Integrative Care for Pregnancy (ICP) at Pulling Down the Moon®

Oh my Gosh, you've made it!
View our current Prenatal Yoga Class schedule
Read "Is your Prenatal Nutritionist a Specialist?"
Learn more about our Prenatal Nutrition Program

You're finally pregnant or have a new baby and still feel a bit nervous? Well, we're not surprised. No matter how hard it was to get pregnant, the honest truth is that the really hard work has actually just begun. If you’ve taken a holistic approach this far you will not be surprised to learn that what you eat, what you do for exercise and how you handle stress during your pregnancy can have far-reaching consequences for both your health and the health of your baby. In addition, pregnancy is a process and the needs of both mom and the developing baby change over the course of a full-term pregnancy.

The ICP Model: Three Phases of Pregnancy

Our prenatal programming takes a three-phase approach to pregnancy, acknowledging the changing needs of a woman and her growing baby during each trimester. Pulling Down the Moon® practitioners, experts in holistic care for fertility and pregnancy, will work cooperatively with your healthcare provider to ensure that both you and your baby receive everything you need for a joyful and healthy pregnancy together.

First Trimester – “Laying the Foundation”
We help secure the pregnancy and begin preparations for the journey ahead.

Acupuncture is recommended weekly to help secure implantation, prevent miscarriage, and promote the development of a healthy placenta. Prenatal acupuncture can also help alleviate symptoms of morning sickness and the exhaustion of early pregnancy.

Nutrition Counseling during the first trimester focuses on the foundational nutritional needs of the developing fetus, strategic planning for appropriate weight gain, and effective supplementation and dietary choices to support your emotional and physical health.

Reiki is helpful in cases of repeated miscarriage, clearing out the energetic attachment that is stored in the body and allowing space for a new pregnancy to be established. Since Prenatal Massage is not recommended by our practitioners during this trimester, Reiki is a good alternative for relieving stress and anxiety, improving sleep, and reducing nausea and pain.

Second Trimester – “Blossoming Together”
We support you as your body supports a growing baby.

Acupuncture is recommended on a monthly basis to maintain the well-being of you and your baby. It is also recommended weekly, or as needed, as a great safe way to treat ailments (like colds, skin rashes, and headaches) that pregnancy may bring.

Nutrition counseling focuses mostly on you – adjusting weight gain, managing digestive issues, prevention of GDM (gestational diabetes mellitus) and preeclampsia, maintaining good energy levels, and supporting emotional health.

Prenatal yoga teaches you breathing techniques and yoga postures to get your body active and stretched, creating space for your growing baby. Also, yoga class provides a great opportunity to create a network of support with other moms.

Prenatal Massage assists in fetal development by supporting the body's circulation, bringing more oxygen and nutrients to the fetus and removing stagnant fluids. Therapeutic touch provides your developing baby with stimulating and nurturing input. Massage is recommended monthly, or as needed, to help mom stay healthy and ease physical discomforts of pregnancy such as upper and lower backache, hip tightness and sciatica.

Reiki nourishes mother and baby with Prana (life force energy), encouraging healthy growth. When pregnancy doesn't allow medication, Reiki assists the immune system and can help with physical pain.

Third Trimester – “Nurturing and Preparing”
We turn our attention to childbirth and the arrival of your baby.

Acupuncture is recommended monthly for the six weeks of this trimester and weekly thereafter to encourage a timely and comfortable delivery. Acupuncture can help ease the pain in your hips and lower back, as well as relax you for the upcoming labor.

Nutrition counseling helps you prepare for the busy days ahead by creating a plan that addresses your postpartum/ breastfeeding nutritional needs and promotes healthy weight loss after the pregnancy.

Prenatal yoga will focus on strength and mental preparedness for childbirth. Adding the practices of meditation and yoga nidra (yoga sleep) will help you get a good night's rest and prepare you for childbirth and the joys and stresses of baby’s first few weeks of life.

Prenatal massage encourages a healthy labor, eases muscular tension, increases hip flexibility and reduces swelling and other discomforts. It increases endorphins and serotonin, promoting hormone-balance, relaxation, and a sense of well-being for both mother and baby. Massage is recommended as needed and weekly for the last 6-8 weeks of pregnancy.

Reiki encourages bonding between you and your baby as you both prepare for the birth day spiritually, emotionally, and physically. Reiki eases fears and is helpful for overdue pregnancies.

Childbirth Education prepares you mentally, emotionally and spiritually for birth. Research shows that preparation leads to a more satisfying birth experience. 8-week group classes or one-on-one sessions are available. Click here for more information and the dates of our next scheduled class.

Pulling Down the Moon® prenatal and postpartum care is available at all of our locations.

What is Prenatal Yoga?

Pregnancy is in some ways the "calm before the storm." Prenatal Yoga classes at Pulling Down the Moon® are extra-gentle, nurturing and fun. This is because we feel that pregnancy is a time to build energy and stamina rather than burn calories. Also, since many of you had a difficult time getting to this wonderful place, we honor the fact that you may initially feel fragile or unable to believe that you are actually going to have a baby. Rest assured our instructors have the experience necessary to put you at ease in your body and this wonderful state called pregnancy.

Celebrate the journey towards motherhood in a unique yoga class. Yoga postures and breathing techniques will bring awareness to the wisdom of your body and make space for your baby to move and grow. Prenatal yoga is open to women in their second and third trimesters. If you'd like to participate in your first trimester, please get permission from your doctor first.

How does Prenatal Yoga benefit pregnancy?

Prenatal yoga at Pulling Down the Moon® is beneficial for both mother and baby. Like all forms of yoga, it enhances the mind/body connection and calms the spirit. In addition, prenatal yoga:

• Reduces stress
• Relieves pregnancy-related discomfort
• Prepares expectant mothers for childbirth
• Promotes mother/child bonding
• Provides a community for moms-to-be
  
  

What is Prenatal Massage?

Your Massage Therapist should be certified to perform prenatal massage. During pregnancy there are specific points on the body that should be avoided for the safety of mom and baby. Prenatal massage is conducted either on a special massage table with a cut-out for the belly or by having a woman lay on her side, supported by bolsters and pillows.

Prenatal Yoga with Ann-Marie Vigano

According to yogic wisdom, when the mother relaxes, the baby relaxes. This prenatal yoga class will help you learn to cultivate a space of relaxation and stress relief. We will use breathing techniques to create a sense of calmness, stretches to create space for your baby and release tension in your body, movement to balance your energy and find joy, and meditations to support and uplift you. As you breathe, stretch, move, and relax, feel yourself connecting more deeply with who you are, your grace and strength as a woman and a mother-to-be. Pregnancy is a time to nurture yourself and feel supported by the women around you. In the safety of the beautiful yoga space at Pulling Down the Moon, allow yourself to sink into a state of bliss, joy, and deep connection with yourself and your growing baby, as well as with other expectant mothers.
~This class is available every Saturday morning from 9am to 10:30am in the Chicago center. Come drop by and enjoy!

Prenatal Fertility Care Chicago | Postpartum Fertility Care Chicago | Massage for Pregnancy Chicago

How does prenatal massage benefit pregnancy?

Prenatal massage can help with many pregnancy related issues - swelling, carpal tunnel, back or sciatic pain and morning sickness to name a few.

More Information

View our current Prenatal Yoga Class schedule