Is it normal to feel low after birth?

“Yes!”, says Ross, “When I see people that feel post-natally down, it is often linked to blood deficiency and exhaustion, which most mums have. Interestingly if you look up the symptoms for anaemia, they are pretty much the same as depression. One of the biggest causes of post-natal depression is that women are generally anaemic”. He adds, “Quite often in the period after birth, you don’t feel like you’re residing in yourself, you just go on autopilot, and a part of this comes from a primal instinct, and for the rest of it, you’re just bumbling along and making it up as you go along”.

Can tiredness make me feel more emotional?

“Absolutely”, says Ross, “Tiredness causes the body to run on adrenaline. You’re overtly risk accessing, and you’re running on reserve power. Of course, it will affect your emotions. It can also cause you to catastrophise and create ‘what ifs?’, that’s what adrenaline does for us”.

Can my baby feel my emotions?

“If your internal state is not at peace, sooner or later, your children’s internal state can be affected by it. They can pick up on your emotions, and even if you think you’re creating a great veil over it, your kids can pick up on it”, says Ross.

Do all women feel low after birth?

Ross says, “I would say there’s definitely a trend with the women I see, and it’s a combination of depletion, blood loss and shock. When you get depleted, you feel like a weaker version of yourself, and you’re more vulnerable. It’s important to nourish the mum and to fortify her. I see mums that have been bleeding for 6 weeks, and they wonder why they’re exhausted. But of course, you would be”.

What is a post-natal psychological MOT?

“A post-natal psychological MOT can help the body to rebalance and reset itself, as well as relieving stress and anxiety post-birth. Using acupuncture, we treat the shock, and often blood loss, of labour, by pinpointing areas that would benefit from stimulation or need calming”, says Ross. He adds, “There are particular points in acupuncture that are aimed to treat shock and trauma. It is not a luxury that’s reserved for celebrities. This is an essential treatment that anyone can access”.

What can you expect from a post-natal psychological MOT?

Approx. 45 minutes of necessary YOU time, where you lie down on a comfy bed, and the acupuncturist treats your mental and physical state. • “First, we check your pulse points, which lasts for around 5-10 minutes. This is a key factor for achieving a good diagnosis, as it enables you to see what’s going on internally”, says Ross. • Next, the acupuncturist selects points based on any symptoms that the client reports combined with the analysis of your pulses. • The painless needles are placed in for roughly 10-20mins. Some will be in for longer than others. Ross says, “Often a mum will come in, and if we do it right, then her tired, ashy complexion will change from start to finish. Usually, you will leave feeling brighter but looking it too!”

When should I have it?

“I usually encourage mums to come in two weeks after they’ve given birth”, says Ross. “By then the newborn bubble has gone, hormones have levelled, and adrenaline falls away, and we can generally start to see how deficient someone is and the areas that need focussing on”.

Why would I need one?

The aftercare UK mums receive post-birth is next to nothing. “There’s a lovely saying in Chinese medicine that the best way to stop a crying baby is to treat the mother, and that is the basis for a lot of what we try and do. We initiate the mother to focus on herself more, this is for the benefit of her baby. It’s not a selfish act, it’s a necessary one”, says Ross.

How many treatments do I need?

“The first treatment can be the most life-changing”, says Ross. “But you could allow for 2-5 treatments. The more experienced the practitioner is, the more likely they will be able to get their diagnosis right the first time, but that being said, most acupuncturists are so well trained they should be able to diagnose what needs to be treated in your first or second appointment”.

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