Pregnancy & Post-natal Reflexology

Maternity reflexology is a specific form of reflexology aimed at women during any part of the pregnancy sequence – pre-conception, pregnancy, labour and the post-natal period.  It works on reflex points on your feet, and helps the body (and hormones) back into a state of equilibrium, reducing levels of stress, and allowing a state of deep relaxation – all essential factors in conceiving and maintaining a healthy pregnancy.  Our reflexologists (Georgie, Holly, Kristi and Bronagh) have received specific training for working with clients throughout your whole pregnancy, including during the first trimester. A lot of reflexologists won't treat pregnant clients until after the 12 week scan, and the early pregnancy weeks are often when most support is needed.
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“My inclusion of reflexology in the initial pregnancy strategies that I developed was accidental, yet it is now one of the most powerful tools in my programme.”  
                                                                                            Dr Gowri Motha from her book ‘Gentle Birth Method’.

Maternity reflexology can increase your chances of having a faster labour with less pain. Studies carried out in Denmark and the UK have shown that reflexology can dramatically speed up labour and reduce pain. A study at the Gentofte Hospital in Copenhagen revealed that reflexology is beneficial to women during the labour of childbirth. 58 out of 60 women giving birth experienced “outstanding pain relief using reflexology treatment”, and 11 out of 14 women were able to avoid surgery under general anaesthesia. Dr Carsten Lenstrup was so impressed by the results that he said “Taken as a whole, the results are so good that am not in any doubt that reflexology can give many women a better, easier and less painful delivery than they would have had otherwise.”

The findings of the Gentofte study were supported by a further study carried out by Dr Gowri Motha at the Jeyrani Birth Centre on the effects of reflexology on pregnant women. 37 pregnant women completed a course of 10 reflexology treatments with remarkable effect. The average length of the first stage of labour was 5 hours whereas the text book average is 16 – 24 hours; the second stage of labour lasted an average of 16 minutes compared to the text book expectancy of 1 – 2 hours, and only 5.4% of the women who had reflexology treatment required emergency caesarean section compared to an average of 13% in Newham district which was the district where the study was conducted.

In a study of 100 overdue women in the maternity unit at Walsall Manor Hospital in Walsall, England, researchers found that “more women went into labour sooner and needing less pain relief than those without reflexology”. The study was carried out by a team of midwives qualified in reflexology. “The results of their study show that, overall, the length of the first stage of labour was four hours shorter than of those in the control group of women who had not had reflexology and that the second stage of labour, when the woman starts to push, was 21 minutes shorter. They also found that fewer women in the reflexology group needed strong pain relief during labour.” The research was nominated for a Royal College of Midwives Award for Innovation in Midwifery. Though the researchers acknowledge they had a limited sample, the women in the study expressed having less pain and greater relaxation, making for more ease in their deliveries. Read more about this study.

Maternity reflexology can help with various conditions at all stages of the pregnancy sequence, such as:

Pregnancy 
  • Nausea, morning sickness & Hyperemesis Gravidarum
  • Pelvic girdle pain (formerly known as symphysis pubis pain)
  • Digestive problems – constipation, heartburn, etc
  • High blood pressure
  • Oedema – water retention, swollen hands & feet
  • Backache & sciatica
  • Insomnia & sleep problems
  • Headaches

Labour 
  • Priming the body for labour
  • Backache
  • Pain relief
  • Accelerating contractions
  • Exhaustion

Post-natal 
  • Inadequate milk supply
  • Engorged breasts
  • Water retention
  • Constipation
  • Sleep problems
  • Lack of energy
  • Hormonal imbalances
  • Stress & anxiety
  • Post-natal depression
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We are experienced in working with all kinds of pregnancy symptoms, from basic to complex. Please get in touch if you would like to discuss anything in more detail, or go ahead and book online. ​Please also browse our resources page and pregnancy shop or post-natal shop pages for other products, classes or treatments which may be beneficial to you. 

Pregnancy reflexology initial appointment - £70 for 1 hour 10 mins
Pregnancy reflexology follow up appointment - £60 for 1 hour 
Post-natal reflexology appointment - £60 for 1 hour
Gift vouchers are available - please enquire via the contact page