Acupuncture: Round One

I thought I would document Abel's latest experience for two reasons- to record the process for our own review (and seeing how it is working) and to provide information (at least about our experience) to families with babies who are unsettled in sleep.

After Abel's bout with illness this past month, his struggles with sleep increased. The sleep difficulties combined with his traumatic reactions to the illness and subsequent treatments made us really want to 1. cry, and 2. get him some relief. While I know that a large portion of Abel's emotional recovery from his illness/treatment simply involves extra nurturing, extra loves, extra nursings, and extra parental sensitivity, I wanted to look in to other ways of helping him recover. And also helping him sleep well. The two struck me as very inner-connected.

We decided to take him to see an acupuncturist* who runs a pediatric clinic here in Denver- training other acupuncturists in the practice of Five Element Acupuncture. I took Abel in for his first of two appointments today. Most of the hour involved observing Abel play around the room, and asking me a lot of questions related to my pregnancy, birth, relationship with Abel, and describing who he is. We talked about his sleep struggles, illness, and other important life events. The practitioner (let's call her Dr. X) was lovely, gentle and seemed to know what she was talking about.

Apparently (from reading the internets and speaking with Dr. X), Five Element Acupuncture is about the balance of body, mind and spirit. It's based on the idea that we all are comprised of the energetic elements of wood, fire, earth, metal and water- and when one element gets out of alignment bad stuff happens. Or something. To be honest I was kind of lost, and Abel was constantly trying to get in to the cabinet with the needles. If you are reading this and understand how to explain Five Element Acupuncture to me in a way that I can understand it- I will pay you $5.

Here is what I did learn: Abel has a lot of Fire and Earth in him. Which, upon looking it up, seems to be the case. The element of Fire involves: laughing, joy, being energetic, quickness, and the sense organ is the tongue (which makes sense as Abel puts everything in his mouth). The element of Earth involves: MOUTH, sweetness, worry, singing, strong legs, large features. There are other things that don't fit as well for Abel, but not many.

Earth is also the element of nurturing. And the element of the stomach. AND the element in which Dr. X reports is out of whack/vulnerable with Abel. So.... Abel's tummy and insecurities around sleep (i.e. needing lots of nurturing and reassurance through out the night) may all be tied together in some big fat Earthy package. That's all I got for now as far as explanations and comprehension goes.

So, on to the "treatment". We got Abel naked (I embarrassingly forgot Abel was wearing his cloth diaper with the fake chinese dragons and writing on it- very culturally insensitive). Everyone oohed and aahed at his naked cuteness, and then Dr. X did some acupressure 'stuff' around Abe's tummy and sides (she doesn't use needles on babes). She had a very coherent explanation that I didn't really follow.... something about his spleen (Earth) and his heart. Then she tested out some pressure points that might help make Abel feel sleepy and relaxed. I have to say, some of them were pretty amazing to watch. At one point she turned wiggly Abe in to a limp and smiling noodle by gently massaging the sides of his spine. She showed me a few of these pressure points to try at home, and then I made her repeat them about 5 times (and had her show them on my body) so that I could remember.

We made a follow up appointment for three weeks, said goodbye, and drove away. And now we wait. I feel like I vacillate between holding out hope that this will be a magical cure and Abel will start sleeping really well and holding on to skepticism that it will do anything at all. But we will see.... I will write a progress report in a few days.

Oh, one more thing: When we were finishing up the appointment, Abel spotted a lit candle on other side of the room, pointed and got a big grin on his face. "Oooooh!", collectively and knowingly said Dr. X and her three interns. He loves the candle because... you know... he spirit is so full of FIRE (or he's a baby). It reminded me of my Naropa days ("ummm.... soup....").

*I will wait to give the practitioner's name until after we see how the process resonates with us.