Is Acupressure A Safe Method During Pregnancy?

by Kary B

What is Acupressure?

Acupressure is an excellent therapy that relaxes muscles, improves circulation, relieves pain and reduces stress by using the power and sensitivity of the human hand.

Why Do People Use Acupressure?

People may use acupressure for different reasons:

· nausea and vomiting during pregnancy/ morning sickness

· motion sickness

· nausea after surgery

· nausea due to chemotherapy

· cancer-related fatigue

· headache

· menstrual cramps

· muscle tension and pain

When I myself first learned about acupressure it was a little over two years ago when I became pregnant for the very first time with my son, Bryan. During the first three months of my pregnancy I was one of the "fortunate women" who suffered the dreadful morning sickness symptoms. After several weeks of nausea and being sick a colleague who is also a good friend of mine spoke to me about acupressure and the benefits of it. Being the skeptic that I am and a nonbeliever of alternative medicine, I was not convinced. I continued on with my doctor's professional medical advice; always have crackers on the side of your bed so that you have immediate access to them should you become nauseas, it will coat your stomach, avoid greasy food, drink liquids in abundance between meals, buy pregnancy lollipops, etc.

Well, needless to say I tried each and every one of those recommendations and none helped me with my morning sickness. At this point I found myself desperate for a solution so I decided to go with my friend's recommendation on the acupressure, at this point I had nothing to lose with trying it.

The technique I must say is different, different for those who are not use to it, but different in a positive way. I continued with the acupressure techniques for about a week and noticed a big difference in my health. My morning sickness, slowly but surely began to cease, my body felt less stressed, my headaches diminished and for the first time in two months I was able to relax. I decided to continue with acupressure until I was unable it became uncomfortable due to my growing baby.

I highly recommend buying the book Maternity Acupressure written by Dr. Lena Leino. You can find more info at http://maternity-acupressure.com