Ancient Secrets HOME STUDY Workbook AcuMum...

Ancient Secrets for Better Bumps, Births & Babies Home Study Course

© Rebecca Mar Young, Naomi Abeshouse, Acubirth®, RTHC Pty Ltd, All rights reserved. www.acubirth.com.au

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Ancient Secrets Course

For Better Bumps, Births & Babies

Guidebook for Stage 3:

AcuMum & AcuBaby

By Naomi Abeshouse and Rebecca Mar Young

Your Acupuncturists, Chinese Herbalists & Eastern Birthing Mentors



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The Golden Month

In Chinese culture there is a period of one month post-natally known as the “Golden Month” or “Doing the Month”, where the Mother is taken care of by her relatives. She rests, is cooked for, cleaned for and takes care not to be exposed to ‘cold’. She spends most of her time feeding her newborn, getting to know them, sleeping, eating and taking care not to get overstimulated. This means she customarily doesn’t have full baths or showers but sponge baths in ginger water (as it has warming properties). Bathing her full body could open her up to contracting a virus or bacteria that could take hold as she’s more vulnerable at this time. In reality, many mothers may observe this bathing rule for a few days to maximum one week, rarely the full month.

We would recommend, similar to some lactation consultants, that the Mother tries to bathe mainly from the waist down for a few days, so the baby can really get to know their Mother’s scent on the outside, to help with attachment and breastfeeding.

Many mothers lose a fair amount of blood after childbirth and are therefore Blood and Qi (energy) deficient. They’ve also come from being in an extreme Yang phase during birth to now being in extreme Yin. In China, new mothers are wrapped like mummies almost from head to toe if they have to go into the outdoors, even briefly as in going from hospital to home. No risks are taken with catching ‘cold’. They see women as being very open and vulnerable at this time.

In contrast, here in the West, there is no custom around how long to rest for, what to eat or what to wear and many Mothers could do with making sure they are covering their feet, lower back/Kidney region as well as their necks in the early days (on top of what’s normally covered of course!) This would reduce their risk of catching viruses or bacteria after birth.

The Golden Month is said to be a time where if you don’t look after yourself properly as a new Mother and you do become sick, these illnesses will plague you for the rest of your life. On the other hand, if a woman has been dealing with lifelong illnesses, it is said to be a time when they can be cured. The month holds so much opportunity for regeneration and healing.

During this time we often recommend that the woman has nourishing herbal medicine to improve her Qi, Blood and breast milk, as well as help to deal with many issues that can arise such as constipation, haemorrhoids, extreme tiredness and depression. Coming in for acupuncture can be difficult in the beginning and we recommend they stay home and rest.

Special foods are prepared for the new mother, lots of soups and stews rich in animal protein are the mainstay of her diet. These foods are also spiked with Chinese herbs for replenishing Blood and Qi and Kidney energy. These foods will help her to make good quality breast milk, rebuild her stores of Blood which will make her feel more nourished and “fed” emotionally as well as physically.

The traditional diet is VERY protein heavy and we recommend they ensure they are also having a lot of vegetables, as this is where they’ll get many of their vitamins and minerals. We often recommend a good practitioner-‐strength multi-‐vitamin and fish oil to ensure all bases are covered when it comes to nutrition. In our culture as you know, many Mothers are not taken care of at all and barely have time to eat, let alone something nutritious, so it’s always good to have something as a back up. It’s certainly not to be taken instead of maintaining a wholesome diet.

It is said that Chinese women abiding by all of these practices have less incidences of post-natal depression. You can see how this would make sense with so much physical and emotional support from family and friends during this time, especially in the form of good quality food rather



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than cakes and flowers. Of course flowers are lovely but they don’t go far in replenishing lost blood and energy like soups and stews do.

Having given birth herself, Rebecca was shocked that after the marathon of birth, she was offered one white bread cheese sandwich from the hospital! Were they kidding? She was starving and needed something that would nourish her soul as well as her tummy.

There are a couple of research papers at the end of these notes that look more closely at this “Golden Month”.

We believe a good balance of Chinese ancient custom and modern medicine is just what’s required to ensure Mum gets all the nutrients she needs, as well as the emotional and physical support. These combined are so important to ensure a smoother transition to Motherhood.

One way of integrating this into a western lifestyle, is where a woman has family, friends or a good community around her, of getting her to tap into it as a source of real support. Many friends and family will ask if they can come around, and maybe ask if the mother needs anything, to which she usually, politely delines. We strongly encourage our mothers to ask their community to bring them wholesome food or to do some grocery shopping for them so they don’t have to leave the house to get quality food and necessities. We also encourage our mums to use that restless time before the bub comes to make plenty of nourishing food for themselves and the family and freeze it, as a delightful gift for their post-‐natal, exhausted self that they will appreciate immensely!



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Diet from a Chinese Medicine Perspective

The Spleen and Stomach These organs form the cornerstone of Chinese Medicine in relation to diet. As we learnt last week, they transform and transport the nutrients that come into the body and send them on their way to other organs. You can think of the Spleen as the “fire” underneath the “pot” of the Stomach.

The Spleen likes warm food and doesn’t like too much “cold” food or “damp” food, as that puts out the digestive fire. The food that we eat can all be categorised in terms of how cold, cool, neutral, warm, hot, damp or dry it is and we will look at that soon.

So getting back to the Spleen, it likes food that is warm in nature and if it’s not naturally warm, it likes the food to be slightly cooked to allow for easy digestion. It’s handy to think about when someone is unwell, the first thing we think about giving them is soup, as it’s essentially pre-‐digested in the pot and so easy for the body to digest. So similarly in a post-‐natal situation, this is the best kind of food to nourish and re-‐build Blood and Qi.

Cooked versus Raw

We are used to hearing that raw is best as it has the most nutrients. This is correct when assessing a cooked carrot with a raw carrot. However, what is often not mentioned is how much of the nutrient intake is actually absorbed in the body, more from the cooked or more from the raw?

Your body is able to absorb more from the cooked carrot as the cellulose walls have been partially broken down giving your body more access to more nutrients and it doesn’t have to work as hard to do it. Part of the digestive process has occurred on the outside of the body. Of course, vegetables shouldn’t be cooked down to a mush. Instead, we are suggesting light cooking to gain the most benefit.

And it is precisely this food that the Spleen loves to take in -‐ food that is cooked slightly or slow-‐cooked, especially for new mothers.

Thermogenic Properties of Food

All food can be categorised in terms of how cold or hot it is as well as how damp or drying it is. This comes in handy as some people feel the cold and need more “fire” in their diet. Some people feel hot all the time and require more “cooling” foods. Some people carry more weight than others and need more “drying” food and more “moving” food and a lot less “damp” food. So depending on what type of person you are, you will require different types of food to re-‐balance.

It can become a little confusing though. For example, we see many people who feel hot and are then drawn to eating lots of cold foods such as salads, fruit, sushi, juices and dairy products. However, eating too much cold food can put out the digestive fire, causing your Stomach to heat up dramatically, giving you hunger signals and getting you to eat more of what you like, cold food. So



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your body ends up doused in damp and cold, yet you feel hot and hungry all the time and you think you’re eating really well, but your digestion is all over the place. Constipation and/or diarrhoea are often the result and you have no idea why. We regularly see clients proud of their so-called “healthy diet” as they eat loads of raw fruits and salads as well as a daily dairy hit. This might be healthy for some body types, but definitely not if you are experiencing alternating bowel habits like that and certainly not in early stage motherhood.

In many Asian countries where the temperature is very hot and tropical, you’ll notice that they often have spicy cooked food. This is because it’s easy to digest warm food and the spices help the body to sweat a bit, helping to cool them down.

We have included a chart at the end of this section that categorises food.

Building Blood

This is super important to do for all new mums as they will all need some degree of Blood-building post birth. Some will also need food that helps keep their energy and Blood moving well. So how do you build the Blood with food? There is a higher degree of animal protein in the diet than there is in the mainly energy building (Spleen and Stomach) diet. This means lots of soups and stews made of organic and free-‐range (where possible) animal bones such as chicken legs, osso bucco and pork bones.

Dark green vegetables are also great to help build the Blood and they help to move it too. Stagnant Blood can cause pain syndromes such as headaches, backaches, neck aches, constipation and haemorrhoids. Again, it’s best if the vegetables are at least slightly cooked but a small amount raw would be okay (you’ll know when it’s not okay as the Mother will get looser bowel movements and may feel intestinal cramps).

Damp Foods Dampness is the ability of foods to generate body fluid. Dampness in the body can be caused by eating rich foods, oily foods and sugary foods. Too much damp energy is sludgy, doesn’t move well, can cause smelly loose bowel movements, makes you feel tired, lethargic and will show up as a thick white or yellow coat on the tongue.

A medium amount of damp energy is good, as we need that to stay alive. As humans, we are made up of mostly water and need our many fluids to survive: blood, lymph etc.

Damp foods aren’t necessarily bad for you, it’s how much of them that’s eaten that can be problematic, as they can put out the digestive fire. Since everyone’s system runs at a different temperature, this is more important for those people who don’t have a strong digestive fire and post birth you’d want to be careful not to put that out.

Generally speaking though, post birth, you would want to eat some damp foods as they can be rich in Yin (cooling, nourishing energy). Some good damp foods include: small amounts of non-‐sugary organic dairy products, bananas, nuts and seeds, avocados and good oils. Some problematic damp foods include: food eaten straight out of the fridge, icy foods and drinks, sugary snacks and



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desserts, deep fried oily food, too much dairy or not the right kind for the woman’s body (sheep’s yoghurt and goat’s cheese for example are less damp generating than cow’s, as they are easier to digest and don’t create as much mucous in the body).

Finding the balance is key and knowing the signs of imbalance we mentioned above will help to keep most women on track to a healthy digestive system.

A Baby’s Digestive System

Newborn babies have just come out of an environment where they’ve had all their nutritional needs met directly from their Mum, not having to do any digestive work directly. Once they come out into the world, they can no longer rely on Mum for feeding them so directly. We say in Chinese Medicine that the digestive system is developing for the first 7 years of a child’s life. Therefore, what we do in those first 7 years can contribute to building a strong foundation for a healthy, adaptable and thriving little one. Much of how their health for life starts with those first few months of feeding.

For information on breast feeding and colic, see your anti-colic breast feeding guide.

Colic Recipe for Baby (We’ve used this with countless clients and it always makes a difference)

12 Dill seeds (can be hard to find, just use Fennel if it’s too hard)

12 Fennel seeds

Steep in 6 teaspoons of boiling water for 15 minutes.

Strain and give ½ teaspoon before every feed.

Make fresh daily.



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THERMOGENIC PROPERTIES OF FOOD

General principles to maintain a sparkling healthy digestive system during the post-‐natal period:

Eat most food cooked and warm.

Eat even amounts of complex carbohydrates, vegetables and meat (where possible, eat free-‐range & organic).

Eat even amounts all throughout the day if you’re breastfeeding as your appetite goes through the roof.

Eat with friends and family as we digest better that way.

Thoroughly chew your food.

Soups & stews are the easiest to digest.

Avoid excessive fluids with meals.

Avoid eating whilst working.

Eat seasonal produce.

Sit down to eat.

Don’t eat whilst feeling angry or highly emotional. Wait to calm down.

FOODS TO AVOID POST–NATALLY: Cold food, food straight out of the fridge, icy foods and drinks, too many raw fruits, raw vegetables and juices (really limit consumption of these, especially in the colder months).

FOODS TO FAVOUR POST-‐NATALLY: Warming food (not just out of the warm category but food that has been prepared into a soup with warming herbs and spices), soups and stews made from scratch from free-‐range organic animal bones (chicken, beef, pork), soups and stews made with lentils and beans, fresh ginger rice, fresh ginger drinks, dark green vegetables, and if bub has colic – refer to the anti-‐colic breastfeeding guide.

HOT Herbs and Spices: Chilli, curry, garlic, ginger, pepper.

Animal: Lamb.

Misc: Alcohol, coffee, chocolate.

WARM Vegetables: Bean (green beans), carrot, cauliflower, Chinese chive, cinnamon, green onion, leek, mustard, parsley, pumpkin, saffron, shallots.

Fruits: Cherry, grape, coconut, plum, lychee, pineapple, raspberry, tangerine.

Grains: Oats, sweet rice, wheat bran, wheatgerm.

Seeds/beans: Black bean, brown sesame seed, chestnut, lentil, pinenut, walnut.



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Animal products: Beef, chicken, fish (freshwater), shrimp, turkey.

Misc: brown sugar, molasses, miso, rice vinegar, tempeh, wine.

NEUTRAL Vegetables: Beetroot, parsnip, peas, potato, sweet potato, Shitake mushroom.

Fruits: Chinese date, mango, olive, papaya.

Grains: Barley, buckwheat, brown rice, corn meal, rice bran, rye.

Seeds/beans/nuts: Almond, black sesame seed, kidney bean, peanut, sunflower seed.

Animal products: Fish (ocean), gelatin, dairy products, oysters.

Misc: Rice milk, barley malt, rice malt, honey, black fungus, white fungus (different to mushroom).

COOL Vegetables: Cucumber, lettuce, asparagus, bamboo shoot, cabbage, eggplant, mungbean sprouts, spinach, snow peas, broccoli, Zucchini, watercress, capsicum.

Fruits: Apple, apricot, fig, lemon, orange, peach, persimmon, strawberry, tomato.

Grains: Millet, wheat, white rice.

Seeds/beans/nuts: Tofu, soybeans.

Animal products: Egg (chicken), clam, crab.

Misc: Soy milk, tea.

COLD Vegetables: Chinese cabbage, bean sprout, seaweed, water chestnut, white mushroom.

Fruits: Banana, rockmelon, grapefruit, pear, watermelon.

Seeds/beans/nuts: Pumpkin seed.

Animal products: Pork.

Misc: Salt, vitamin C, white sugar, antibiotics.

DAMP food: Produces fluid in the body, which can easily put out the digestive fire making you feel sluggish. If eaten often, it can lead to low energy levels &/or being overweight. Regular exercise is crucial when eating damp food.

Grains: Wheat.

Dairy: Milk, Cheese, Ice Cream, Yoghurt.

Animal products: Pork (bacon, Ham), Salami, Sausages, Duck, Eggs.

Other: Refined food, Processed food, Oily, fatty, fried food, Coconut milk, Chocolate (white & milk) Nuts (esp peanuts), Sugar & honey.

Fruit: Apple, Banana, Cherry, Fig, Lychee, Mango, Orange, Peach, Pear, Pineapple, Raspberry, Strawberries, Tomato, Watermelon.



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DRYING food: These foods help to clear up the dampness category above.

Vegetables: Alfalpha sprouts, adzuki bean, braod bean, celery, lettuce, turnip, watercress.

Grains: Barley, buckwheat, Basmati rice, sourdough bread, rye bread, grain based crackers.

Seeds/nuts/beans: chickpeas.

EXTREME Foods: (best to eat & drink sparingly)

Chilli, Alcohol, Coffee, Sugar, Colourings / flavourings / preservatives / Artificial sweeteners

Frozen food, Oily food, Fatty food, deep fried food, Soft drinks.

FOODS TO AVOID if you have loose bowel movements: Raw food, diary products, juices, salads, “Left overs”, rich food, nuts, EXTREME FOODS.



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Soups and Stews for Mum

Warming Beef Stew Recipe For Mum Can be cooked in the oven, a slow cooker or a croc pot on the stove.

Serves 4-‐6

Ingredients: 1-‐1.5kg of Osso Bucco (organic where possible) the marrow is great for her kidneys

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar (this helps calcium and other minerals come out of the bones)

2 onions chopped

4 garlic cloves crushed

2 carrots chopped

500g baby mushrooms

4 sprigs of Rosemary

1 tbsp Italian parsley

A few splashes of red wine (the alcohol is burnt off during cooking)

Salt and pepper to taste

10 cups cold water

Method: Brown off the onion, followed by the meat, then the mushrooms. Once they all have some colour add the carrots and cook for two minutes, stirring regularly. Add the wine, cold water and apple cider vinegar to the pot, scraping away any brown delicious morsels from the sides and bottom of the pot and keep them in the mixture.

Pull leaves off two of the sprigs of rosemary and you can leave the other two whole; it’s up to you. Cover and bake on 180 degrees celcius for 1.5 – 2hrs, or until the meat falls off the bone. Alternatively, cover the pot, bring to the boil then put on a very low simmer for 1.5 to 2 hours.

Serve with the fresh parsley and have with brown rice or mashed potato.



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Chinese Chicken Noodle Soup for Mum Courtesy of Rebecca’s mother-‐in-‐law, Kim Mar Young

Ingredients: 1 bunch choy sum, washed and diced 5 dried scallops or 1 tbsp of tiny dried prawns 6 dried Asian mushrooms 1 lge knob of ginger Shallots 2 packets of noodles (fresh wheat or fresh rice noodles) 1 whole free-‐range organic chicken Sml red chillies diced to have on the side in soy sauce Sea salt for seasoning at the end

To marinate the chicken: 3 tbsp soy sauce 1 tsp Corn flour Dash sesame oil ¼ tsp sugar ½ tsp pepper

Method: Wash and soak mushrooms and scallops for 2-‐3 hours. Take all skin off chicken, except the wings and cut into pieces, taking as much flesh off the bones as possible (you will need to crack the thigh bone to get the meat off). Place chicken meat in a bowl with the marinade and put to the side. Fill a large pot with fresh, clean water. Break up the scallops and cut up mushrooms and put into the water with a smashed knob of ginger. Boil water for a few minutes then put the chicken carcass in plus all the bones.

Once it has boiled with the chicken bones, ginger, mushrooms and scallops, place on low heat and simmer for 30 minutes to help bring the flavour and nutrients out.

After this time, add the marinated chicken meat and cook for another 20 minutes. After this time, season with salt and add the choy sum for a few minutes.

Towards the end of cooking the marinated chicken in the soup, cook your noodles separately in boiling water. It’s cleaner for the soup and if you have left overs, they won’t expand and leave you with no soup to drink! Once they are cooked, place some in a bowl and cover with a healthy serving of chicken soup.

Cut some chillies into some soy sauce and dice some shallots for additional garnishes and flavour. These are, of course, completely optional.



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Ginger and Vinegar Soup for Mum Post Baby Courtesy of Rebecca’s mother-‐in-‐law, Kim Mar Young

This soup follows a long Chinese tradition to ward off infection post birth, improve energy and warm the body to build Blood and improve breast milk.

“In China, everyone can smell you are cooking it so everyone starts giving you a laisee (lucky money in a red envelope) to say congratulations on the new baby in the family. Traditionally, you give the soup to all people who know the family… neighbours, friends, everyone.

“Ginger stops the Wind getting in, and Wind is said to be the ‘spearhead of 1000 evils’. You can also take the skin off the ginger to make a hot bath. It is said that the water will go in to your body to warm it and you won’t get sore hands when you’re older like arthritis,” says Kim.

Ingredients: 2.5 litres of special vinegar (expensive) from an Asian supermarket, it’s special and is usually used for mothers post baby. It is called “Tim Deng Tin Tchou” which means (new baby boy sweet vinegar).

1 kg ginger

2 pig trotters or 3 skinny lamb legs (free-‐range if possible)

12 eggs (free-‐range, organic)

Method: Cook eggs first by boiling them. Peel them and place to one side. Peel the ginger, clean it and cut it into bite size pieces before dry frying them in a wok for a few minutes. Now, place xxx in a large pot with the ginger.

Place meat in water, bring to the boil and tip out to clean it, then place in pot with the vinegar.

Bring the ginger, vinegar and meat to the boil and then simmer for a minimum of an hour until the ginger and meat softens. Towards the end, add the eggs.

Ginger Rice Tea Courtesy of Rebecca’s mother-‐in-‐law, Kim Mar Young

Ingredients: 1 cup of uncooked white rice washed, cleaned and left to dry

1 knob of ginger, washed, peeled and then diced up into very, very small pieces

Method: Dry fry the rice and ginger together in a wok until the rice changes colour to a medium brown. Then place in a jar ready to use as a tea once the baby is born. Simply place one teaspoon in a mug and cover with boiling water and brew for a few minutes before drinking. This will warm mother’s insides up, helping to replenish lost Qi and Blood and improve her breast milk.



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Chicken Stock Recipe

Ingredients: 2-‐3 chicken carcasses (preferable free-‐range or organic), washed (you can use your leftover carcass from a roast chicken). The more chicken you use the richer the stock is.

4 Sticks of celery, washed & cut into pieces

2 Brown onions, with skin, washed & cut

2 Carrots, with skin & ends in tact, washed & cut

4 Tbsp apple cider vinegar (to help bring out calcium and other minerals)

Sea salt to taste.

Large stockpot, water filled almost to the top.

This is the base ingredients list. You may wish to add herbs for more flavour depending on what the stock is going to be used for. Additions can include things like bay leaves, marjoram, parsley or peppercorns. Whatever you do though, make sure you don’t add salt until the end, otherwise all the goodness from the bones and vegetables will not leach into the water.

Method: Place all ingredients in stockpot and fill with water to 4/5 of pot capacity. Bring to boil and then simmer for two hours or more; the longer you simmer the richer it becomes. Skim the scum from the surface where necessary. In the last half hour (of your two hour block), taste the stock. If it needs more flavour, increase the heat for the last half hour to burn off more water. If you have time, leave it simmering even longer. Once it’s finished, add salt to taste. When complete, leave to cool, strain (for fat) through a sieve using muslin cloth and store in container for refrigeration or freezing.

The stock may be used in the same evening, or easily at another meal.



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Some tips to nourish Qi and Blood post birth from Red Tent Nutritionist, Anna-‐Maria Boelskov

Miso soup: balances gut flora. High in protein and awesome for mums!! Or even just using miso paste on a rye cracker is great.

Bone broths: adding any homemade stock to cooking post-‐delivery is a brilliant way to boost mineral intake naturally. You can make stock and freeze it, before delivery. Also sipping on chicken or bone broths during the day will bring lots of good nourishment and hydration.

Kombu: is high in Iodine! You can add this to miso soup.

Boiled egg: with a pinch of celtic sea salt. Easy protein to digest, super nourishing and an easy snack between meals. A good source of vitamin D, Omega 3 and good cholesterol -‐ needed for hormone production.

Chai tea: can be really good and warming after delivery. Honey can be added.

Nut butters, hummus and tahini on rye crackers are another great way to get protein and fibre.

Adding lamb or chicken to a slow cooker along with seasonal vegetables and stock is a very easy way to prepare a large amount of food with minimal preparation.

Unsweetended yoghurt such as goats, sheep and coconut are brilliant as they provide good bacteria and calcium.



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Chicken Rice Soup

Courtesy of Red Tent nutritionist, Anna-‐Maria Boelskov

Ingredients:

2 litres chicken stock

1 cups brown rice; ideally soaked for 7 hours

1 cup diced fresh chicken meat or organic chicken liver (great for iron)

1.5 cups chopped seasonal vegetables

and Celtic sea salt.

Method:

Bring stock and rice to boil and skim off any foam formation. Reduce heat and cook, covered, for 1 hour until rice is tender. Add vegetables and meats -‐ season and cook until tender -‐ about 10 minutes. This is very nourishing and kids like it too!

Salmon with Organic Butter Sauce


Ingredients:

2 fillets of wild salmon

4 cups of fish stock

Fresh tarragon

½ organic butter (softended)

1 tsp of vinegar

Method: In an oven dish place salmon fillets skin side down and add tarragon sprigs. Add boiled (hot) stock to the salmon dish, if the liquid does not cover the salmon, add filtered water. Poach in the oven for 10-‐15 minutes, but be careful not to overcook. Use a fork to check the salmon. It should still be a little raw inside -‐ then remove the salmon and leave covered whilst making the sauce. Pour the stock into a pot and boil until reduced to 1 cup -‐ then allow it to cool slightly. Pour cooled stock into a bowl set in barely-‐simmering water. Using a whisk, add butter to the stock 1 spoon at the time and whisk continously. Then stir in the vinegar and be mindful of now allowing it to come to a boil. When the butter has been combined into the stock and vinegar, taste and season as required. After this, simply add salmon to a plate and spoon a little sauce on. It’s very nutritious and nourising. It is very important to use good organic butter and, ideally, home made stock.



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The coconut yoghurt recipe to improve gut flora


1 cup of fresh coconut cream, ideally made from fresh coconut pulp. Blend at high speed until smooth. Note: add the coconut water gradually so it doesn’t get too thin… add it until it’s a creamy consistency.

1 tbspn of probiotic starter

1 tspn of honey (optional)

Mix together then leave at room temperature for 24 hours. Then store it in the fridge.



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Acupressure for MUM

Spleen-‐6 (SP-‐6) Inner ankle

This acupressure point is contraindicated until week 36

Location:

This point is located 3 cun (four of the woman’s finger widths) directly superior to the tip of the medial malleolus on the posterior border of the tibia.

Slide your finger off the edge of the shinbone, towards the inside of the leg. It is useful to press on the tibia when first locating this point as pressing on this bone produces a very different sensation from the acupressure point.

How to use it:

Direct pressure can be applied with a thumb or index finger for a few minutes on both sides of her body to produce an intense, tender sensation, or a dull, achy feeling.

This acupressure point helps:

To help the uterus returns to its original size.

To regulate hormones post-‐natally.

Help curtail bleeding.

Nourish her Kidney, Liver and Spleen energy meaning it will improve her production of Qi giving her more energy and her production of Blood therfore improving her physical and emotional health as well as her breast milk.



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Gall Bladder 21 (GB-‐21) Shoulder point

This acupressure point is to be used with caution during pregnancy

Location:

Midway between the spinous process of C7 and the tip of the acromion process, at the highest point of the trapezius muscle.

Draw an imaginary line between the bony prominence of the neck and the top of the shoulder joint. You can find this point midway along this line. It will feel tender with a numbing/buzzing/warming sensation (this sensation varies with individuals). The sensation is stronger on this point than any other points along this line. You can find this point on yourself by bringing your hand diagonally across your chest and feeling with an index finger along the line.

How to use it:

Pressure can be applied with elbows or thumbs for a few minutes every few hours as it stimulates the letdown reflex and dramatically relieves tension and stress.

What it does:

Many women tend to carry their stress in their shoulders and when they feel pain, it’s common for them to tense their shoulders up towards their ears. This is especially the case when learning how to breastfeed. By helping her shoulders to relax, it enables her whole body, including breast tissue, to relax more and allows the oxytocin to flow which will assist with a good healthy milk supply.

It also helps to relieve the aches and pains a new mother feels as she carries her baby for such long periods and uses muscles she hasn’t engaged much before. Often if her shoulders are very tight and she is using them to hold her up, this means her core is weak and needs attention, otherwise it can lead to deeper problems like back spasms and pain. Getting appropriate treatment and learning exercises from qualified professionals who work with women post-‐natally, is highly recommended. In Sydney we recommend Physiocise® classes as they re-‐train you on how to use your core correctly and switch it on in everyday life – not just in the classroom!



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Small Intestine 1 (SI-‐1) Little Finger Point Location:

On the dorsal aspect of the little finger, at the junction of the line drawn along the ulnar boarder of the nail and the base of the nail. Approx 1mm from the corner of the nail.

How to use it:

Press with firm pressure using the corner of a ruler that can get into the point. It will feel quite sharp and should be done for 3-‐5 minutes on both hands. You can also try biting into it using your canine teeth for a stronger dose.

What it’s used for:

This point promotes lactation and benefits the breasts. So if there is impending mastitis, or it has already hit, this is a great one to use. If there are breast nodules, it works well to help the Qi circulate throughout the breasts so it doesn’t get stuck. We would recommend doing this at least three times a day when there are breast issues.



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Small Intestine 11 (SI-‐11) Middle of Scapula Point

Location:

On the scapula, in the tender depression. This can be found one third of the way down from the inferior border of the scapula spine (which is near your shoulder) to the inferior border of the scapula itself (the bottom point of the triangle).

How to use it:

This one is amazing when you find it because it is usually very sore. If you massage all over the scapula you should find it easily. Press the specific point for 3-‐5 minutes on both sides but we would also recommend general massage over this area as it is so relieving for the breasts as well as the upper back, which isn’t used to carrying around a baby yet.

What it’s used for:

It benefits the breasts, helps to clear stagnant Qi and Blood and so is really appreciated and effective for relief from mastitis.



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Moxibustion for Fatigue Moxibustion (moxa) has been a major part of traditional Chinese medical treatments for over 2000 years. The word for acupuncture in Chinese is zhen jiu, literally translated as “needle moxa”. The moxa sticks we provide as part of our treatment for fatigue is moxa compressed into a cigarette-‐like roll that makes it easy to use at home. You can read more about moxa on our clinic website: www.redtent.com.au/therapies/acupuncture/#moxibustion

You will need: • a cigarette lighter or matches and a candle. • an ashtray, or a ceramic bowl or cup. • a screw-‐top jar. • a moxa stick.

Location of ST-36 to moxa for Fatigue: One of her hand’s width down (four fingers) from the inferior border of the patella. This point lies about one thumb’s width from the lateral aspect of the crest of the tibia.

Used for: To reduce fatigue, improve a low appetite and constipation when the gastric juices are NOT already over-‐flowing. So if your client has reflux, it’s best to avoid this point, but if they don’t, it’s a winner.

How to use your moxa sticks: 1) Light the moxa stick with the lighter or hold over a candle flame. Ensure that the whole end of the stick is glowing red evenly. Blow on the lit end to help this. This should take a minute or two.

2) Hold the lit end over the point ST-‐36 (see photo for location), 3-‐5cm away from the point. The stick should never touch the skin. The distance between the stick and the point should give a gentle warming heat sensation that feels pleasant. When the woman feels a burning sensation the stick is too close to the skin, so move a little further away, until it feels right again. Often the skin becomes a little pinkish. This is fine, however it should not be painful or uncomfortable.

3) Keep holding the stick over both sides for 5 minutes. You can do both at the same time or one after the other, up to you.

4) Ash regularly into your ashtray or ceramic bowl or cup. 5) If no heat can be felt from the stick, check that it is still lit by holding it a couple of centimetres away from the back of your hand. NEVER touch the end of the stick even if it doesn’t appear to be alight. Re-‐light the moxa if needed.

6) When treatment has finished, wrap the end of the stick with foil and place the moxa stick in a glass jar and firmly screw the lid on. This way, the fire is deprived of oxygen and cannot continue to burn. The moxa stick can then be easily re-‐lit for repeated treatments.

Repeat this procedure for 5 days. Have a couple of days off, then you may wish to do another round depending on your change in energy levels.

Moxa sticks with instructions can be purchased through Red Tent. Call 1800 RED TENT (1800 733 836) to order or order on line: www.acubirth.com.au/shop

Reference for image: http://www.agelessherbs.com/BoostImmuneSystem.html



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Acupressure & Massage for BABY

Abdominal Massage

Many children could do with some gentle abdominal massage to help them digest their food. Often in our culture, babies and children are overfed. This can be a key step to helping them move contents through their large intestine. You can start this when they are newborn.

Signs of overfeeding include: Permanent red cheeks, thick train tracks of phlegm coming out of their nose on a reasonably consistent basis, highly smelly poos (sometimes a couple of sloppy ones per day with mucous in them, sometimes they’re constipated instead), irritable, they seem robust but clogged up. We call this ‘accumulation disorder’ in Chinese Medicine. Once your eyes become atuned to it, you’ll notice many babies and toddlers have this problem.

There are fantastic Chinese herbs to help clear out a baby’s system which Rebecca uses regularly in clinic and they work wonders. They clear up chronic eczema in no time; get rid of recurring ear infections, lingering colds and coughs, and skin irriations that may that don’t seem to shift. Clearing ‘accumulation disorder’ provides so many health benefits for the child.

It’s of paramount importance to change their diet:

Space out meals with minimal to no snacks in between (this gives their body time to properly digest the food they have taken in).

Never have fruit for dessert straight after a main meal… have it separately so it can digest properly and not ferment on top of the main meal causing internal damp.

Cut down on mucous-producing foods, that is, avoid: peanut butter, tomato paste, dried fruit, bananas, avocadoes, oranges, sugar, icy foods and drinks, lots of juice, dairy other than their formula. These all won’t need to be avoided forever, things like bananas and avocado can be brought back

in once a better gut balance is established and the system is not being over-‐taxed anymore.

For the abdominal massage, follow the large bowel with the blue arrows in these three pictures. This is a good one as it helps the baby get rid of gas and helps them to digest their food. You go in one direction with your finger or a couple of your fingers together. This flows along the Conception Vessel and has lots of connections to the digestive system.



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Massage of Stomach Meridian

This massage technique is incredible for improving the digestion and immunity of a child. You would stroke down their leg as shown below, approximately from ST-‐36 to ST-‐39 on both sides. When they are newborn, 5 strokes would be sufficent. When they are a few months old, a good 10 strokes and then more strokes as they get older. It’s important to go in the direction of the channel, which is down towards their feet. This means you only stroke in ONE direction.

You will feel the shin bone on the top of the leg, make sure you are to the outer side of that when stroking downwards. To be exact, the stomach channel is one finger width to the outer side of that shinbone (the child’s finger width!)

With children you don’t have to be exact with the points like you do for adults, as their systems are still very much growing and the meridians are broader and more simplified when they are young.

ST-‐36

ST-‐39



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Butterfly Wings Massage Down the Back

This is a beautiful massage to give a baby or child before they go to bed. It should be performed once a day and it is said that you pull the butterfly wings out of their back, on either side of the spine and go downwards towards the top of their nappy. You repeat this three times.

You’ll notice the skin goes a little bit pink. This indicates that it has been stimulated and has got their Qi moving. You are actually going down the Bladder meridian when you do this massage and you’re touching on acupressure points that connect with the following, in order: Lungs, Pericardium, Heart, Governor Vessel, Blood, Liver, Gall Bladder, Spleen, Stomach, Triple Energiser and Kidneys. It’s a brilliant all-‐over treatment as it’s stimulating all of those meridians and organs at once!

It should be done in a rhythmic motion. Make sure your nails are cut short and press in and pull the skin gently out. It comes off their body so easily when they are this young and it feels lovely.

Practice it on an adult to get good feedback first but it is harder to do as our skin is not so malleable.



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Liver 3 (LR-‐3) Top Foot

Location:

This point is found between the first and second metatarsal on the dorsum of the foot in the hollow (1/2 cun, remembering it’s the child’s thumb measurement) distal to the junction of the metatarsals.

Used for:

Helping the Liver to function better, thereby assiting it deal with Jaundice. This point is also relaxing for their muscles and will help their digestive energy to flow smoothly through their body. This point is also good for kids who have a lot of temper tantrums, or are having a harder time learning to regulate their emotions. It is a particularly good point for kids with autism.

How to use it:

You will get the best pressure using your thumb. Press into the hollow and keep it there for a few seconds for a newborn, a little longer for a baby and for toddlers – as long as they will allow (which isn’t long!).



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Research

For Baby:

Authors Landgren K. Kvorning N. Hallstrom I.

Title Feeding, stooling and sleeping patterns in infants with colic—a randomized controlled trial of minimal acupuncture.

Source BMC Complementary & Alternative Medicine. 11:93, 2011.

Abstract BACKGROUND: The aim was to describe the feeding and stooling patterns of infants with colic and evaluate the influence of minimal acupuncture.

METHODS: A prospective, randomized, controlled, blind clinical study was conducted at a private acupuncture clinic in Sweden. 90 otherwise healthy 2-‐8 weeks old infants, born after gestational week 36, fulfilling the criteria for infantile colic and not medicated with dicyclomine, were included. 81 infants went through a structured program consisting of six visits to the clinic, twice weekly. Infants randomized to receive acupuncture were given minimal, standardized acupuncture for two seconds in LI4. Frequency and size of stooling, as well as duration of, and intervals between, feeding sessions were reported by parents in a diary. Parental assessment of sleep and comments on stooling and side effects were collected in a questionnaire.

RESULTS: At baseline when the mean age was five weeks, infants in both groups were fed a median of eight times/day, 148 min/day, with considerable variations. No differences were found between groups in the frequency and duration of feeding during the intervention weeks. Furthermore there were no significant differences between the groups regarding the frequency of stooling, neither at baseline, at which point the infants of both groups had bowel movements 4.2 times/day, nor during the intervention weeks. There was an expected decrease in frequency of stooling in both groups, reaching 2.1 (p = 0.001) in the acupuncture group and 3.1 (p < 0.001) in the control group. The groups differed regarding large bowel movements which decreased linearly in the control group (p = 0.011) but not in the acupuncture group (p = 0.787). More parents in the acupuncture group than in the control group (28% and 15% respectively, p = 0.006) experienced the infant's sleep to be "better" or "much better." No other significant differences were found. However, parents described a normalized stooling and experienced an improvement in colic in their infants more frequently in the acupuncture group than in the control group.

CONCLUSIONS: Infants with colic in the present study had a higher frequency of stooling than reported internationally in healthy infants. Minimal acupuncture had no major effect on feeding, stooling and sleep, although a minor effect of minimal acupuncture on stooling and sleep cannot be ruled out.



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Authors Skjeie H. Skonnord T. Fetveit A. Brekke M.

Title A pilot study of ST36 acupuncture for infantile colic.

Source Acupuncture in Medicine. 29(2):103-‐7, 2011 Jun.

Abstract OBJECTIVE: To conduct a pilot study to assess the feasibility of a proposed design of an acupuncture trial to relieve symptoms of infantile colic.

METHOD: An open randomised single-‐blinded controlled trial, using standardised bilateral treatment of the acupuncture point ST36. Infants fulfilling Wessel's definition of infantile colic were included.

PATIENTS: were randomised to active treatment or to no-‐treatment control. General practitioners (GPs) educated in Western medical acupuncture did the interventions. Parents and GPs' assistants were blinded. Active treatment was the bilateral insertion of 0.20x15 mm Seirin needles to 12mm depth at ST36. The intervention consisted of daily treatments of 30 s duration for three consecutive workdays. Blinding was done with a red point mark on the skin and circular adhesive dressing covering. The parents were asked two blinding validation questions in the course of the study period. The primary end point was the effect of the intervention assessed as change in crying time per 24 hours measured with a crying registration form.

RESULTS: The authors improved the standardisation and changed the blinding procedure as a result of the pilot study. Blinding validation questions were considered necessary. The changes made in the main study protocol are discussed.

CONCLUSION: The pilot study led to important changes that were implemented into the final trial protocol. Blinding validation is essential in no-‐treatment controlled trials of acupuncture on infants, where the parents are blinded assessors of symptom reduction. The authors suggest that blinding validation questions, and the answers to these questions, should be reported. Clinical Trial Registry Identifier: NCT00907621.



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For Mums: Mal J Nutr 11(1): 1-‐21, 2005

Postpartum Dietary Intakes and Food Taboos Among Chinese Women Attending Maternal and Child Health Clinics and Maternity Hospital, Kuala Lumpur

Poh Bee Koon, Wong Yuen Peng & Norimah A. Karim

Department of Nutrition & Dietetics, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

ABSTRACT Traditionally, Chinese women adhere to special dietary practices during the month following childbirth. This paper discusses the dietary practices and food taboos practised by Chinese women in Kuala Lumpur. A total of 134 Chinese mothers of children below one year were recruited from three Maternal and Child Health Clinics and Maternity Hospital, Kuala Lumpur. Questionnaires and in-‐depth interviews were used to obtain information on socioeconomic background, dietary practices, food taboos and cooking methods during the confinement period.

Food intake was assessed by multiple 24-‐hour dietary recall among 34 mothers during their confinement month (zuo yuezi). Body weight and height were measured, and body mass index calculated. Majority of the respondents had secondary school education (77.6%), household income between RM1001 and RM3000 (64%), and were homemakers (48.5%). The women were aged 18 – 39 years, and 68% were of normal weight. Most women (82%) practised 30 days of confinement, during which they adhered to special dietary practices. The diet was directed at attaining yin-‐yang (cold-‐hot) balance, whereby “hot” foods were most commonly used and “cold” foods were avoided. Ginger, rice wine and sesame seed oil, considered “hot” foods, were used in large amounts in the cooking. Rice, chicken and pork were also consumed in large amounts. Most vegetables and fruits were considered “cold” and were prohibited during confine-‐ ment. Most mothers drank specially-‐prepared teas boiled from Chinese herbs.

Mean energy intake was 19% below RNI, while mean protein intake was 93% above RNI (NCCFN, 2005). Mean intakes of thiamin, riboflavin and niacin were above 75% of RNI, while vitamins A and C were at half of RNI or less. Mean iron and calcium intakes were at 222% and 67% of RNI, respectively. It is concluded that most Chinese women in Kuala Lumpur do conform to special dietary practices during zuo yuezi.

Corresponding author: Assoc Prof Dr Poh Bee Koon, email: [email protected]

Poh, Wong & Norimah

INTRODUCTION According to Chinese beliefs, the mother and child are extremely vulnerable to illness and potential death during the month after birth. Traditionally, Chinese women follow a set of well-‐defined cultur-‐ al practices designed to reduce this danger (Pillsbury, 1978). Women who follow the traditions are said to be in confinement or “doing the month” (zuo yuezi).

Zuo yuezi serves as a physical conva-‐ lescence, a preventative measure, a social sanction to rest, a consolation, and a prompt for Chinese women to concentrate on their baby and their role of



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breastfeed-‐ ing. It also serves as an occasion to strengthen intra-‐family ties, especially between the woman and her mother or mother-‐in-‐law (Cheung, 1997).

The mother must also restore the balance of yin (cold) and yang (hot) in her body. During the postpartum period, the mother is in the period of strongest yin, and accordingly her diet should be based upon yang foods, which are typically those high in energy and protein (Hwu, Coates & Boore, 2001). Several foods, called galactagogues, are encouraged during lactation in the belief that their consumption will increase the mother’s breast milk production (Pillsbury, 1978). These foods include chicken, pork, rice wine, fish, and wheat noodles with egg. Strength-‐providing foods and medicinal products, such as chicken, ginger and ginseng (Panax gin-‐ seng) are also encouraged so that the mother recovers quickly from the exertion of labour.

Zuo yuezi is embedded in the culture of the Chinese and is practised not only in China, but also by Chinese living in other parts of the world. Studies in Hong Kong (Holroyd et al., 1997), Taiwan (Heh, Fu & Chin, 2001), Scotland (Cheung, 1997), California (Fishman, Evans & Jenks, 1988), Australia (Matthey, Panasetis & Barnett, 2002), and Malaysia (Ngin, 1985) have found that Chinese mothers practice zuo yuezi to a certain extent after childbirth. In Malaysia, Chinese women do conform to some if not all zuo yuezi practices (Ngin, 1985).

The Malaysian Chinese women are also known to have a pei yue who keeps company with the mother for a month after childbirth (Dixon, 1993). The pei yue, sometimes the woman’s own mother, mother-in-law, or a paid professional, is an experienced woman whose job is to cook and care for the mother, baby and other children throughout the confinement. The zuo yuezi practices, however, are usually modified to suit the modern mother’s lifestyle, beliefs, and financial status. The dietary aspects of the zuo yuezi may also be modified but are usually followed. A literature search of available resources found very few studies specifically relating to the dietary aspects of confinement after childbirth carried out in Malaysia in recent years.

Several papers relevant to this topic were published in the 1950s to early 1980s: Millis (1958) reported modifications in food selection observed by Malays women during pregnancy and confinement, Jensen (1967) discussed various aspects of Iban birth, Kuah (1972) studied Malay customs in relation to child-‐ birth, Chen (1973) analysed customs related to childbirth in rural Malay culture, and Manderson (1981a) reported Malay confinement practices of roasting, smoking and dieting.

Lee, Janet & Ravindran (1997) in a study on the incidence of postnatal depression among women of Malay , Chinese and Indian ethnicities in Seremban reported that 64.3% followed “pantang larang” and 85.7% took special diets, but did not elaborate on these aspects. Apart from Ngin’s (1985) study among Chinese women of Hokkien dialect in Selangor, there is no other known publication on confinement and its special dietary practices among Chinese women in Malaysia.

With this background in mind, this study was carried out to determine the Postpartum dietary intakes and food taboos 3 dietary practices of Chinese mothers during confinement. This paper reports the dietary intakes and food taboos of Chinese mothers attending government clinics and hospitals in Kuala Lumpur.

For your interest, please find a copy of the complete paper under week 3, AcuMum & AcuBaby. Here you will find the results from the study: http://acubirth.com.au/your-‐ancient-‐secrets-‐course-‐information



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Traditional beliefs and practices in the postpartum period in Fujian Province, China: a qualitative study

Joanna H Raven1 , Qiyan Chen2 , Rachel J Tolhurst1 and Paul Garner1

1 International Health Group, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, Liverpool, UK 2 Health Care Department, Fujian Provincial Maternity and Children's Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China author email corresponding author email

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth 2007, 7:8doi:10.1186/1471-‐2393-‐7-‐8

The electronic version of this article is the complete one and can be found online at: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-‐2393/7/8

Abstract

Background Zuo yuezi is the month postpartum in China associated with a variety of traditional beliefs and practices. We explored the current status of zuo yuezi from social, cultural and western medical perspectives.

Methods We interviewed family members (36) and health workers (8) in Fujian Province, selecting one rural and one rapidly developing urban county. We asked about their traditional beliefs and their behaviour postpartum. We used a framework approach to identify main themes. We categorised reported behaviour against their probable effects on health, drawing on Western standards.

Results Respondents reported that zuo yuezi was commonly practiced in urban and rural families to help the mother regain her strength and protect her future health. Zuo yuezi included: dietary precautions, such as eating more “hot” food and avoiding “cold” food; behavioural precautions, such as staying inside the home, avoiding housework and limiting visitors; hygiene precautions, such as restricting bathing and dental hygiene; and practices associated with infant feeding, including supplementary feeding and giving honeysuckle herb to the infant.

Respondents reported that the main reasons for adhering to these practices were respect for tradition, and following the advice of elders. Categorised against Western medical standards, several zuo yuezi practices are beneficial, including eating more, eating protein rich food, avoiding housework, and daily vulval and perineal hygiene. A few are potentially harmful, including giving honeysuckle herb, and avoiding dental hygiene. Some women reported giving infants supplementary feeds, although zuo yuezi emphasises breastfeeding.

Conclusion Zuo yuezi is an important ritual in Fujian. In medical terms, most practices are beneficial, and could be used by health staff to promote health in this period. Further research on reported potentially harmful practices, such as supplements to breastfeeding, is needed.



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Kvist LJ et al 2006 A randomised-‐controlled trial in Sweden of acupuncture and care interventions for the relief of inflammatory symptoms of the breast during lactation Midwifery October

Acupuncture treatment as breastfeeding support: preliminary data.

Neri I. Allais G. Vaccaro V. Minniti S. Airola G. Schiapparelli P. Benedetto C. Facchinetti F.

Journal of Alternative & Complementary Medicine. 17(2):133-‐7, 2011 Feb.

Abstract OBJECTIVES: This article investigates the efficacy of acupuncture for the maintenance of breastfeeding during the first 3 months of a newborn's life.

SUBJECTS AND INTERVENTIONS: After written informed consent was obtained, 90 women were randomly divided into two groups: acupuncture treatment or observation. Acupuncture sessions were performed twice weekly for 3 weeks (total six sessions). The control group made weekly visits to the clinic and the midwife observed their breastfeeding, giving routine care. In both groups, a semi-‐structured clinical assessment of breastfeeding quality was carried out by the midwife at enrolment and after 3 weeks. Moreover, in both groups a telephone interview was conducted by the midwife at the third month of the infants' lives, regarding the continuation of breastfeeding.

Results No significant difference in the exclusive breastfeeding rate before treatment was observed between acupuncture and observation groups (51.2% versus 48.8%). However, at 3 weeks post-enrollment, exclusive breastfeeding was significantly lower in the observation group than in the acupuncture group (60% versus 100%; p<0.03). At the third month of the newborns' lives, breastfeeding was reported in 35% of the acupuncture group, compared to 15% of the observation group (p<0.03).

Conclusions: Such preliminary data suggest that 3 weeks of acupuncture treatment were more effective than observation alone in maintaining breastfeeding until the third month of the newborns' lives.

References

AcuBaby Landgren K. Kvorning N. Hallstrom I, Feeding, stooling and sleeping patterns in infants with colic—a randomized controlled trial of minimal acupuncture., BMC Complementary & Alternative Medicine, 11:93, 2011.

Skjeie H. Skonnord T. Fetveit A. Brekke M., A pilot study of ST36 acupuncture for infantile colic, Acupuncture in Medicine, 29(2):103-‐7, 2011 Jun.

HU Yumei, ZHOU Xuehui, Effectiveness of Acupuncture Point Massage on Newborns, Journal of Nursing Science, 2007-07.



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Li-‐Li Chen et al., Acupressure and meridian massage: combined effects on increasing body weight in premature infants, Journal of Clinical Nursing, Volume 17, Issue 9, pages 1174–1181, May 2008

Tiffany Field, Maria Hernandez-‐Reif, Miguel Diego, Newborns of depressed mothers who received moderate versus light pressure massage during pregnancy, Infant Behavior and Development, Volume 29, Issue 1, January 2006, Pages 54–58

Scott J. & Barlow T., Acupuncture in the Treatment of Children, Third Ed., Eastland Press, Seattle WA USA,1986 May Loo, Pediatric Acupuncture, Eastland Press, Seattle WA USA, 2002

AcuMum

Poh Bee Koon, Wong Yuen Peng & Norimah A. Karim, Postpartum Dietary Intakes and Food Taboos Among Chinese Women Attending Maternal and Child Health Clinics and Maternity Hospital, Kuala Lumpur, Mal J Nutr, 11(1): 1-‐21, 2005.

Huang W, Kutner N, Bliwise DL., Autonomic activation in insomnia: the case for acupuncture, J Clin Sleep Med., 2011 Feb 15;7(1):95-‐102. Atlanta VA Medical Center, Atlanta, GA, USA.

Joanna H Raven, Qiyan Chen, Rachel J Tolhurst and Paul Garner, Traditional beliefs and practices in the postpartum period in Fujian Province, China: a qualitative study, BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 7:8doi:10.1186/1471-‐2393-‐7-‐8, 2007.

Neri I. Allais G. Vaccaro V. Minniti S. Airola G. Schiapparelli P. Benedetto C. Facchinetti F., Acupuncture treatment as breastfeeding support: preliminary data, Journal of Alternative & Complementary Medicine, 17(2):133-‐7, 2011 Feb.

Linda J. Kvist et al., A randomised-‐controlled trial in Sweden of acupuncture and care interventions for the relief of inflammatory symptoms of the breast during lactation, Midwifery, Volume 23, Issue 2, June 2007, Pages 184–195 Xiaolan Zhao, Traditional Chinese Medicine for Women: Reflections of the Moon on Water, Virago Press, 2006 Debra Betts, The essential guide to Acupuncture in Pregnancy & Childbirth, Journal of Chinese Medicine, UK, 2006



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Tasks to complete before listening to the next call

Please submit your answers on the Acubirth for Midwives & Birth Workers Community on Facebook. You can change people’s names and other details to protect their identity. Naomi & Rebecca will get back to you on there: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Acubirth-‐for-‐Midwives-‐Birth-‐Workers/147274028671556?ref=hl

AcuMUM

Find SI-‐11 on someone else, did you find it easily or not? Make one of the soup recipes for yourself or your family and report back on how easy

or hard it was. It is so good for all of you doing night shifts to be able to have bone soups made from scratch as they replenish your Kidney energy.

Experiment with cooked versus raw food. One day have the majority of food all raw and see how it feels. The next day, have most food slightly cooked to cooked and see how that feels -‐ report back.

AcuBABY

Practice the butterfly wing massage on two children and one adult and report back on how it went ie was it difficult, easy, how do you think they felt about it, what was their body language?

Practice finding one of the acupoints on a child and report back on how difficult that was or wasn’t for you.

Estimated time to complete: 3 hours

Your Weekly Motivation Check In Questions These are designed to keep you on track and motivated in the course. As you’re on the home study program, we ask that you do these for yourselves in between listening to each call to get the most out of everything. They will take you about 15 minutes. There’s no need to post these. You can keep a private record of them.

1. What you are grateful for in this moment? (focus on one thing)



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2. What are you proud of accomplishing this week IN RELATION TO THE COURSE IF APPROPRIATE?

3. What are your top 3 intentions for next week? (this will help us keep you accountable)

4. What is the biggest thing you need support with right now IN RELATION TO THE COURSE IF APPROPRIATE? Something specific

On-‐line references to milk: This lady is a mum-‐of-‐three and an Internationally Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC). I found this information to be good in relation to the topic of milk after the course finished as there were questions in relation to goat’s milk on the call. Thanks Rebecca.

http://kellymom.com/nutrition/milk/milk-‐supplements/

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