Pregnancy reflexology – is it worth a try? Here’s what expectant mums must know.
Thanks to the dramatic changes that come with pregnancy, many women are left feeling like strangers in their bodies. The weight change and posture shift can bring about a series of aches and cramps that beg for relief. This is why complementary therapies like prenatal massages and reflexology are becoming increasingly popular to soothe expecting mummies by providing physical and emotional relief.
This fancy footwork will do wonders to alleviate those persistent aches and woes synonymous with growing a life inside you. When an effort is put in to keep mummy comfortable and pampered, she will experience her pregnancy in the best possible way – an effort worth it for everyone.
Table of Contents
What Does a Prenatal Massage Do
A prenatal massage is a great way to relieve the stress and aches that come with pregnancy. It can also help you bond with your baby from as early as your first trimester.
A prenatal massage is typically done in a seated position and covers every muscle in your body—including those normally covered by clothes. This helps you get used to being touched in ways you’re not used to during pregnancy, which can help you feel more comfortable when the time comes for you to give birth.
There are lots of benefits of having a prenatal massage:
- Relieves pain and discomfort
- Reduces swelling
- It improves circulation throughout the body
- It also helps you relax and sleep better at night
What Is Reflexology
Image from Pexels
Reflexology is a holistic treatment that uses the feet and hands to treat the whole body. It’s based on the idea that the feet are connected to all your organs, so you can help improve other body parts by working on different parts of your foot.
The idea behind reflexology is simple: every organ in your body has an associated point on one of your feet, which corresponds with its function or location.
For example, if you have a problem with your heart, working on the area under its related point will help treat the issue. This is because when you massage this spot using pressure and proper techniques, it signals to your brain that it needs to send more blood to that area to function properly again.
Either way, you can use reflexology as a stand-alone practice or as part of an overall wellness routine. It will help improve circulation throughout your body while enhancing circulation into specific areas, such as those related to digestion or elimination processes (for example).
In addition to these physical benefits, reflexologists believe it can help relieve stress and tension within the mind and body!
What Is Pregnancy Reflexology
Pregnancy reflexology is a natural and holistic approach to caring for pregnant and postpartum women. It is based on the belief that points on the feet and hands correspond to different body areas, including organs, glands, bones and muscles. Pregnancy reflexology aims to restore balance through the massage of these reflex points.
The theory behind pregnancy reflexology is that when a woman becomes pregnant, her body undergoes many changes to support her and her baby’s health. These changes can stress the body’s systems, resulting in physical symptoms such as nausea and fatigue. Pregnancy reflexology can help reduce these symptoms by improving blood circulation and oxygenation while calming the nervous system.
Image from Pexels
Is Reflexology in Pregnancy Safe
Pregnancy is a time to relax, rejuvenate, and enjoy yourself. It’s also a time when your body goes through many changes, and your health is at risk more than ever. One of the things that you may have to consider doing less during pregnancy is reflexology.
This is because the pressure applied during these sessions could be too much for your body to handle. If you experience pain or discomfort during or after a session, you should stop doing it altogether until after you’ve had your baby.
However, if you decide to continue with your treatment during pregnancy, then make sure that you see someone who knows what they’re doing and has experience treating pregnant women before having any treatments done on them!
Recent studies have shown that reflexology may be safe during pregnancy as long as you don’t have any underlying medical conditions or complications. It’s important to talk to your doctor before starting any new treatments during pregnancy, especially if you have high blood pressure or any other concerns about your health.
What Are the Benefits of Pregnancy Reflexology
Pregnancy reflexology is a massage that helps your body and mind prepare for pregnancy. It can also help you during your pregnancy and after you have given birth.
Pregnancy reflexology can help with the following:
-
Stress relief
Pregnancy can be stressful. There’s no getting around it. Your body is changing, and if you’re pregnant, you’ve got a whole other person to worry about. It can be hard to remember how to take care of yourself when everything else seems so much more important—but believe me: taking time for yourself is important, too!
Pregnancy reflexology is an excellent way to relieve stress and connect with your body during this change. It helps you relax your mind and centre yourself to focus on what’s happening inside your body instead of all the external pressures that come with being pregnant.
-
Pain relief
Pregnancy reflexology is a great way to relieve the pain you might be experiencing during your pregnancy.
While having a baby can be one of the most joyous and amazing experiences, it’s also a time when you might experience some discomfort. Many aches and pains come from pregnancy, from sore muscles to swollen feet. Luckily, pregnancy reflexology can help you manage these discomforts.
Pregnancy reflexology is a treatment focused on the body’s pressure points. When you receive a treatment, your practitioner will apply pressure to certain points on your feet or hands to unblock energy pathways and restore balance to your body.
This helps relieve pain in other body parts, such as backaches or headaches. It also relieves emotional stressors like anxiety and depression during pregnancy—which may cause more physical symptoms like nausea or heartburn!
Image from Pexels
-
Increased energy levels
Pregnancy is a time of great change, both mentally and physically. Your body is going through a lot—and so is your mind. You probably feel a little more tired than usual because of all the extra hormones coursing through your system, but don’t worry! There are ways to get your energy levels back up to par.
One way is through pregnancy reflexology. This type of reflexology focuses on areas related to different body parts and treats them with pressure points on the feet or hands. The pressure points work by stimulating nerves and blood flow to improve circulation, which can help bring back those missing zest for life!
-
Improved sleep patterns
It’s common during pregnancy for your sleep patterns to fall apart. You may find yourself waking up frequently throughout the night or not being able to fall asleep at all. And if you’re lucky enough to sleep through the night without interruption, you may still wake up feeling tired and exhausted because of how much energy pregnancy takes from you.
Stress and anxiety are common symptoms of pregnancy and major causes of insomnia. Pregnancy reflexology helps reduce stress and anxiety, which can disrupt your sleep patterns by keeping them from getting deep enough for restful sleep.
By improving your overall mental health through relaxation techniques such as massage therapy, acupressure and aromatherapy, pregnancy reflexology helps you get the rest you need to stay healthy throughout your pregnancy.
Is Foot Reflexology Okay During Pregnancy
Foot reflexology can reduce stress, relieve pain, and improve circulation in your body. These benefits can help make you feel less tired and more comfortable during pregnancy. You may also find that it helps relieve any swelling or oedema (swelling) in your feet due to increased blood flow during pregnancy.
However, suppose you have an existing medical condition or are taking medications while pregnant. In that case, it’s important to discuss this with your healthcare provider before receiving any type of bodywork treatment like foot reflexology.
How to Give a Pregnancy Reflexology Massage
For all those expecting daddies who want to (and should) treat their wives to a relaxing pregnancy reflexology session, this is for you.
These steps are basic and rudimentary at best but should be sufficient to give you a good start. For more in-depth detail on the pressure points, download a reflexology chart to work from.
For a feel-good relaxing massage, try the following points;
- Massage one foot at a time. Rub a base oil over the entire area, and gently place on hand place your hand under the heel. Now gently stretch the foot up and down and rotate it in small circles to loosen up those muscles.
- The joints of the little toes – Gently apply pressure to the joints of the toes. Your neck is represented here and is said to do wonders to relieve tension in this area.
- Between the second and big toe – Look for the point about a finger-width below the space between your big and second toe. The area will be quite sensitive, so be gentle.
- Balls of the feet – The area bears a lot of weight, so be gentle. The entire upper body – heart, thymus, chest and lungs – corresponds to this pressure point.
- The foot arch – This pressure point can be extremely tender, so start with slight pressure and increase it gradually. It is very effective in dealing with general aches and cramps.
- The instep of the foot – Press on the non-weight-bearing part of the foot to help soothe abdominal cramps.
- Outer edges – These points correspond to the extremities so that they will soothe sore arms and legs.
You should always start gently and softly. And gradually build your way for the duration of the massage. Do not apply extra pressure if the area is particularly painful.
Image Source: iStock
Reflexology is extremely beneficial to healthy pregnancies. But experts advise against the practice if you are experiencing complications, such as placenta previa or are at risk for preterm labour. Before you indulge, make sure that you do get the go-ahead from your doctor.
Updates by Pheona Ilagan
Here at theAsianparent Singapore, it’s important for us to give information that is correct, significant, and timely. But this doesn’t serve as an alternative for medical advice or medical treatment. theAsianparent Singapore is not responsible for those that would choose to drink medicines based on information from our website. If you have any doubts, we recommend consulting your doctor for clearer information.