Pregnancy Reflexology is a specialist area of reflexology that supports you throughout your pregnancy, prepares you for labour and eases post-natal conditions.
How can Reflexology in Pregnancy help me?
The physiological and hormonal changes to a woman’s body in her pregnancy are unique to this stage in her life. Some women find their pregnancy a very healthy, positive experience; others may find aspects of their pregnancy more difficult, overwhelming or challenging.
Reflexology offers a way of supporting a woman’s body through the abundance of changes, and help to balance the range of the emotions that often accompany them.
As well as supporting women during pregnancy, women often turn to reflexology when they are ‘overdue’ to avoid medical induction. There have been studies that demonstrate that labour time is reduced with regular reflexology sessions (results from one research project here).»
Sessions at this time focus on relaxing the body and preparing you for labour. This relaxation and connection with your body may enable the onset of labour, but only if your baby is ready.
Other benefits of Reflexology in Pregnancy may include:
- Promotes well-being, preventing conditions from starting
- Improvement to sleep quality
- Reduction of swelling in feet and ankles (oedema)
- Relieves tension in the legs and feet
- Increases circulation
- Improves digestion
- Relieving common conditions inc. morning sickness, back ache, UTIs and high blood pressure
- Feeling supported emotionally, mentally and physically
Reflexology is a safe and effective therapy to have during a healthy pregnancy. However, some conditions are contraindicated:
- Placental abruption
- Placenta Praevia
- Bleeding
- Continuous vomiting
- Toxaemia: Pre-Eclampsia / Eclampsia
- Pica Syndrome
- HELLP Syndrome
- DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis)
Emma talks about her experience of reflexology in pregnancy »
How Can Reflexology in the Post-Natal Period Help Me?
Giving birth must be one of the most incredible experiences to have in life. It brings with it a whole wealth of uplifting emotions, including elation and wonderment, but can also be incredibly exhausting, bewildering and daunting!
Unique demands on the body, plus the lack of sleep that comes with looking after a newborn baby, can sometimes feel overwhelming.
Reflexology aims to support a new mother in balancing their hormones and emotions during the post-natal period, encourage lactation and speed-up healing by increasing blood flow and circulation in the body.
A reflexology treatment also allows the mother some valuable time away from her new duties to unwind and relax. Having this time to relax may help to prevent post-natal depression, help a mother to ‘get back on her feet’ and repair after birth.
- Reflexology aims to improve and stimulate the following conditions:
- Lactation
- Mastitis
- Breast engorgement
- Stress and anxiety
- Post-natal depression
- Exhaustion
- Quality of sleep
- Backache
- Constipation
Fertility Reflexology, also referred to as Reproductive Reflexology, is an area of reflexology which has grown in popularity in recent years, offering a natural way to support clients when planning a family.
How can Reflexology in Fertility help me?
Reflexology can be enjoyed as a stand-alone treatment to enhance your natural fertility, or alongside assisted conception programmes including Clomid, IUI, IVF and ICSI.
Specialist reflexology techniques and approaches are used to support where you are on your fertility journey, and any conditions you have that may be affecting your fertility are addressed in the sessions.
As well as a detailed consultation, the sessions also include advice and information on lifestyle and dietary changes from experts in the field, plus ongoing support with fertility awareness and ‘charting’, ensuring that you begin to be able to predict your fertility window to maximise your chances of conception.
The sessions are for both men and women, and I encourage you both to attend, at very least, the initial consultation. A third of fertility issues can be attributed to both in the couple, a third to the female and a third to the male (the other cases are caused by a mixture of male and female problems or by unknown problems), so having both partners ‘on board’ is essential.
Improvements in reproductive health take time; the development of sperm from stem cells to fully-functioning sperm cells takes between 70 – 90 days, and the egg about 90 days to prepare for ovulation. For this reason it is best to commit to regular weekly sessions a few months before you wish to conceive.
Alongside your regular, weekly sessions, we are able to track any changes and improvements in your fertility through fertility tests, requested via your GP, and through fertility charting. This allows you to have tangible information as to whether the reflexology sessions are supporting you and enabling change as well as allowing us to tailor the treatment accordingly.
How many treatments will I need?
Reflexology for Fertility is best enjoyed as a course of weekly sessions, starting a few months before you wish to conceive.
Maternity Reflexology during pregnancy and during the post-natal period is of most benefit if enjoyed as a course of treatments. It may also be enjoyed as a one-off treatment for relaxation. Having weekly reflexology from 36 or 37 weeks allows your body time to enjoy the benefits in preparation of your delivery.
Often women who are ‘overdue’ turn to reflexology to avoid medical induction. Sessions at this time focus on relaxing the body and preparing you for labour. This relaxation and connection with your body may enable the onset of labour, but only if your baby is ready.
How much does it cost?
An hour session of Reflexology costs £50.
You can find more information on my prices page.