Finding out a woman in pregnant is a time for joy and celebration, but there are also times throughout the pregnancy when women need additional support. Reflexology during pregnancy aims to optimise the emotional and physical health of the pregnant woman.
But what is Reflexology? Reflexology is a natural therapy that has existed for thousands of years and has been recognised in the Western world as an expert technique since the early 20th century. It is based on the fact that all parts of your body have key links to certain areas in your feet, and therefore massaging and applying pressure to specific parts of your feet promotes overall well-being. The gentle pressure on your feet encourages elimination of toxins and improves circulation. It is possible to positively affect internal organs using touch and pressure on its corresponding part on the foot.
Reflexology has shown to not only be helpful during pregnancy, but also when couples decide to conceive and it doesn’t happen as quickly or easily as they might have expected. It naturally eases the anxieties and pressures that we place on ourselves when things don’t work out the way we expect. Women trying to conceive have stated that reflexology helps them to be prepared for conception and many have claimed that reflexology was key to their success in getting pregnant naturally.
Once a woman is pregnant, reflexology has shown to help balance the hormonal and emotional ups and downs that come with pregnancy. It also helps to ease anxiety symptoms. Besides all of the emotional benefits, it can also aid in easing some of the physical effects of pregnancy, such as digestive problems, morning sickness, general aches, pains, and heartburn. It can also encourage a restful sleep, and restore a sense of equilibrium. Reflexology is often considered one of the best treatments during pregnancy because of how much it can achieve.
Reflexology after birth can help with the healing processes of the mind and body, to recover after bringing a new life into the world. It can also help to fight off depression as it aids controlling hormonal imbalances. Reflexology has also been shown to help breastfeeding moms to improve milk production, and to return the menstrual cycle back to normal after birth.
Often, women seek reflexology for support with common conditions that can arise before, during, or after pregnancy such as constipation, lower back pain, heartburn, anxiety, depression, etc. Reflexology acknowledges that every person is unique, so it’s impossible to know in advance how you will react to it and what specific benefits you will get from it, but what you can be sure about is that reflexology and pregnancy go hand in hand and that the only way to find out which benefits it can have for you, is to try it out.