The next question they usually ask is, “Does the acupuncture help with pain?” Hmmm… I find this question hard. Not exactly. Acupuncture can be used for many many things in labor, but I hesitate to say it stops pain. I never want a woman to think that when I walk in the room I will be providing anything resembling an epidural, because it is not like that at all. Acupuncture helps women cope better. As my dear partner Renee says, “There is a difference between pain and suffering.” I think this is where the relief of acupuncture lies.

Take this story as an example. I once was called on to a labor where the mom had been in labor for 24 hours, and she was stuck at the starting gate–just 3-4 centimetres dilated. Her ability to cope was waning, and a change needed to happen. I did some acupuncture to help her cope and to help things progress. Within 20 minutes, everyone in the room could feel the shift. A calmness had returned…but the mom wasn’t so convinced. I removed the needles and stayed to observe. She got herself into the birthing tub, but her coping was again starting to wane. I did the same acupuncture points, and again calmness returned to the room. This time the mom looked at me and said, “I think it’s working!” And it was–she had her baby 3 hours later.*

-Shannon