Acupuncture

According to traditional Chinese philosophy, our health is dependent on the body's energy - known as qi - moving in a smooth and balanced way through a series of channels beneath the skin. By inserting fine disposable needles into the channels of energy, an acupuncturist can stimulate the body’s own healing response and help restore its natural balance. Acupuncture may help with some common conditions such as:

• Nausea and vomiting
• Heartburn
• Constipation
• Itching in pregnancy
• Varicose veins
• Anaemia
• Insomnia
• Anxiety and depression
• Musculoskeletal conditions
• Fatigue and exhaustion
• Oedema
• Breech babies
• Being overdue

There is growing evidence to support the use of acupuncture when babies are in the breech position just before birth. It can help them to turn into a head down position making birth less hazardous.

We have links with local acupuncturists who specialise in this procedure

Aromatherapy
Uses essential oils to enhance health and wellbeing. The essential oils are usually applied to the body via a blend during massage, although there can be other ways of administering them.

Chiropractic and Cranio-Sacral Therapy

Chiropractics is extremely gentle, and involves specific techniques to encourage realignment of your low back and pelvis as well as increase the space that the baby has to move around in, encouraging your baby to resettle in the ideal in-utero position.

As well as balancing your body to prepare for labour, chiropractic care may alleviate low back pain, groin pain and rib pain caused by altered biomechanics as a result of your changing body. Chiropractic can also helps with Pubic symphysis dysfunction (SPD), a common symptom of imbalance in the pregnant mother's body.

Chiropractic Care and Your Child

We have strong links with the chiropractic college in Bournemouth who state they are experiencing an increasing number of referrals from midwives, health visitors and parents seeking care for their new born children.

They see a multifaceted role for chiropractors in health care that primarily affects the musculoskeletal system. They also provide a careful health assessment of babies and offer gentle treatment. This does not take the place of regular health checks for babies.

Cranial Osteopathy for mothers/babies
Harnesses the Osteopath’s highly trained sense of touch to apply gentle manipulative pressure to encourage the torelease of tensions throughout the head and body

Counselling
Counselling provides the opportunity to talk to someone in complete confidence.  For all of us there are times when we experience difficulties or problems which may be helped by counselling.  Having a baby is a major life event, for some it may bring joy and excitement, but for others it can be a difficult time.  There may be anxieties around pregnancy and childbirth, and the uncertainties of the future.  A traumatic birth can leave very difficult feelings and postnatal depression can seriously interfere with the enjoyment of this special time of life.  Telephone counselling is also offered.  For a free confidential chat regarding counselling and to explore whether this may be an appropriate option for you, please feel free to ring or e-mail.  

Homeopathy for Pregnancy and Childbirth –
Uses natural plants and minerals to stimulate the body’s defences and restore harmony. It is safe, non-toxic and non-addictive and so particularly suited to babies, children and pregnant women. Can be used to treat minor heath problems of pregnancy such as urinary problems, thrush, high blood pressure, anaemia, heartburn, constipation and morning sickness

Hypnosis for Birth – Reduce fears, learn relaxation and pain-relieving techniques

Osteopathy
Being pregnant is a mixed blessing. It starts with feelings of joy and excitement but as the body changes to accommodate the growing baby then the mother can start to experience nausea, bloating, reflux, sciatica, constipation and low back pain.

It’s normal for most women to experience some form of pain during their pregnancy and the general advice given to them is to go home and rest. That’s all very well but most women are still working or will have other young children at home so they just don’t have that option. As Osteopaths we see our role as supporting the obstetric and midwifery services and as such offer a quick, effective treatment that will get the mother pain free in the shortest time possible.

Using gentle articulation and massage techniques the therapy can ease or even rid the mother of such debilitating problems as Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction (SPD), low back pain and sciatica and can provide rapid relief to reflux / heartburn and constipation.

Involves manual manipulation of the body to alleviate pain, restore mobility and enhance the body’s own healing processes. Useful in pregnancy for: low back and leg pain, pelvic dysfunction/pain, neck and shoulder pain, caral tunnel syndrome, headaches, breathing difficulties, indigestion, general aches and pains. Also used for postnatal adjustments.

Pregnancy Massage
Massage has enormous benefits both physiologically and psychologically.  Holistic massage can be soothing and comforting, yet powerful, promoting relaxation, strengthening the immune system, improving circulation and relaxing both body and mind.    Remedial massage techniques and postural assessments can detect and correct muscular imbalances in soft tissue in order to quickly and effectively treat current and possible future musculo-skeletal problems. 

Pregnancy Massage is specifically tailored for the expectant mother’s needs.  The mother’s body must be properly positioned and supported during the massage using pillows and padding.  Pregnancy massage has been found to reduce stress, decrease swelling in the arms and legs, and relieve aches and pains in muscles and joints.

Some of the benefits of pregnancy massage include:

· Promotes relaxation and reduces stress
· Will help minimise back and sciatic nerve pain
· Relieves muscle aches and leg cramps
· Helps to improve circulation and relieve water retention – oedema
· Boosts energy levels

Specialist knowledge of the physiology as well as the emotional needs of the expectant mother is part of the pregnancy massage training and as one of the priorities is for comfort of the mother, quite often >home visits are the best option.

Baby Massage

Baby massage is an ancient artform that has been used for centuries by many cultures to assist with a variety of physical and emotional needs and to promote relaxation between both parent and baby. Massage is a special sensual gift that you can share with your baby, from birth babies crave skin-to-skin contact. The sense of touch is your baby’s most developed sense from birth and through it you can communicate love, security and trust to your baby immediately, promoting a feeling of relaxation and wellbeing between you both.

Some benefits that Baby Massage can achieve for you and your baby include:

• Baby massage can help relieve wind, colic, constipation, teething and more.
• Baby Massage helps create and develop the bond between you and your baby.
• Baby Massage provides a feeling of well being and relaxation for you both.
• Baby Massage stimulates and supports your baby’s physical, emotional and social development

No special qualifications are needed to massage your baby. Baby massage is simply a method that helps to reinforce the natural power of touch.

Reflexology
Reflexology is a gentle, non-invasive therapy which uses stimulation and massage of reflex and acupoints in the feet.  Thumbs, fingers, and even knuckles are used to apply pressure to these points in order to stimulate a reaction to corresponding parts in the body. 

Hormonal changes occur dramatically, altering many physiological functions. Reflexology can help restore balance in most of the cases, treating conditions symptomatically, alleviating and stimulating. These are a few examples of particular cases in which reflexology has demonstrated to be beneficial in pregnancy and as a preventive of serious conditions during labour:
   

• Anaemia
• Anxiety
• Appetite regulation
• Backache
• Blood pressure regulation (except cases of pre-eclampsia and eclampsia)
• Constipation or any change in bowel movement pattern
• To prevent Diabetes caused by pregnancy (Gestational Diabetes)
• Insomnia
• Muscular fatigue / tension
• Nausea and vomiting
• Oedema

Reflexology is very safe in pregnancy, and for the comfort of the mother, home visits are often the best option.