Trying for a baby can be exciting, but sometimes it can feel like a frustrating journey, especially if it’s not happening as quickly as you would like. Waiting anxiously during those two weeks only to have your period come can be hugely disappointing, but as you find hope that next month may be the month, this is where acupressure can support you.

Acupressure is a traditional Chinese medicine practice still used today for its powerful healing effects and involves applying pressure with your fingertips at specific points of the body.

Acupressure can be a great addition to your TTC journey, helping to optimize your chances for conception by stimulating ovarian function, follicular growth and blood flow to your reproductive organs. Applying acupressure on your abdomen also helps you to connect with this part of your body, especially if you are holding any kind of tension or resentment here, so is also a wonderful act of self-care. 

Here’s a step-by-step of how to perform a fertility-boosting acupressure self-massage, which you can do every day after you have finished bleeding, right up until ovulation:

Step 1: Lie on your back with your knees bent, and the soles of your feet on the ground. Make sure your knees are bent at enough of an angle for your abdomen to relax.

Step 2: Gently sweep the palm of your hand in a clockwise, circular motion over your tummy a couple of times until it feels warm. This will help to improve blood and lymph circulation in the area. 

Step 3: Next, you need to locate the ovarian acupressure points, known as Zigong, which translates to mean ‘palace of the child’. Make an upside-down triangle shape with your hands by putting the end of your thumbs together, and bringing your fingertips to meet in a point. Place your hands on your abdomen with your thumbs level with your belly button, and your fingers pointing down towards your pelvis. Gently relax your little finger and right underneath it is roughly where your ovaries and Zigong are. 

Step 4: Using your fingertips, apply gentle pressure to the point on the left for about 1–2 minutes. Your ovaries lie deep in the pelvic cavity so you can press fairly deeply, but take it slowly as you do so. If you feel any pain or discomfort, decrease your pressure.

Step 5: Using a slightly firmer pressure, make a small clockwise motion on the point for about 1 minute more, then repeat steps 4 and 5 on the right side.

Step 6: Once you have finished stimulating the Zigong on both sides, rub the palms of your hands together for a few seconds until they feel really warm, then place them gently on your abdomen over your ovaries to energise them.

Step 7: Rub your palms together again and this time place them underneath you on your lower back, roughly where your kidneys are to strengthen the energy in this area. 

Step 8: Bring your palms back to rest gently on your abdomen and lie still for around a minute, breathing deeply before getting up.

I hope this acupressure self-massage will be a helpful and fruitful addition to your routine while you are trying to conceive, and I wish you all the best on your TTC journey,

Much love,

Eva

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Eva has been an acupuncturist for over 15 years and specialises in fertility and women’s health. She spent 14 years at the Zita West Clinic, one of the leading integrated fertility clinics in the UK, and now runs her own practice in London where she delivers, acupuncture, electroacupuncture, fertility massage, and laser therapy to optimise reproductive health and help women to conceive. To find out more, click here.