Congratulations on your pregnancy – let maternity reflexology support you through pregnancy and beyond!

Pregnancy is such an amazing time and reflexology in pregnancy aims not only help improve your overall health, but also shorten the length of labour and promote a healthier outcome for the birthing parent and baby.

Reflexology is wonderful for balancing the body to help protect against any irregularities that may occur – often during pregnancy, there are various ailments and conditions which come and go. Not only does the treatment help on physical levels, but it also helps on an emotional and spiritual level.

Reflexology during pregnancy can be of great support to you and aims to promote general wellbeing. It also allows you to take time away from a busy live allowing you to focus purely on yourself and your growing baby. It is often visible during the treatment and fed back that that their baby moved lots throughout the treatment and afterwards.

Information about our local Maternity Services can be found at MTW NHS Trust Maternity Services.

Training

Olivia has been offering maternity reflexology for pregnancy since 2015. She has undergone specialist maternity training delivered by nurses and midwives who are additionally trained in reflexology and qualified to teach. Olivia keeps up to date with the latest developments in providing reflexology for those who are pregnant.

The comprehensive training covers preconception, pregnancy, birthing and the post-natal period and thus allows Olivia to provide reflexology right through pregnancy and beyond!

The treatment room has a special electric treatment couch. The 4 motors allow each part of the treatment couch to be adjusted to any desired angle. Many clients say the wish they could take my chair home with them! The flexibility of the chair is great for the later stages in pregnancy when it’s not always possible to lie back and ensures you have a comfortable relaxing treatment.

Pregnancy Reflexology

As early as the first trimester, your unborn baby uses an enormous amount of energy to begin its journey into the world. During this time, we aim to work with your general wellbeing along with any physical or emotional aspects.

During the second trimester, your placenta takes over the production of many of the hormones to support the pregnancy and some of the early symptoms such as morning sickness may subside. At some point you’ll feel your baby moving. We’ll work together to use reflexology to support you and the baby as it develops.

Once you reach the third trimester, your baby has all it needs and now be grows until they are ready for birthing. We’ll use reflexology to help your body keep up with hormonal changes and support you emotionally until we start to prepare for labour and birth.

Some of pregnancy symptoms or conditions I aim to support are:

• Morning sickness
• Fatigue
• Anxiety
• Mood swings
• Insomnia
• Hyperventilation
• Tenderness
• Itchy Skin/Stretch Marks
• Heartburn
• Cystitis/UTI/Frequent urination
• Constipation
• PGP/SPP
• Back ache or strain
• Rib pain
• Groin or ligament pain
• Sciatica
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
• Cramps
• Swelling/Fluid retention
• Braxton Hicks

Please let your midwife know you are having reflexology with me. I can provide training and insurance documentation to them on request.

Reflexology for Preparation for Labour

Sometimes, ‘we’ are ready for a baby to arrive but it seems the baby is wants to stay safe and warm in the womb and isn’t ready to join us yet.

Many women will contact and ask for reflexology to bring on labour. This could be for a first pregnancy or for women who have been induced on a previous occasion and are keen not to go through the process again.  It’s a wonderful feeling to be able to help a baby begin its arrival naturally.

It is not possible to guarantee a single treatment will bring on labour however, reflexology can be used to prepare for labour and put you and your baby in the best place for labour to begin. The treatment gives strong stimulation a number of very specific reflex points and includes:

• Creating an energy boost to encourage the onset of labour contractions
• Preparing and balancing the endocrine system
• Relaxing the body and mind of mum and baby
• Assisting the lymphatic system to remove toxins from the body before labour
• Working the pelvic area to mimic old fashioned enemas
• Strong stimulation to the pelvic area to increase energy
• Working specific acupressure points to help expedite labour and give energy to the baby

*** To be eligible for a priming for labour reflexology session, you must be post-term.***

Please inform your midwife you are coming for reflexology and bring your maternity notes with you when you come. A pregnancy history will be taken and will include questions relating to any pregnancy conditions, tests and any sweeps or extra scans that you have had.

As always, please get in touch if you’d like to find out more before booking.

Postnatal Reflexology

The postnatal period lasts approximately 6-8 weeks after the birth of your baby and is a time of yet more big changes in your body, mind and spirit while your reproductive organs and body are returning to their non-pregnant state. Having reflexology at this time continues the care and support that reflexology gave during your pregnancy.

The optimal time for postnatal reflexology is the first or third days following the birth but it is not often practical for you to come at this time and many of you will still be in hospital. If you do decide to have a postnatal reflexology session at this time, we can discuss me coming to you for this first session.

The majority of clients book up to 6 postnatal sessions (often using the Buy 5 Receive 6 special offer) and spread them out over a 2-3 month period.

Through postnatal reflexology we can take into account and support the physical and emotional needs following the labour and birth. I tailor your postnatal reflexology sessions to relate to your own birth experience including:

• Normal vaginal delivery
• Caesarean section
• Induction of labour
• Forceps delivery
• Multiple births
• Quick or prolonged labour

You are welcome to come for your postnatal reflexology alone or with your baby. In our sessions, we will include lots of relaxation techniques, endocrine balancing and lymphatic drainage along with reflexology to support you with any other conditions, difficulties (such as lactation and breastfeeding) or emotional imbalances.

Contact me to find out more.