My acupuncture treatments for infertility, then pregnancy

My husband and I started to try to conceive when I was 35 and after 2 years of trying, we had no idea why I wasn’t getting pregnant. After being tested at the fertility clinic, we were told our infertility issues were “unexplained”. I had a friend who was going to acupuncture treatments for fertility issues too, and I asked her about it. Up until then, I had never even considered acupuncture for anything. I met Erin in June 2009 and upon meeting her, her personal and caring approach made me comfortable with giving it a try. Getting weekly treatments did so many things for me. First, I felt a sense of “doing something”. Dealing with infertility is so difficult and frustrating, especially when the case is “unexplained”, as you have no idea what else you can be doing. After the consultation with Erin, I learned a bit about the principles of TCM and how acupuncture could help balance and prepare my body for pregnancy. Each week, I knew that in my appointment with Erin, I had someone who was checking in on me who knew my specific personal situation. She was so on top of everything; she knew what was going on with my cycles and what she was going to focus on each session. It was so comforting to know that I was working with someone who had many patients in similar situations as me, as going through infertility can be quite isolating. The one thing I appreciate the most about Erin is that she is the kind of person that is very easy to talk to, and I never felt self-conscious about discussing or asking anything. When my husband and I decided to give IVF a try, I had read that studies showed higher success rates when acupuncture is used in conjunction with it. I had the pre and post acupuncture treatments on the transfer day, and a couple of weeks later, we were overjoyed to find out I was pregnant. That was a big surprise considering the doctors really prepare you that it is common to go through a few cycles of IVF, and often it is not successful on the first attempt. After I was pregnant, It was still important to me to continue acupuncture treatments throughout my pregnancy and I continued my sessions with Erin. Again, it was so nice to have a supportive person like Erin who already knew me and my health issues and was able to, once again, use a safe form of treatment to help relieve some pregnancy–related issues, such as swelling and aches and pains, as well as mental wellness. I would highly recommend seeking Erin for acupuncture treatments as you will find someone who is professional, knowledgeable and compassionate toward your health issues. Thank you Erin for being part of my journey to start a family!
-name withheld, Vancouver