PRESS: Pregnancy expert Lisa Barnwell recommends Kate Winstanley

Lisa Barnwell, London's expert in pregnancy and postnatal care, recommends acupuncture and acupuncturist Kate Winstanley to her clients.

Lisa's blog explores therapies to compliment you in pregnancy and birth.

This week Lisa turns the spotlight on acupuncture:

"As an aromatherapist and reflexologist of over 12 years specialising for the last 10 years in maternity, I believe there are many wonderful therapies and treatments that can complement and support the medical care you are offered during your pregnancy and the early postnatal period - ensuring that both you and your baby feel as good as possible as often as possible!

This week in our ‘Secret Therapies’ slot, our spotlight focuses on the ancient Chinese practice of Acupuncture. Acupuncture can assist you throughout your journey to motherhood from preparing your body for conception to postnatal care, with acupuncture treatments directed to building up your strength and overall health.

During a typical treatment acupuncture practitioners use very fine, painless needles to activate specific energy points on the body to help bring both body and mind back to health. Patients often describe the needle sensations as a tingling or dull ache around the insertion site but this is often deeply relaxing and enjoyable.

Acupuncture is thought to be helpful during pregnancy and the pre conceptual period by:

- Reducing stress by decreasing the activity of the sympathetic nervous system (high stress levels are often associated with reduced chances of conceiving)

- Improving blood circulation to the pelvic organs, including the ovaries and uterus, allowing the reproductive organs to work to their full potential

- Increasing blood circulation to the uterus to ensure optimal endometrial thickness

- Supporting pregnancy discomforts and labour induction

Want to find out more about acupuncture?

I am lucky enough to have built up a expert network of specialist teachers and therapists whom I highly recommend. For fertility and pregnancy related acupuncture my ‘go to’ practitioners include (amongst others) Kate Winstanley, Emma Cannon and Zita West."

Thanks Lisa!