ESSENCE OF A BABY

It is a place to come to find out about treatments and services in relation to pregnancy and birth and to receive information on many topics ranging from infertility treatments to pain relief during labour

Information is power! Most women preparing for birth dread the reality of the birth experience itself. Giving birth should be an empowering experience for a woman. You should feel
in control of the process

Many women find it difficult to feel empowered in the environment of fear that often surrounds the birth experience.
At essence of baby.com that fear is dispelled. Under the expert care of Karen Costin you will receive reassurance, encouragement and treatments to enable you to trust in your own innate ability to give birth

Pregnancy is a four part cycle consisting of pre-conceptual care ,ante natal care, labour management, and post-natal care . Each stage has distinct demands and rewards for pregnant women and couples.

Karen Costin offers treatments that will allow you to prepare mind, body and spirit for each phase in your pregnancy.

Since the advent of acupuncture analgesia, research centres the world over have been engaged in an intense exciting race to find a rational explanation for what makes acupuncture effective in pain control.Click the labour management button on this page to Find out how to use acupuncture to prepare you and your baby for labour and to control pain during labour.

Many factors can contribute to making a couple believe that they are destined to remain childless because they have been diagnosed as suffering from 'unexplained infertility', which basically means that medics can find no medical reason why they cannot become pregnant. I work with the 20pc of couples who suffer from 'unexplained fertility' and would like to introduce you to my infertility programme:

infertility programme

70% of dis-ease in the body is caused by stress. There is a growing awareness that stress is a contributing factor in infertility. Western medicinenow has a label attached to the growing numbers of people who find it impossible to conceive. The term used is 'unexplained infertility'. This condition generally refers to a person who may not be able to conceive and yet appears to have nothing physically wrong. Many cases of unexplained fertility stems from a combination of factors which include emotional stress, blocked energy fields and nutritional deficiencies and it is this level of healing which in many cases assists people in achieving whole health and becoming pregnant.

ACUPUNCTURE + COUNSELLING

A lot of people experiencing problems conceiving suffer from additional stresses of societal pressures. They often find it difficult to discuss infertility with friends and family. For many there are issues around shame, and fear of failure. Hiding the fact that you are trying to conceive is very stressful . This can put a huge strain on marriages and partnerships. The first thing I do is address the couple's feeling of panic around the woman's cycle. The first session addresses issues around clients expectations and what the benefits of the Acupuncture treatments will be in terms of general well-being. Each subsequent session involves a combination of Acupuncture treatments and counselling sessions.

Acupuncture releases the stress in the body, mind and spirit and takes the emotional charge out of the monthly cycle. Having one's life ruled by the countdown to ovulation is traumatic for women and their partners. I provide my clients with a space to talk openly.

There is a growing amount of research that shows that birth and conceptual experiences are related to one's own birth experience. Acupuncture clears the blockages and lack of equilibrium in a woman and facilitates the body to heal and rebalance itself. Acupuncture is very effective at treating endometriosis which lowers women's chances of conceiving.

NUTRTIONAL SUPPORT

Women regularly ask me for advice on what to eat and what to avoid in order to improve their chances of conceiving. I offer a 10 week nutritional support programme. Here are a few immediate changes to make.

Ø Adopt an organic diet - it has been well documented that reducing toxins promotes conception
Ø Use a good water filter - too much fluoride can contribute to miscarriage
Ø Avoid using cleaning products that contain ammonia
Ø Avoid using pesticides in and around the home
Ø Avoid eating chicken - too much oestregen

Many women experience fear and anxiety about how they will give birth when the time comes. 5 Element Acupuncture is a core level healing experience that helps you address the issues.
All women who hope for a natural birth in a hospital environment should write a birth plan
Hypremisis is the name given to extreme cases of vomiting during pregnancy whereby the pregnant woman becomes de-hydrated, find out some of the do's and don'ts of hypremisis

Over the last four years I have worked with women in their labour process and I discovered that I ended up running a breathing and relaxation class in the middle of the birth!!! Most women have lost that innate awareness that we once all had to actually be still in the birth process. We have lost the awareness that birth is actually hard work and that we need to prepare our body, mind and spirit for what for many experience as an arduous journey.

I run courses in four week blocks in the Celtic Health Centre in Ranelagh. The content consists of Relaxation, breathing techniques and most importantly a reconnection with one's innate ability to give birth and be empowered by that process. The course is currently available to women who are interested in becoming more informed. Courses for couples or birth partners are planned for the future.

Many women experience fear and anxiety about how they will give birth when the time comes. 5 element acupuncture is a core level healing experience that helps you address the issues. Many mothers who experience core healing during their pregnancy often talk about their 'acupuncture baby'. Most babies start to move around when their mother is experiencing the relaxation associated with acupuncture. Women have also reported that 'acupuncture babies' are generally more relaxed, have little or no digestive problems and sleep longer.

Case History : Patient's Name Maria

Maria's mother had a great fear of giving birth. Maria in turn was aware of how she carried that fear. Through the nine month gestation period, Maria processed and cleared the deep cellular memories that she carried in her body.

She used counselling and 5 element acupuncture to enable her to give birth naturally to a 9lb 13oz baby boy - no episi0tomy and no fear!

Ante natal care and acupuncture

Ø Acupuncure is known to be effective in the treatment of the following:
Ø Morning sickness
Ø Varicose veins
Ø Vulval variscosities
Ø Migraines/headaches
Ø Constipation
Ø Lower back pain and sciatica
Ø Anxiety
Ø Oedema
Ø Exhaustion
Ø Depression
Ø Lack of libido
Ø Sugar cravings
Ø Stress
Ø Insomnia

Birth Plans - empower yourself with the 'write' word!
All women who hope for a natural birth in a hospital environment should write a birthplan .The birth plan is an expression of your needs. Think about it, speaking coherently during labour can often be difficult. So having a piece of paper with your wishes is a good idea.

Coaching for your partner

Unfortunately the need for partner coaching is never really addressed. Many husbands and partners have expressed a feeling of impotence at the time that their child was being born in a hospital environment. Private sessions are available with both the mother and her partner in order to address all their issues and questions. Being involved in the birthing process from the outset helps to make the process less frightening for a father.

Hyperemisis is the name given to extreme cases of vomiting during pregnancy whereby the pregnant woman becomes de-hydrated. In Western medicine the only option available is to re-hydrate the patient and administer an emetic. Acupuncture is very effective in the treatment of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy.

Do's and Don'ts of Hyperemisis:

Do drink hot water- Don't drink cold water
Do drink ginger tea- Don't consume caffeinated drinks
Do eat easily digested food- Don't eat white crackers
e.g. hot potato salad (wheat is difficult to digest)

Since the advent of acupuncture analgesia, research centres the world over have been engaged in an intense exciting race to find a rational explanation for what makes acupuncture effective in pain control.

Acupuncture is also effective in preparing your baby for labour. It is also important to process your fears and anxieties about giving birth.

It is usually preferable that you experience acupuncture on an ongoing basis throughout your pregnancy. This generally helps you experience a happy healthy pregnancy free of all the associated physical symptoms. Acupuncture is extremely efficient at maintaining the blood pressure, preventing oedema etc.

If you are due to give birth in the next few weeks, it is never too late to start this process. Acupuncture is a very powerful system of medicine - 80% of breech pregnancies are successfully rectified with acupuncture in China.

Prior to your labour, I will usually visit you and your partner / husband to answer any questions he may have regarding his needs during the labour and what he would like to offer in terms of support. It is also important that the partner feels comfortable with the acupuncturist.

Leading up to your labour, I will keep in contact by phone. Once I have made a commitment to assist you in your labour, I am effectively on call 24 hours a day.

I prefer to come to your home prior to going into hospital. This allows me to place the needles in position before your labour becomes too intense. All needles are extremely fine and are taped down in order to facilitate walking, bending and kneeling.

I will usually stay with you throughout your labour - this would average out at approximately 12 hours. Acupuncture can assist your delivery in the following ways.

1. Dilation can be encouraged.

2. Pain relief through acupuncture means you are able to work with the contractions.

3. The placenta can be delivered swiftly without the use of drugs.

4. Acupuncture helps keep you in a relaxed state during your labour.

If you are thinking about having a natural birth in hospital, acupuncture is a safe and effective way of ensuring that your labour is smooth and harmonious.