I am pregnant, is Reflexology safe for me?

Obviously when you are pregnant you want to make sure everything you do is safe for both you and your baby.  Reflexology is generally considered safe if you are pregnant providing all is well with the pregnancy and you tell the Reflexologist you are pregnant.

Reflexology should be avoided by women with a risk of pre-eclampsia or deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and they should seek medical advice before having Reflexology.  It is not suitable if:

  • you have a history of miscarriages
  • you have been diagnosed with Placenta Previa
  • you have been diagnosed with Hydroamnios

The Association of Reflexologists says, “Nearly everyone can benefit from having Reflexology during pregnancy.”  The benefits include helping you cope with the emotional changes during pregnancy plus the physical changes to your body including tiredness.  Reflexology also helps with the side effects of being pregnant e.g fluid retention, swelling, constipation, aches and pains including backache.

Reflexology can also help new mothers cope with the demands of their new baby.

Related Posts

  • Does reflexology improve quality of life at end of life?

    With a 50% chance of a cancer diagnosis and a 50% chance of surviving cancer, cancer will touch all our lives. Cancer Research statistics

    • 1 in 2 people born after 1960 in the UK will be diagnosed with some form of cancer during their lifetime.
    • 50% survive cancer for 10 or more years.
    While cancer survival rates are on the way up, unfortunately people still die of cancer. I want to share the details of a small randomised control trial of reflexology for cancer patients during the end of life stage of cancer.  The study showed reflexology improved the quality of life for patients in 16 areas,  the greatest improvements were in:
    1. appetite
    2. breathing
    3. constipation & diarrhea
    4. fears of the future
    5. pain
    6. nausea
    7. sleep
    8. communication
    9. tiredness
    Urination & mood improved equally in the patients in the group receive reflexology and the placebo group who received a foot massage. This study shows reflexology can be helpful in improving quality of life for cancer patients during the difficult end of life stage. Reference: Hodgeson, N.  Nursing Standard - London, 14(31), pp. 33–38.  

  • How many Reflexology sessions will I need?

    It is difficult to predict how many treatments are required to re-balance the body but in general, the patient should see some evidence of improvement after three treatments. In general, the longer a patient has had a condition the more treatments will be required. Some patients have monthly Reflexology treatments to help them manage their stress levels and as part of a preventative self-care programme.

  • Are their any side effects of Reflexology treatments?

    The aim of Reflexology is to restore harmony within the client and instil a sense of well being.   During a Reflexology treatment, some clients experience fleeting sensations in their body.   As part of restoring the body to balance some clients may notice subtle changes in their appetite, changes to their sleeping pattern, dream more often, go to the loo more often or feel tired.   All of these reactions are short lived and the vast majority of my reflexology clients simply report that they felt tired after the treatment and then slept better.