Acupressure for Postpartum Depression and Mood

Adjunctive support for new mothers navigating postpartum depression — not a replacement for professional treatment. Read the crisis resources below first, regardless of where you are right now.

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If you are in crisis or having thoughts of harming yourself or your baby, stop and call or text now:

You are not a bad mother for struggling. PPD is a medical condition, not a character flaw. Help is available and effective.

Postpartum depression affects approximately 1 in 5 Canadian mothers. It's one of the most common complications of childbirth, and it remains significantly undertreated — in part because of stigma, in part because the Canadian postpartum care system has real structural gaps, and in part because exhausted new mothers often can't tell whether what they're feeling is depression or the ordinary devastation of severe sleep deprivation.

This page covers acupressure as a complement to professional treatment — not a replacement for it. If your symptoms are moderate to severe, or if you're having any thoughts of self-harm or harming your baby, the crisis resources above and a conversation with your healthcare provider take complete priority. Acupressure has a place in this picture, but it is not the main treatment, and it's not appropriate for severe PPD without concurrent professional care.

Medical disclaimer: Postpartum depression is a serious medical condition requiring professional assessment and treatment. Acupressure is an adjunctive practice and does not replace therapy, medication, or crisis intervention. If you have any concerns about your mental health or the safety of yourself or your baby, contact your healthcare provider or a crisis line immediately.

The Canadian Postpartum Care Gap

The standard postpartum care pathway in Canada looks like this: a 6-week GP follow-up after birth, midwife care ending at 6 weeks, and then a referral to mental health services if needed. The problem is that mental health referral wait times in most provinces run 3–9 months. In Ontario and BC, publicly funded perinatal mental health programs have significant wait lists. Many family doctors screen for PPD using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale at the 6-week visit, but not everyone scores high enough to trigger a referral at that point — and symptoms often worsen in the weeks and months that follow.

The result is that many mothers are diagnosed, acknowledged as needing support, and then left to wait. Acupressure functions as a bridge strategy during that waiting period — something you can do daily that addresses the HPA axis dysregulation underlying postpartum mood disorders, costs nothing beyond learning the points, and can be done during feeding sessions or in whatever small windows exist in a new parent's day.

Understanding PPD: When Acupressure Is Appropriate

Postpartum depression ranges from mild low mood and anxiety to severe depression with psychotic features. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) is the standard screening tool — scores of 10–12 suggest possible depression; scores above 13 indicate likely depression requiring assessment.

Acupressure is appropriate as a complement to professional care for mild-to-moderate PPD symptoms. It is not appropriate as a standalone approach for moderate-to-severe PPD, and it is not appropriate for postpartum psychosis (which is a psychiatric emergency requiring immediate hospital care). If you have any doubts about severity, err toward professional contact. The 9-8-8 line can help you assess whether your symptoms need immediate versus routine care.

For mild postpartum blues in the first 2 weeks (which affects up to 80% of new mothers and typically resolves on its own), acupressure is very appropriate as a low-risk self-care tool. For persistent low mood beyond 2 weeks, it's an adjunct to professional care, not a substitute.

The Evidence

A 2018 randomised controlled trial by Naeimi Rad et al. enrolled 60 mothers with PPD symptoms, randomising them to acupressure versus routine care. The acupressure group applied pressure to HT7, PC6, and SP6 twice daily for 4 weeks. Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale scores showed statistically significant improvement in the acupressure group compared to control — a clinically meaningful difference in symptom severity.

The proposed mechanism involves two pathways. First, HPA axis regulation: chronic stress dysregulation is a central feature of PPD, and the same cortisol-lowering effects hypothesized in other acupressure mood research appear relevant here. Second, serotonin pathway influence: stimulation of points like HT7 and SP6 has been associated with serotonin and β-endorphin modulation in several studies, which is the same neurotransmitter pathway targeted by SSRIs (one of the standard medications for PPD).

The evidence base for acupressure in PPD is smaller than for acupuncture in general mood disorders, and the study quality is moderate. This is an area where the evidence is suggestive rather than definitive — enough to support trying it as part of a multi-modal approach, not enough to rely on it alone.

Key Acupressure Points for Postpartum Mood

HT7 / Shenmen — Spirit Gate

Location: On the inner wrist crease, at the ulnar (little finger) side, just inside the tendon. Press with the thumb of the opposite hand — you'll feel a slight notch in the wrist bone.

What it does: HT7 is the Heart spirit point — the primary point for calming anxiety, settling insomnia, and quieting the mind. In PPD, it addresses the anxiety and racing-thought dimension that often feels worse than the low mood itself. Apply gentle but firm pressure for 60 seconds per side. This point can be pressed during feeding sessions — your other arm is usually free, and the wrist is accessible in most nursing positions.

Partners can learn to apply pressure to HT7. Ten minutes of quiet, sustained wrist pressure from a partner can be a meaningful form of active support — it gives the partner something concrete to do and provides genuine physiological calming for the mother.

SP6 / Sanyinjiao — Three Yin Intersection

Location: Four finger-widths above the inner ankle bone, just behind the shinbone.

What it does: SP6 influences the Spleen, Liver, and Kidney meridians simultaneously — the emotional processing, hormonal regulation, and energy aspects of PPD all fall within its scope. It's the most broadly applicable mood-regulating point in TCM.

Important postpartum timing: Wait until at least 6 weeks postpartum before using SP6, and until lochia (postpartum bleeding) has fully resolved. SP6 has uterine-stimulating properties and should not be used during the active healing phase. After full resolution, it's appropriate to use.

ST36 / Zusanli — Leg Three Miles

Location: Four finger-widths below the kneecap, one finger-width outside the shinbone.

What it does: New mothers are frequently in a state of significant physical depletion — sleep debt, nutrient depletion from breastfeeding, physical recovery from birth. ST36 is the primary energy-tonifying point in TCM, strengthening the digestive system's ability to generate qi and blood. For the exhaustion-depression overlap that's so common postpartum (where it's genuinely unclear whether you're depressed or just profoundly tired), ST36 addresses the physical depletion that underlies both. Apply firm pressure for 2 minutes per side.

GV20 / Baihui — Hundred Convergences

Location: At the top of the head, on the midline. Find it by tracing a line from the top of each ear up to the crown — the intersection point.

What it does: GV20 is an uplifting, raising point — in TCM terms it raises the clear Yang to the head and lifts Shen (spirit). Used for depression with a heavy, sinking quality, brain fog, and fatigue. Apply gentle pressure only — this is not a point that benefits from hard pressing. Light sustained contact for 60 seconds while breathing slowly is enough. Partners can apply this as a gentle touch, which many new mothers find calming and grounding.

Yintang — Hall of Impression

Location: Midpoint between the eyebrows.

What it does: Yintang is the calming, mind-settling point — used for the racing, anxious thoughts that often accompany PPD and make sleep impossible even when the baby is asleep. Lie down, close your eyes, and apply light pressure to Yintang for 60–90 seconds while breathing slowly. Used at the start of any sleep opportunity, it helps signal the nervous system to downregulate. This is the point to learn to use in the moments between feeds — whenever there's even a few minutes of potential rest.

The Exhaustion-Depression Overlap

One of the most disorienting aspects of early postpartum life is that severe sleep deprivation produces symptoms almost identical to depression: emotional fragility, inability to find pleasure, difficulty concentrating, low motivation, sense of helplessness. Many new mothers who are experiencing genuine PPD initially believe they're just tired. Many who are primarily exhausted believe they're depressed.

Acupressure doesn't resolve this uncertainty — only time and adequate sleep will do that. But it offers something useful: a low-effort practice that addresses both possibilities simultaneously. ST36 and GV20 address the energy depletion and lifting that helps whether the problem is primarily physical or primarily mood-based. HT7 and Yintang address the anxiety and racing mind that prevent sleep regardless of cause.

An accessible practice for new mothers: an acupressure mat used for 10–15 minutes during a feeding session. Sit or semi-recline with the mat against your back and the baby feeding. The back-contact stimulation activates the parasympathetic nervous system passively, while your hands are occupied. This is lower-demand than holding individual points and can be built into the feeding routine rather than requiring separate time.

Points to Avoid in the Early Postpartum Period

Several acupressure points that are broadly useful for mood and energy have specific postpartum contraindications and should be avoided until full healing is established:

After 6 weeks and with physical healing complete, these points become appropriate and beneficial — but the early weeks should prioritise the gentler points above.

Partner Involvement

Partners often feel helpless in the face of PPD — they want to do something concrete and frequently don't know what that looks like. Learning two points — HT7 and GV20 — gives a partner a specific, actionable way to provide physical support that has real physiological effects.

HT7 applied during a quiet moment while the mother is resting provides genuine calming. GV20 as a light touch at the crown during moments of overwhelm can provide grounding. These are not complicated techniques — a partner can learn them in 5 minutes and use them meaningfully. The act of learning and offering the points is itself part of the support.

Canadian Resources

For related acupressure guidance, the anxiety guide covers additional points for the anxiety component of PPD. The sleep guide covers the sleep disruption aspect in more depth. For physical recovery alongside mood support, postpartum recovery covers the physical healing points.

This page is for informational purposes only. Postpartum depression is a serious medical condition. Acupressure is a complementary practice and is not a substitute for professional mental health treatment. If you are struggling with postpartum depression or any mental health concerns, please contact your healthcare provider, a crisis line, or Postpartum Support International at 1-800-944-4773.