Chinese Medicine is recognised throughout the world as a valid health care system with a history of some 2000 years. Known as a holistic therapy, it acknowledges the interrelationship of the mind, body and spirit as the basis of health and, likewise, any imbalance as the precursor to illness.
Whether you are trying to conceive naturally or using assisted reproduction techniques (IVF) Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine can be used to enhance both male and female reproductive health.
As a qualified Fertile Life (TM) practitioner Rhonwen Warland combines the strength of conventional medicine diagnostics with the holistic treatment principles of traditional chinese medicine to assist your fertility and journey to parenthood. The Fertile Life programme was developed by Dr Kirsten Wolfe, who is generous enough to train other Chinese medicine practitioners and provide constant mentorship to her team, ensuring that no stone is left unturned for the patient. Being an integrative treatment it incorporates the use of acupuncture, herbal medicine, supplements plus relaxation techniques like meditation, massage and yoga to reach the ultimate goal of achieving conception, maintaining a pregnancy, reducing the risk of miscarriage and bearing a healthy child.
The program aims to help you:
- understand the fertility process
- balance hormones
- regulate ovulation
- manage emotional wellbeing
- prepare for and support IVF treatment
- prepare for and optimise conception
- support pregnancy
Before your initial appointment you will already have filled out a comprehensive intake form and provided any relevant test results. This enables Rhonwen to have a clear understanding of your individual condition before you arrive. No two situations are the same: that is the beauty of engaging the help of a qualified Chinese medicine practitioner, each treatment is tailored to your individual needs. Returning your body to its optimum reproductive state using natural methods requires a commitment to maintaining a healthy lifestyle and working with your practitioner to make any changes that are needed. It is a process and the best results are obtained with conscious effort; there is no quick fix. We aim to “cultivate the soil before you plant the seed”. Your body is the soil and to achieve conception you must first make sure you have provided a healthy environment.
The programme consists of weekly acupuncture sessions that focus on different parts of your cycle, using Basal Body Temperature (BBT) charting and appropriate herbs and supplements, which also focus on where you are in your cycle. A lot of this information comes from the BBT chart – it’s much more than just knowing when you ovulate. A BBT chart shows what your hormones are doing at what time in your cycle, it shows ovulation, it shows if you are trying to ovulate and not quite getting there and it shows when you are pregnant!
Rhonwen’s own journey into complimentary medicine began when she was a teenager when a family member began studying chinese medicine. Given that exposure, it became a primary form of health care for her and she used it extensively during both her pregnancies. More recently, Rhonwen has supported her two daughters through pregnancy, pre-birth and labour with acupuncture. To maintain professional registration it is a requirement to fulfil annual education quotas and Rhonwen chooses fertility and women’s health subjects each year.
Rhonwen is a passionate advocate for a natural approach to women’s health and wellbeing and treats from the heart, nurturing her lovely couples throughout their journey to parenthood.
