Women's health, pre-conception and pregnancy care
SERVICES
Welcome ■ About Me ■ Services
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Hi, I am passionate about working with women to restore and maintain health and balance in their lives. My client's see me for a variety of reasons, with the most common being:
- Women's health: regulating the cycle, reducing PMS and period pain
- Pre-conception care: they are wanting to prepare for a healthy pregnancy
- Fertility support: they have been trying to a while and would like to explore natural options for improving their reproductive health
- IVF support: acupuncture treatment to prepare for IVF and while undergoing IVF
- Supportive care: There is good research to suggest that supportive care in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy reduces miscarriage rates (this research is not acupuncture specific)
- Pregnancy care: for all those niggly complaints (most of which can be relieved with acupuncture treatment) and to reduce stress and anxiety and maintain health.
- Birth preparation: treatment from 36weeks has been shown in studies from Europe and NZ to result in less intervention and shorter births
I love supporting women through their journey to motherhood and providing a safe space for them to get in touch with their inner wisdom, empowered in the knowledge that they know what is best for them and their baby.
I provide a compassionate space and balancing through acupuncture, as well as being able to provide information and an open-minded ear so you can sort through the information overload and maze of decision-making that accompanies pregnancy.
I am also a midwife in private practice, providing antenatal, birth and postnatal care to women choosing to birth at home or the hospital. I also teach the calmbirth® childbirth preparation program. Please feel free to call or email me for more information.
Warmly,
Heather
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Acupuncture
Pregnancy
Scientific research has shown acupuncture to be an effective treatment for many complaints of pregnancy, including nausea, pelvic pain and anxiety and depression. Other complaints of pregnancy that can be treated include:
- Morning sickness
- Lower back pain
- Constipation
- Swelling
- Heartburn
- Urinary Tract Infections
- Stress
- Hemorrhoids
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Leg cramps
- Fatigue & exhaustion
- Insomnia
- Anaemia
- Hypertension
- Itching in pregnancy
I work in communication with women's medical care providers to provide supportive treatment for:
- Pregnancy induced hypertention
- Small-for-dates-babies
- Gestational Diabetes
- Cholestasis
Preparation for Birth
Labour and birth involve a complex symphony of hormonal, chemical, emotional and physical changes. Acupuncture can assist in keeping the body balanced during this special time helping to ensure these processes are allowed to unfold naturally and unhindered. Research from Europe and New Zealand has shown that regular Acupuncture treatment from 36 weeks helps to ripen the cervix and results in a significant reduction in:
- Length of labour
- Inductions
- Epidurals
- Emergency caesareans
Acupuncture can assist with:
- Cervical ripening (softening of the cervix)
- Labour induction (medical reasons only)
- Breech Position
- Anxiety & Insomnia
- Pelvic & Lower back pain
Labour & Birth
All women inherently have the resources they need to birth their baby naturally given the time, space and support to do so, however if a little help is needed acupuncture and acupressure can assist with:
- Managing the sensations
- Posterior baby/Back Labour
- Stalled labour
- Slow progress
- Fatigue
- Anxiety
Postnatal
The precious days or weeks following the birth are a delicate and sacred time as a woman adapts to life with a new baby (or babies!). I offer gentle postnatal treatment (known in China as "mother warming") and can provide tailor-made herbs to help treat imbalances that might be effecting a woman's enjoyment of this magical time including:
- Mastitis
- Insufficient milk supply
- Haemorroids
- Fatigue
- Anaemia
- Anxiety & overwhelm
- Depression
A postnatal treatment from 2-6 weeks can help with energy levels, relaxation and balancing after the many changes the body has been through during pregnancy and childbirth. Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs can also assist with caesarean recovery.
Women's Wellbeing
Our bodies and hormonal balance are easily influenced by our stressful lifestyles. Taking time out to nourish yourself , eat mindfully, exercise appropriately and find ways to manage stress can help restore this balance and Acupuncture can provide supportive treatment if:
- you have trouble getting up in the morning and thinking clearly
- you are stressed, anxious or depressed
- you have trouble sleeping
- you have vague symptoms such as digestive upset, skin problems and headaches
- you have trouble loosing weight
- before your period you get cranky, moody or teary (or all three!)
- your periods are early, late or all over the place
- you have periods that are too heavy, light or painful
- you have polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis or fibroids
I have supported many women with these issues to restore balance to their bodies and minds, assisting them towards:
- a regular menstrual cycle
- improved sleep
- reduced or eliminated headaches
- improved digestive functioning and skin health
- reduced stress and anxiety
- reduced PMS symptoms and painful periods
- reduced symptoms of PCOS, endometriosis and fibroids
I provide compassionate care for women wishing to conceive and have knowledge and experience in supporting women who have had recurrent miscarriages or are undergoing IVF/assisted conception
Costs
Initial (1hr): $90
Follow-up (45mins): $75
Home or Hospital visit: $150 (1hr).
Home or Hospital Labour visit: $150 for 1st hour, $60hr after that.
Health Fund rebates available.
To make an appointment please call the clinic on 02 9977 7888
For enquiries please call me on 0423 171 191
calmbirth® chilbirth preparation
The calmbirth® course is a complete prenatal childbirth preparation course designed to eliminate fear and empower couples with knowledge and skills towards a positive birth experience, approaching the birth feeling calm and confident .
Couples learn:- Breathing techniques
- Relaxation & visualisation techniques
- How the body is designed for birth
- How fear can affect you and your baby in birth
- About the positive effects of hormones in pregnancy and birth
- Positions for labour
- Light touch massage and the benefits of touch
- Other techniques for supporting a mother through birth
- The importance of bonding before and after birth
Details
I am currently only running private calmbirth classes. These are held in your home and are $575 including the CD and booklet. If you organise another couple to join you (and we all fit in your living room!) the cost is $450 per couple. There are 4 classes of approximately 2.5hours each and normally run on a Tuesday or Thursday night. For more information please call or email me.
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Qualifications:- calmbirth® Practitioner Education 2008
- Bachelor of Health Science (Traditional Chinese Medicine) 2007
- Certificate in Acupuncture & Chinese Herbal Medicine ( Beijing ) 2007
- Cert IV in Chinese Remedial Massage 2007
- Certificate of Doula Education (Optimum Birth) 2007
- Master Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming 2004
- Master Practitioner of Time-line Therapy 2004
- Certificate in Hypnotherapy 2004
- Reiki Master 2002
Professional Memberships:- Member of the Australian Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine Association
- Student Member of the Australian College of Midwives
- Student Member of the Australian Private Midwives Association
Continuing education and seminars:- Breech and Shoulder Dystocia workshop - Maggie Banks 1 day 2011
- Gynecology and Female Health - Robin Marchment 2010
- Traditional Midwifery Workshop - Lisa Barrett 2 days 2010
- Advanced Studies in Obstetric Acupuncture – Debra Betts 2 days 2010
- Heart and Soul of Gynecology and Obstetrics - Winton Terry 1/2 day 2009
- Paediatric Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine - 2 days 2009
- Japanese Acupuncture techniques for Fertility - 2 days 2009
- Japanese Acupuncture techniques for Scars Pain and Injuries - 2days 2009
- Japanese Acupuncture for Psycho-emotional disorders - 2 days 2009
- Recurrent Miscarriage Seminar - Francesca Naish 2009
- Independant Midwifery Workshop - 6 evenings 2008
- Natural Fertility Management Contraception - Jane Bennett 2008
- Birth, Breastfeeding and Beyond Conference - 1 day 2008
- Preconception Care for Men and Women -Jann Mehmet 2006
- Natural Fertility Management - Francesca Naish 2005
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QUALIFICATION DETAILS
Bachelor of Midwifery
Bachelor of Health Science in Traditional Chinese Medicine
Acupuncture, Antenatal Classes, Doulas, Herbalists, Natural Fertility Management, Reiki, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Womens Health
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