Self-care for pregnancy pain
Soothing a sore back & glutes
There is no doubt pregnancy can be a physical and emotional challenge, that’s for sure!
A lot of these challenges in pregnancy can be managed with regular treatments such as Acupuncture, Osteopathy, Chiropractic or Massage. There’s also things you can do at home to help.
Phoebe shares Traditional Chinese Medicine self-care techniques for soothing a sore back and glutes (that’s also great for non-pregnant people too!)
Cupping for glute & back pain
Cupping is a technique used to loosen muscles and encourage blood flow. It feels wonderful and can make tight muscles soften, reducing pain and pulling on your nerves.
There are different ways of creating negative pressure inside a cup, and getting it to stay attached to the skin. You may have seen Traditional Chinese Med Flame Cupping - We are not going to ask you to try that one at home!! Another method is using silicon rubber cups.
To use these you simply apply some oil and then squeeze the cup and place it on the area.
You can purchase individual cups through us (email us)
or get cupping sets from China Books
Important rules for Cupping in Pregnancy
Have a partner, family member or friend help you out
Lie on your left side for cupping in pregnancy (if the pain is in the left Glute then it's fine to lie on the right side for a short while)
Make sure you've eaten recently and are well hydrated
Don't cup blisters or broken skin.
Don’t cup if you're on blood-thinning medication (inc Asprin)
You can leave the cup in one place for up to twenty minutes or rotate it every few minutes. You might do this on your gluteal (bum) area or up and down the muscles on either side of the spine - until you get to the tops of your hips
If you're really tired, do less than 20 mins cupping
If you are less than 38 weeks pregnant, AVOID these areas
(They are used to induce labour)
The tops of your traps (midway between your neck and shoulder joint)
Your sacrum (the bony part at the bottom of your spine) - the flesh part of your bum is ok to cup
Cupping can seem strange if you have never seen or tried it before.
You can find plenty of videos of cupping on youtube if you’re interested to watch how it’s done, or visit us for in-person guidance
