. The Shen (or spirit) is always addressed with postpartum care to calm the heart and help bring us to a more balanced, settled state. Research conducted on acupuncture for PPD found promising findings when compared with pharmacological treatment.
In summary, Traditional Chinese Medicine is a very nurturing, effective modality of care for your postpartum recovery. In fact it’s safe and beneficial for all stages of prenatal, pregnancy and postpartum care. Staying warm through nutrition and moxibustion, eating wholesome, nutrient-dense foods, and taking time to nourish your physical and energetic body, especially with the help of acupuncture— will leave you feeling stronger than before, and ready to face whatever motherhood has in store for you next.
