Pregnancy / Maternity Reflexology

Reflexology is one of the most popular complementary therapies used by women before, during and after pregnancy. Research has shown that reflexology can assist with conception and sub-fertility issues, it can help induce a natural labour, and also to reduce the labour time itself.

During pregnancy, your body will go through significant changes, these changes will affect the emotional, hormonal and physiological balance of your body. Reflexology can help to alleviate or prevent discomfort arising from this imbalance, and restore the body’s equilibrium. Reducing the impact of stress and anxiety allows your body to naturally and effectively prepare for childbirth. By enabling a calm, relaxed, mind and body, reflexology has been shown to help lessen the chance of being induced and shorten the duration of labour.

Reflexology can help with the following conditions experienced during pregnancy:

• Boost energy levels
• Reduce heartburn
• Relieve backache
• Nausea and vomiting (not during first 12 weeks)
• High blood pressure
• Oedema & water retention
• Sciatica
• Constipation
• Insomnia and sleep problems

Please check with your Consultant, GP or Midwife before undergoing a course of treatments, particularly if you have previously experienced premature labour, high blood pressure, placenta previa or bleeding during pregnancy.

Treatment Plan

Ideally your sessions will start on a monthly basis (after the first trimester - 12 weeks), becoming fortnightly at around 34 weeks and then weekly at 37 weeks. In the final weeks of your pregnancy (37 weeks onwards) a more stimulating style of reflexology is used to help prime your body for labour, and which can also assist with inducing a natural labour. This treatment involving work on reflex points on your feet that reflect the uterus and pituitary gland, which can help release the labour hormone Oxytocin.

Research on Reflexology for Infertility

1.  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-20980/Is-reflexology-new-cure-infertility.html

2.  http://www.reflexology-research.com/infertility.html

3.  http://www.suite101.com/content/reflexology-for-infertility-a16445#ixzz14PugqGM8

Research on Reflexology during labour

Reflexology administered during labour itself has been shown to have very positive and immediate effects. It can help regulate contractions, has been shown to speed up the rate of dilation of the cervix, and can assist with general relaxation and pain relief.

1. http://www.maternityreflexology.net/?categoryId=4313

2. http://www.sacredmotherdoula.com/pdfs/Can_Reflexology_Help_During_Labor.pdf 

Research on Reflexology in Pregnancy and on labour outcomes
Dr. Gowri Motha, Ms Zia Rowji and Dr. Jane McGrath.

In 1992-93 Reflexology was offered free of cost to 64 pregnant women from 20 weeks of pregnancy to term, in Forest Gate, London.  Thirty-seven completed the set course of 10 treatments.

The remaining group found that Reflexology helped with the following presenting problems:

Musculo-skeletal 24.3%     Cystitis      5.4%
Heartburn      18.9%      Insomnia          5.4%
Oedema   16.2%         Irritable uterus        5.4%
Hypertension  13.5%            Migraine         5.4%
Social Stress   10.8%    No problems    5.4%
Immunological Stress 8.1 % Nose bleeds      2.7%


It was discovered that the effects of Reflexology on labour outcomes were outstanding. Some had labour times of only 2 hours, some 3 hours. The 20‑25 year olds had an average time of first stage labour of 5 or 6 hours, as did the first time mothers (text book average is 16-24 hours).  Second time mothers, 26‑30 year olds, seemed to have longer labours (and may have fallen into the group experiencing more social stress). The second stage of labour lasted an average of 16 minutes (compared to the text book expectancy of 1-2 hours). In this small study it was found that there was very little difference between the labour times of 30 year olds and 40 year olds, even though many of the 40-year-olds were first time mothers – (who had 2‑3 hour labours).

Outcomes for mothers receiving reflexology in the study

Normal Deliveries 89.0%    
Inductions      5.4%     
Forceps   2.7%        
Selective C/Section 2.7%           
Emergency C/Section  5.4%   
Immunological Stress 8.1 % (13.0% in Newham District)

In a separate study in an antenatal clinic, Dr. Motha had found that weekly Reflexology treatments of between 30 to 45 minutes normalised hypertension avoiding the usual hospital admittance for 48 hours rest and observation.

Links to further articles written on pregnancy and reflexology

http://www.netmums.com/pregnancy/Reflexology_for_pregnancy.974/

http://www.babyworld.co.uk/information/pregnancy/health/reflexology.asp 

http://www.maternityreflexology.net/?categoryId=4296