Amanda Edwards

Amanda Edwards, B.Ac. M.B.Ac.C. Rev, is an Acupuncturist, Happiness Counsellor, Doula & Author.

It has been considered in ancient medical models like Ayurveda and Chinese Medicine that the health and well being of babies, and later the child and adult, begins at the moment of conception. It can even be said to start before that with the health of the father’s sperm and the mother’s ovum playing an important role. 

Once conception has occurred the developing baby starts to experience the outside world through their mother. Everything the mother feels, thinks, eats, sees and does will have an effect on her developing baby. The mothers internal environment, where her baby is developing, is influenced by her external environment and her interaction with the outside world. 

In Chinese medicine life is based on the concept of 5 (the elements – Earth, Metal, Water, Wood and Fire) and 2 (Yin and Yang). During pregnancy each one of the 5 elements develops monthly. As each element has a Yin and a Yang expression this makes up the ten Lunar months of pregnancy. Women in Chinese medicine are said to follow the 28 days of the Lunar or moon’s cycle, as in their menses. Pregnancy is roughly about 40 weeks, which is 280 days, 28 x 10. 

The elements govern the normal functioning of the body, for example the Wood element is all about growth and movement so anything in the body that is about growth and movement, like the flow of blood, muscle movement, the peristaltic movement in the bowel and fallopian tubes, will come under the guidance of this element. Each element is connected to one of the 5 senses as well. As the mother experiences the world through her 5 senses, what she sees, hears, tastes, touches and smells, during her pregnancy, will all be experienced by her baby as well. 

In the Chinese texts, recommendations for the mother to stimulate her baby through her 5 senses are laid out.

I have created a visualisation for each of the 10 Lunar months of pregnancy to reflect what is recommended for each month. This allows a practical approach to a philosophical idea. 

Spending time resting with her baby whilst doing these visualisations also gives the mother the opportunity to connect with her baby and to start the all important relationship with her child. 

An explanation of the poster, which depicts the 10 Lunar months, as a rose unfolding, can be found at www.love2birth.com, together with details of where to obtain the visualisations.