Chinese medicine, an ideal treatment for post-partum symptoms

The tiny love of your life has arrived! Now it’s time to prioritize your time and attention to the care, raising and nourishing your newborn baby, but in the midst of your caregiving and love, what often gets neglected is your own health and recuperation after delivery. To recover from exhaustion, stress, tension, and the depleting effects of pregnancy and delivery, you need time, rest, and good nutrition.

Furnishing all the nutrients and nutrition that you’ve used up during pregnancy will take a year or so. This period is known as the post-partum phase. During this time, a lot of mothers are prone to suffer from post-partum depression or problems with lactation. Therefore, providing post-partum care for the mother is extremely important and should be done at the soonest possible time.

Post-partum Depression
Depression is one huge concern that may occur within one year after birth. This condition can appear in various forms from mood swings to anxiety, frustration, anger, and/or sadness. Accompanying depression are physical symptoms such as insomnia, body pain and aches, and fatigue. For new mothers, this is a serious problem that’s usually viewed by members of the woman’s family as a problem. Seeking the advice of your family doctor is important both for your health and your baby’s. For the early onset of mild to moderate depression, Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture are ideal modes of treatment. The belief is that the pregnancy and post-partum phase has led to a depletion of essential nutrients in the form of blood and yin. Diet is a key factor in maintaining health. It’s essential to eat more leafy greens and meat during this time. In this case, one to a couple months of herbal medicine and acupuncture treatment is recommended. Symptoms should improve within a few weeks, but the treatment should continue to prevent the depression from returning. The cause of past-partum symptoms is physical but it can also trigger emotional issues such as depression. A close collaboration between your healthcare provider and your acupuncturist is the best way to ensure your health and safety.

Lactation
Breast feeding is the best food you can provide your baby; however, lots of mothers are having lactation problems that make it difficult to nourish their babies with this all-important food. Problems with lactation are a quite common concern and are usually divided into two categories:

1. Inadequate milk production
2. Being laden with milk but have problems releasing it

With regards to the inadequate production of milk, this matter is brought about by a deficiency in nutrition. To produce lots of milk, the best way is to increase your diet with foods rich in iron like deep leafy greens, lamb, and beef. You also need take iron supplements regularly even after delivery. Also, you can add Chinese herbal medicine in the form of tea to stimulate the production of milk and to improve your general health, as well.

If you have a problem letting down your milk, acupuncture is the best way to resolve this. Stress usually causes the ducts to close or be obstructed; acupuncture can boost circulation to help relieve anxiety and stress, helping relax the body which leads to the release of the milk. The treatment can also prevent and treat mastitis (a breast infection caused by a blocked duct) in addition to helping with engorged breasts.

The symptoms of postpartum depression include:
Backaches, muscle aches, belly aches, or headaches
Changes in eating habits or appetite
Exhaustion or fatigue
Sleeping problems (especially going back to sleep)
Loss of interest in activities you usually enjoy
Negativity – guilt, helplessness, hopelessness, or sadness
Anger
Tearfulness or crying
Worry and anxiety
Problems concentrating
Hypersensitivity or irritability

What is postpartum anxiety?
You may be suffering from postpartum anxiety disorder if you’re experiencing feelings of recurrent panic or intense worry. The symptoms of anxiety typically arise in the first two to three weeks after the birth of a baby, several weeks later they can reach a distressing level.

Symptoms include:
Fear of losing control, of going crazy, or of dying
Cold or hot flashes
Faintness
Sweating
Shaking and trembling
Tingling in the feet and hands
Dizziness
Sensation of mothering or choking
Chest discomfort or pains
Shortness of breath