Anyone on the fertility journey already knows the news isn’t good: Infertility is a shockingly common problem in our modern world, affecting more than 20% of people in the U.S. who are trying to conceive (www.cdc.gov).

The problems can stem from multiple sources, both male and female: sperm count or quality, varicoceles, ejaculations disorders; ovary, uterine, and cervical problems, endometriosis, PCOS; auto-immune disease and diabetes frequently complicate fertility problems.

It’s a lot to navigate, and you’re supposed to do it while keeping your cool, because stress is bad for fertility!? How does one do that? This is where we get to help.

We work on the normal pregnancy issues: nausea, fatigue, digestion, mood, sleep, body aches… and also the annoyingly weird issues that can appear during pregnancy, because each of us is special.

We’ll talk together about the best ways to nourish you through food. We are experienced in how to use acupuncture safely and effectively during all stages of pregnancy. As a rule, we are minimalists when it comes to herbal medicine and pregnancy, but use them if you would clearly benefit. Our herbs are almost all organic or premium-grade. They’re herbs that we felt confident taking during our own pregnancies.

The first trimester is often the most difficult, so we suggest acupuncture sessions every 1-2 weeks to get you through this vulnerable time. After that, we typically have monthly sessions to keep you feeling great.

The goal is to optimize baby positioning, align the pelvic tissues, help with cervical ripening, and coordinate uterine contractions.

The treatments don’t make you go into labor; babies should be in the womb until they are ready. We set the stage for your body to be well-prepared, so when it’s time, you can have a smooth and efficient labor. 

The Chinese term Zuo Yue Zi (坐月子) literally means “sitting through the lunar cycle”, and refers to the crucial month after giving birth, for the mother to rest and replenish. Special foods, herbs, gentle exercises, acupuncture, moxibustion (a type of warming therapy), and belly binding can all be a part of the healing routine.

At MHS, new parents are always treated as unique individuals and we make recommendations based on your own postpartum needs:

The most important thing is Adequate Rest. We cannot emphasize this enough! “Adequate rest” for an uncomplicated vaginal birth means: the birthing parent should have full bedrest (and/or couch rest, the point is to be comfortably horizontal) for at least 3 days, getting up only to use the bathroom. Have your meals and baby brought to you. After that, you can move lightly around the house, but still be horizontal as much as possible for at least a week. Births with complications or C-sections require more rest time. This gives your body time to realign the internal organs. Taking time to rest now will improve your whole post-birth recovery.

Eating a diet rich in blood-building foods such as grass-fed meat, bone broth, cooked colorful veggies, beets, eggs, wild-caught shellfish and cold water fish, collagen, healthy fats, nuts and seeds, and fermented foods. Though all healthy diets share commonalities, we also make recommendations based on your specific health needs.

You may benefit from exercises such as yoga or Pilates; we have a referral network of great local instructors.

Personalized acupuncture treatments and herbal formulas speed up postpartum healing. Whenever possible (over 95% of the time), we source organic or premium-grade herbs that pass tests for pesticides, preservatives, and heavy metals. They’re herbs that we felt confident taking during our own pregnancies.

Chinese medicine can be a comprehensive support for postpartum health, and offers effective treatments for:

• Post-partum depression
• Nursing problems/pain
• Body temperature dysregulation, fevers, nightsweats
• Body aches
• Digestive issues
• Various problems associated with lack of sleep
• And more!

No two pregnancies or postpartums are the same. Every person’s needs are unique, and our practitioners are here to support you through this crazy, exhilarating, wonderful time.

For the purpose of this study, all patients referred to MHS have received western or conventional-medicine treatment for at least one month without resolution. Given that UNC has top-notch lactation consultants, these referrals are generally classed as difficult-to-treat cases.

Our in-house data show that our treatments reduce lactation pain in the majority of cases, with most patients experiencing immediate pain reduction during the first treatment. Patients are properly draped during these treatments with no needles ever inserted into the breasts, making it a safe and comfortable process. Once we figure out the cause of their pain, we also teach patients simple acupressure techniques they can do from home, which empowers self-healing, and reduces the number of treatments needed.

Acupuncture and Traditional East Asian Medicine safely and effectively helps with many lactation-related issues, including:

• Recurrent mastitis
• Insufficient lactation
• Incomplete emptying/poor letdown
• Vasospasms

We understand that improving breastfeeding issues is urgent for both the nursing parent and baby, so we prioritize getting these patients in for treatments quickly.