Meet Deb Davies, L.Ac. of PUSH San Diego in Hillcrest

Today we’d like to introduce you to Deb Davies, L.Ac.

Deb is a mother of two girls. Her first born, Mia Belle was born still at term from a cord accident in March of 2001. She had her second daughter Lauryn a year later, and her girls are the inspiration and passion for her work with pregnant and laboring women.

Through her personal journey with pregnancy loss and experiencing the joy of motherhood, she has developed a profound empathy and understanding helping numerous women with miscarriage support and instilling hope and confidence in those with recurring pregnancy losses.

She has been in the healthcare field since 1996 and holds certifications in Acupuncture, Chinese Herbal Medicine, Birth Education, Massage Therapy, Oriental Body Therapy and as a Holistic Health Care Practitioner from Pacific College of Oriental Medicine (PCOM). She has also received extensive post-graduate training within the fields of women’s health, fertility, obstetrics, labor and delivery with some of her mentors including Debra Betts (PhD), Claudia Citkovitz, MS, L.Ac. and Jill Blakeway M.Sc. L. Ac.

As a Licensed Acupuncturist she has a private practice in Hillcrest and works as a contractor for Scripps in La Jolla. She is a DONA trained doula, and supporting births since 2007. In 2014 she became a certified childbirth educator, and has been teaching birth education ever since.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Well to start, my 1st baby died on her due date so that was a huge tragedy. I got married while pregnant and then she died on her due date in utero from to a cord accident. When I went into labor we went in for the ultrasound and found there was no heartbeat. I still had to go to the hospital and deliver my dead baby. That was the worst day of my life.

I wound up taking a lot of time off after this loss to clear my head and heal my body, mind and spirit. I decided to go to school and study Chinese medicine because I wanted to make a difference in women’s lives. Chinese medicine helped me with my postpartum recovery so I was impressed with the results, as I had been in the past with any women’s health issues I had to deal with. I luckily was able to conceive another child 3 months after my loss so began my studies to become an acupuncturist.

It took me almost 8 years to complete my master’s program. During that time I wound up becoming a full time student, getting divorced, becoming a single mother, starting a massage practice. I worked my butt off to complete the program and build my business. It has never been easy for me.

My family thought I was crazy to become an acupuncturist and it took years before I felt they believed in what I was studying. After I graduated there are very few acupuncture jobs to be had, so after completing the program with over $220,000 in debt I floundered around seeking the right space to practice. At one point I changed offices 5 times within 5 years. I was so fortunate for most people followed me everywhere and anywhere I went.

These are just some of the big struggles I had along the way. I could go on and on here….

Please tell us about PUSH San Diego.
The mission statement of PUSH San Diego is to educate and empower expectant couples to have safe & healthy pregnancies, deliveries and recoveries by offering natural options in health care. Our specialty is caring for women who are trying to conceive, who are pregnant, or just had a baby. I seek all my continuing education to be around women’s health and especially labor and delivery. I would say the number one reason new patients come to see me is my specialty for helping them naturally progress their labor. Many women come into my clinic asking for support so they can avoid having a chemical induction or c section delivery. Often times these women never had acupuncture before and I help their bodies prepare for labor. I often treat women in labor and even attend many births as a doula and/or acupuncturist, I am proud to provide natural options for women during such a special time in their life. Over the years I have had hundreds/thousands of patients and have gotten very good at helping with natural progression of labor, which is what I call it. I do not call it an induction like most women come in asking for. I say I am not Pitocin, which is the pharmacological drug used in most hospitals to induce labor. I help with calming her mind, relaxing her body, cervical dilation, and turning on the right birth hormones for the labor to begin on her own. I utilize acupuncture, acupressure, Chinese medical massage, aromatherapy, and ear seeds in most of my treatments. I always make sure she feels comfortable and safe in the clinic. We provide education to any support persons who come in with the moms, in terms of points they can use at home to help with cervical ripening, and keeping the mom calm.

Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
I grew up in Southern California, so my best memories from childhood are playing on the beach and in the ocean with my friends and family. I love the sunshine and being around those I love.

Pricing:

• $125 new patient visit-90 minute session
• $85 follow up visit-60 minutes
• Birth Basic Class-a one time class for expectant couples to prepare for the birth $150/3 hours both partners

Contact Info:

• Address: 842 Washington Street
  Suite A
  San Diego, CA 92013
• Website: www.PUSHSanDiego.com
• Phone: 619-786-3329
• Email: deb@pushsandiego.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PUSHSanDiego/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/push-san-diego-san-diego-2?osq=deb+davies
• Other: www.TheDebDavies.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/debdavieslac/

Image Credit:
The one black and white photo of me with the pregnant lady image credit is Vuefinder Photography
Modern Wellness Design for 3 photos- with heart on belly, me holding purple heart rock and me in pink/purple dress close up.
Jamie Fields for the headshot of me in the white lab coat

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