Pre-Natal Care Of The Fetus
Dory Ellen and I recently attended the weeklong, annual Pacific Symposium with workshops that bring our thought leaders into a lecture and Q & A format with practitioners and students of our eastern medicine.
Dr. Jeffrey Yuen, truly one of our renowned teachers and practitioners today, spoke about “Nourishing the Womb (Yang Tai): Pre-Natal Care of the Fetus.” Dr. Jeffrey C. Yuen trained under his adopted grandfather, the late Daoist Master Yu Wen (1872-1981 as a child prodigy and was allowed to openly practice and serve the community when he was 16 years old. He came to the United States in his 20’s and has been practicing for the past 35 years in New York City.
Following are highlights of his talk.
The most commonly followed model for prenatal care of the fetus was developed in the 13th Century by Chinese doctor, Chen Zi Ming, and follows the Five Element Cycle from Wood to Water which looks like this:
The ancient Chinese believed that everything in life is cyclical as observed in nature. Humans live between heaven and earth and are affected by the same forces of nature as in the heavens and on earth.
Each element has a season, emotion, taste and foods associated with it, just as each Organ System holds a specific role in the body properly functioning and maintaining balance and health and avoids disease.
The basic concept holds that women who follow the lifestyle and dietary guidelines based on this System of ancient Chinese Medicine will support the healthy development of the fetus. Five important steps include:
1. Perform An Emotional Cleansing
Dr. Yuen explained that it is important in the first month of pregnancy for women to go through a cleansing of emotions. Are you holding toxic emotions from the past? Now is the time to let go of toxic emotions so that the blood supporting the new fetus is new, non-toxic blood. How a woman feels about herself and how much love she has to give herself and her baby are important to maintaining a healthy pregnancy.
Women should also avoid stressful, angry situation throughout the pregnancy, but, particularly, in the first trimester, which are linked to the WOOD (Liver) and FIRE (Heart) elements. Also, the Wood (Liver) and METAL (Lung) elements need to be balanced. Don’t let METAL (Lung) flare-up a guilt trip on you. Don’t be so hard on yourself.
2. Stimulate Your Brain And Senses
Another recommendation of Dr. Yuen’s suggests that pregnant women should do things that are stimulating. Listen to poetry or music which helps stimulate the WOOD energy. Listen to a bamboo flute, which will help influence the child to be curious
3. Exercise
Women should continue to exercise and perform weight-bearing exercises during pregnancy to strengthen bones. When doing Qi Gong or other exercises, wear silk or leather shoes, which allows for qi (energy) being absorbed from the earth. Rubber soled shoes do now allow to qi to be conducted.
4. Diet
General guidelines include avoiding stimulants and using tastes associated with the gestational months. For instance, in the first two months, linked to the WOOD Element (Liver and Gallbladder), eat legumes, bean sprouts, asparagus, grapes, and berries, while avoiding spicy and aromatic foods. For the FIRE Element, months three and four, eat pitted fruits like cherries or sour plums. In months five and six which are associated with the EARTH Element (Spleen and Stomach) pregnant women should include grains, cabbage, and tropical fruits like honeydew, papaya, and watermelon. The enzymes in these cooling fruits help the Spleen to remove dampness and help with inflammation. For months, seven and eight, which is the METAL Element (Lung & Large Intestine), eat almonds, pine nuts, dried pears, Asian pears, apples, and pomegranate. Pomegranate helps prevent premature birth. In the final two months 9 & 10: WATER (Kidney and Urinary Bladder), include seeds which help lubricate the birth canal in preparation for delivery.
5. Boost Your Immune System
Exercise, proper, diet, proper sleep, avoiding emotional and physical stressing situations, supplemented with herbs and acupuncture will help boost your immune system. Your immune system staying strong is vital to your baby being healthy.
If this approach to pre-natal care for you and your baby makes sense or has sparked your curiosity to learn more , please call and come in to talk. We would love to talk to you about how this would work for you.
- Louise Gallagher