Sandcastle Natural Therapies

Infertility/Conception:

Hormonal imbalance
Conditions caused by hormone imbalance may make trying for a baby even more difficult:

• Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)

• Endometriosis

• Irregular menstrual cycle

• Amenorrhoea (sometimes caused by long-term contraceptive pill use)

• Anovulation

Reflexology has a key role in balancing hormones and therefore is a substantial player in assisting with ovulation and conception. Feedback from those attending for regular treatment sessions has shown:

• regulation of the menstrual cycle

• a return of the menstrual cycle (for those with amenorrhoea)

• less bloating, irritability and other PMS symptoms

• less discomfort for those with dysmenorrhoea (a symptom of Endometriosis)

• a more condensed menstrual flow

The stresses and strains of modern life can have a significant impact on health and therefore on fertility too. You may recognise the following patterns of behaviour in yourself or your partner:

• high levels of work-related stress

• regular high alcohol intake

• "binge" drinking to "let your hair down" or forget about your problem

• erratic eating patterns

• poor diet and/or 'convenience' foods

• being over-weight

• being under-weight

• excessive working hours

• work-related travel (especially long-haul)

• too much or not enough exercise

• smoking

The good news is that you and your partner are in control of making sensible lifestyle choices and reflexology treatments, which may include the use of essential oils and/or auriculartherapy techniques can support you both physically and emotionally to stay on track by:

• promoting relaxation, relieving stress and tension

• enhancing the body's own natural healing abilities

• encouraging all body systems to function efficiently

• assisting the elimination of toxins from the body

Pregnancy:

As an experienced maternity reflexologist I work in a complementary way alongside the skilled work of your midwife &/or doctor - your chief healthcare providers during pregnancy.

Pregnancy is one of the most special conditions a woman can experience in life. Hormonal changes occur dramatically, provoking an alteration in many physiological functions. Reflexology can help restore balance in most of the cases, treating conditions symptomatically, alleviating and stimulating. These are a few examples of particular cases in which reflexology has demonstrated to be beneficial in pregnancy and as a preventive of serious conditions during labour:

• Anaemia

• Anxiety

• Appetite regulation

• Backache &/or Hip Pain including Sciatica

• Blood pressure regulation (except cases of pre-eclampsia and eclampsia)

• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (due to of excess fluid build-up)

• Constipation or any change in bowel movement pattern

• Emotional Disturbances / Mood Swings

• Gestational Diabetes (Diabetes caused by pregnancy)

• Haemorrhoids

• Heartburn / Acid Reflux

• Insomnia

• Muscular fatigue &/or tension

• Nausea and vomiting

• Oedema (fluid retention)

• Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction (SPD))

• Urinary tract problems (difficulty to urinate, cystitis, etc)

• To improve flexibility of pelvic floor

Natural Induction (post-term):

A great many women do not have their babies until after their expected 'due date' and a medical induction may be suggested to start and accelerate labour. If you are waiting impatiently for your baby to make an appearance you may like to try a more natural way to 'get things going'…A reflexology treatment in the very late stages of pregnancy should enable you to relax and 'let go'. I also use specific acupressure techniques and essential oils to encourage the birthing process to start. There is no guarantee that this will happen but feedback I have received shows that women leave feeling calmer, more confident and better prepared for labour after their reflexology treatment. And post-labour reports of successful natural inductions, shorter easier labours and quicker recoveries are not uncommon.

Labour:

A recent research study has shown that reflexology in pregnancy significantly reduced pain during labour and reduced the length of the first stage of labour (Valiani M et al - 2010 "Reviewing the effect of Reflexology on pain and outcomes of the labour of primiparous women" Iranian Journal of Nursing and Midwifery Research. 15(Dec) p302-310)

An earlier research study showed that first time mums who received 10 reflexology treatments prior to birth had average labour times of 5 to 6 hours. It was noted that the group treated with reflexology needed far less pain relief during labour too. (G. Motha and J. McGrath - 1992 "The effects of reflexology on labour outcome" ).

I have treated numerous expectant mums and positive feedback shows that reflexology helped them prepare and cope well with labour by:

• relaxing and calming both body and mind

• regulating and lessening the intensity of contractions providing natural pain relief

Birthing partners can also be shown simple techniques that may help them become an integral part of the whole experience. These techniques can keep the mum-to-be calm and relaxed as well as help with some of these common conditions associated with labour:

• Trying to minimise the risk of medical intervention to induce

• Encouraging a quicker transition into the three stages of labour

• Promoting the cervix to dilate

• Helping to regulate the contractions

• Aiming to help with the pain of the contractions

• Helping to deliver the placenta & minimize after pains

• Promoting the let-down reflex for breast feeding

Postnatal:

Reflexology is a gentle and natural way to help you recover following the birth of your baby. Huge physical and emotional changes have taken place in the space of nine months and it may take a while for your body to return to normal. In the days following childbirth the sudden huge drop in hormone levels may leave you feeling overwhelmed with the responsibility of looking after a tiny baby. This happens to most new mums and is commonly known as the 'baby blues'. The disturbed nights that feature heavily in the early weeks can also lead to a feeling of sheer exhaustion! The good news is that reflexology treatments will ensure you have some much needed time to yourself and allow you to be pampered. Treatments may also lift your mood, helping to alleviate anxiety and encourage your body to heal.

Reflexology treatments can also promote the let-down reflex to aid milk flow, reducing the risk of mastitis (infected milk ducts due to blockages).

A recent research study has shown that reflexology treatments helped improve the quality of sleep in post-natal women {Li C-Y et al - 2011 "Randomised controlled trial of the effectiveness of using foot reflexology to improve quality of sleep amongst post partum women" Midwifery. 27. p181-186)

Baby Conditions:

Reflexology for infants is particularly effective in helping soothe colic, bad sleeping patterns, low immune systems, asthma, ear and throat infections, digestive disturbances (e.g. reflux, constipation, trapped wind).


Important!

• Always inform your health care provider that you are receiving Reflexology treatments during Pregnancy. Today, more and more health care providers are aware of the benefits of Reflexology and natural therapies during Pregnancy, referring their clients to improve their life quality during this period. However, it is better that you get the proper assessment on the appearance of any condition that might be risky.

• When hiring a Reflexologist, always check that he/she has properly qualified to provide Reflexology treatments during Pregnancy.

For Further Information…

• International Forum for Wellbeing in Pregnancy

• Wellbeing - the benefits of maternity reflexology

• Netmums - Reflexology for Pregnancy

• Soul to Sole Maternity Reflexology