Dresden Holden L.Ac. - pregnancy care + birth prep


Gentle, effective care for every stage of your journey

    Pregnancy is a physically, emotionally, and hormonally transformative time. I support women through every stage of this journey with gentle, effective acupuncture and integrative therapies that help your body feel balanced, supported, and resilient.

    With extensive experience in holistic women’s health, I look at the whole picture: endocrine shifts, adrenal load, nervous system regulation, digestion, circulation, and musculoskeletal changes. Every treatment is tailored to where you are in your pregnancy and designed to help you move through each trimester with greater ease.

    Pregnancy Support

    Acupuncture during pregnancy can ease common discomforts like nausea, fatigue, heartburn, headaches, back pain, and pelvic tension, while supporting deeper physiologic balance. Treatments help regulate the nervous system, improve sleep, reduce stress, and promote emotional well-being. 

    Because so many pregnancy symptoms stem from hormonal and structural shifts, I integrate hormone-aware acupuncture, cupping (when appropriate), and herbal guidance to help you feel more at home in your changing body.

    Breech Presentation 

    Acupuncture and moxibustion can gently encourage a breech baby to turn by promoting relaxation in the uterus, improving circulation, and supporting optimal fetal movement. This treatment is most effective between 32–35 weeks, when there is still ample space for baby to rotate.

    Sessions include acupuncture and moxa (moxibustion), a warming technique,  traditionally used to help encourage baby into an ideal head-down position. Many patients find it calming, and support during pregnancy.

    For a breech presentation it’s best to schedule an appointment sooner rather than later, to allow space for baby to turn. I often give moxa to patients to take home and continue regular treatments safely at home for added support.

    Birth Preparation (Third Trimester)

    Beginning around week 36, acupuncture can play an important role in preparing your body for birth. Treatments may help:

    • Encourage optimal baby positioning

    • Support the natural oxytocin cascade to soften and ripen the cervix

    • Reduce pelvic and low-back tension

    • Support natural labor onset when the time is right

    • Regulate the nervous system for a calm, grounded labor experience

    Moxa (moxibustion) and cupping may be used when indicated to ease tight muscles, improve circulation, and support birth readiness. Birth-prep acupuncture is gentle, relaxing, and an excellent complement to midwifery, doula, and OB care.

    Postpartum Recovery

    The postpartum period is a profound hormonal, physical, and emotional transition. Acupuncture helps the body restore after birth by:

    • Supporting hormonal balance

    • Encouraging milk production

    • Improving energy and mood

    • Supporting tissue healing

    • Easing pain from birth or breastfeeding posture

    • Calming the nervous system and promoting deeper rest

    I also consider digestive health, thyroid patterns, adrenal stress, and nutritional depletion during this time as they influence postpartum recovery more than people realize. Treatments are nurturing, restorative, and tailored to your unique postpartum needs.

    ScarWork for Cesarean & Birth-Related Scars

    In addition to acupuncture, I offer ScarWork therapy, a gentle, hands-on technique that helps restore mobility, sensation, circulation, lymphatic flow and ease around scar tissue.
    This is especially supportive after:

    • Cesarean birth

    • Laparoscopy

    • Fertility procedures

    • Any abdominal or pelvic surgery

    ScarWork can be integrated into acupuncture sessions or booked as a stand-alone treatment.

     

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