Did you know that reflexology can work wonders during pregnancy?

How can Reflexology help?

Reflexology can benefit a woman at every stage of her pregnancy, from conception through all three trimesters, during labour and even post-partum.

During pregnancy, your body goes through significant changes, all of which affect the emotional, hormonal and physiological balance of the body. Reflexology can help to prevent discomfort arising from these changes. It can help with:

• General relaxation and relief of stress and anxiety

• Increased energy levels

• Indigestion and nausea

• Backache

• Constipation

• Insomnia and sleep problems.

There are no guarantees of course, it really is just a case of trying it, and seeing if you feel some of the benefits.

Can Reflexology induce labour?

Research has shown that regular reflexology treatments during pregnancy can shorten the duration of labour, with subjects often requiring less pain-relief during the course of delivery.

Having reflexology in the final stages of pregnancy helps the body enter a deep state of relaxation and this can sometimes result in the spontaneous onset of labour, preventing the need for medical intervention. One or two reflexology treatments at or around the 40 week stage will also leave your body balanced and rested and in optimal condition to give birth. Once you are past your due date, your reflexologist may use specific 'labour induction' techniques to help stimulate the hormone oxytocin which is involved in uterine contractions and breast milk supply.

Is it safe in pregnancy?

Obviously when you are pregnant you want to make sure that everything you do is safe for both you and your baby. Reflexology is generally considered safe throughout pregnancy, provided there are no complications, and your reflexologist knows that you're pregnant.

Some research snippets for reflexology in pregnancy and the perinatal period:

· Two studies have shown that reflexology in pregnancy significantly reduced pain during labour (1, 2) and reduced the length of the first stage of labour.(1)

· One study showed that 6 weekly treatments of reflexology prior to giving birth for women who experienced low back and/ or pelvic girdle pain during their pregnancy significantly reduced the second stage of labour by 44.3 minutes.(3)

· One study has shown reduced pain and stress levels during labour for women with low back pain or pelvic girdle pain.(4)

· Foot reflexology was found to have a positive effect in lowering the total anxiety scores of women in labour.(5)

· One study showed improved quality of sleep in post-natal women.(6)

References

(1) Reviewing the effect of Reflexology on pain and outcomes of the labour of primiparous women. Valiani M et al. Iranian Journal of Nursing and Midwifery Research. 15 (Dec 2010) p302-310

(2) The Effect of Reflexology on Pain Intensity and Duration of Labor on Primiparas. M Dolatian et al. Iran Red Crescent Med J 2011; 13(7):475-479

(3) A pilot randomised controlled trial exploring the effects of antenatal reflexology on labour outcomes. McCullough J et al. Midwifery. 2017 Dec;55:137-144.

(4) Reflexology: A randomised controlled trial investigating the effects on beta-endorphin, cortisol and pregnancy related stress. McCullough J et al. Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2018 May;31:76-84.

(5) The Effect of Foot Reflexology on the Anxiety Levels of Women in Labour. Yılar Erkek Z, Aktas S. J Altern Complement Med. 2018 Apr;24(4):352-360

(6) Randomised controlled trial of the effectiveness of using foot reflexology to improve quality of sleep amongst postpartum women. Li C-Y et al. Midwifery. 2011 27. p181- 186