Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is all about the power of tuning in—really tuning in—to what the body is saying beneath the surface. And one of the most powerful ways we do that is through pulse diagnosis. You’ve likely seen us gently place three fingers on each of your wrists during a treatment and wonder what we’re feeling for. The answer? Everything.

Pulse diagnosis isn’t just about heart rate or blood pressure, like perhaps your regular GP searches for. Rather, in TCM, the pulse is a reflection of your Qi, Blood, organ health, and emotional state. It’s a moment-by-moment check-in with how your body is coping, flowing, and holding.

What Are We Feeling For?

TCM recognises 28 classical pulse types, and they each speak their own language. Some common ones we feel in pregnancy (and in general) include:

Slippery (Hua) – This feels smooth and rolling, like pearls gliding under your fingers. It’s often seen in healthy pregnancies, as it reflects abundant fluids and healthy digestion.
Thin (Xi) – Delicate and fine, like a thread. This can suggest a deficiency of blood or yin, common in exhausted mums-to-be.
Wiry (Xian) – Taut and string-like. Busy mums who are trying to do everything before baby arrives – we’re looking at you! This one is often linked to stress, Liver Qi stagnation, or tension in the system.
Floating (Fu) – Superficial, rising to the surface. It can indicate an immune response or a lack of grounding.
Soggy (Ru) – Soft, forceless, and weak. May reflect Spleen deficiency or Damp accumulation
Deep (Chen) – Found only with pressure; rooted. This is a quality we often want to feel in late pregnancy—strong, calm, and contained.

Each of these pulses tells a story. They aren’t fixed; they shift with the seasons, the stage of pregnancy, your emotions, your sleep, and your nourishment.

Late Summer: The Earth Element and Pregnancy

Pregnancy, especially toward the end, is a deeply Earthy time—rich, heavy, and full of transformation.

In Chinese medicine, Late Summer belongs to the Earth element, and just like a tree heavy with fruit, your body is doing the work of ripening life. When I feel a pulse that’s full, soft, and a little bounding, it tells me the baby is nearly ready to make their way Earthside.

The Pulse Guides the Treatment

One of the most fascinating aspects of TCM is how the pulse doesn’t just tell us what’s going on—it literally tells us what to do.

Each of the six pulse positions corresponds to specific organs and meridians. For example:

The left middle position reflects the Liver and Gallbladder—often where we feel wiriness or tension related to stress and hormonal shifts.
The right middle position represents the Spleen and Stomach, essential for digestion and blood building—especially important in pregnancy.
The distal positions (closest to the wrist crease) relate to the Heart and Lungs, helping us assess emotional state, circulation, and breath.
The deep positions often show us the state of the Kidneys, which are the powerhouse of prenatal Qi in Chinese medicine.

On the whole, Chinese Medicine might sound a little different, but really, it’s a clear guide for us. We don’t guess; we listen, feel, and respond.
The pulse is like a map, and our treatment is guided by it.

What You Can Do to Support a Healthy Pulse in Pregnancy

Simply, nurturing your pulse is about nurturing you.

Especially in late summer, when the Earth element is strongest, and especially during pregnancy, when your body is doing its most sacred, important work, we encourage you to:

Give your body food that feels like a hug—warm, slow-cooked stews, congee, root veggies. Think: easy to digest, deeply nourishing.
Give yourself permission to rest in real ways—not just ticking sleep off your to-do list. Let yourself soften.
Practice grounding rituals—a daily walk, gentle stretching, even 5 minutes with your feet in the grass.
And don’t underestimate the power of a few deep breaths—and ten quiet minutes with your feet on the earth. That’s medicine, too.
Come in for regular acupuncture—we help regulate, balance, and replenish the system in ways that feel deeply restoring.

Leaning Into Quiet

In TCM, we always say: the body whispers before it shouts. So, how can we tune into those whispers? Simple. The pulse is often where we hear those whispers first.

It’s the place where imbalance starts to appear—often before clear physical symptoms arise. And in pregnancy, it’s an especially sacred practice. We’re not just feeling for one person—we’re feeling for two.

At The Dao Health, we’re all about leaning into your body’s rhythms and wisdom. Through pulse diagnosis, we don’t just assess—we connect. We listen to what your body is truly saying, and we meet it with care, intention, and reverence.

As published on THE DAO DOES, May 2025: https://thedaohealth.com.au/how-the-pulse-tells-us-babys-almost-here/