All too often in my practice I hear how much attention was given to mum's during pregnancy and how that drops away after the baby is born. I feel very passionate about postpartum care - mothering the mother.
The sacred act of birthing a baby requires enormous amounts of physical and emotional energy and all new mothers need the time to recuperate from childbirth. To support, nourish and nurture the mother during the “fourth trimester” will enable her to recover well, and to feel well after her baby's birth.
Regular Reflexology can help to balance your hormones and boost your energy levels, improving feelings of general well-being. By taking good care of yourself at this time, means you will be providing the best care for your baby, easing gently into motherhood.
Research has shown that reflexology is excellent for maintaining or increasing milk supply enhancing bonding and breastfeeding as well as helping to reduce the effects of post-natal depression.
Postnatal Reflexology Benefits:
- Emotional support, including easing anxiety and postnatal depression.
- Rebalancing the hormones, and regulating moods. Especially as so many hormones leave once baby is born, this in itself can create a feeling of inbalance.
- Helps with breast milk production, eases breast feeding discomfort & encouraging lactation.
- Boosts your immunity
- Relaxation and “me time”
- Helps digestive problems and constipation
- Boosts and maintain energy levels
- Helps regulate your sleep cycle
- Helps the body heal quicker by increasing blood flow.
- Assisting recovery following an epidural.
- Aiding recovery from a caesarean section.
- Restoring hormonal balance.
- Calming and relaxing mother and baby.
- Easing digestive problems.
- Easing backache.
- Helping the menstrual cycle return to normal.
- Improving insomnia and quality of sleep.
- Relieving urine retention.
- Reducing post-natal depression and anxiety.
When to start Postnatal Reflexology:
You can start Postnatal Reflexology as soon as you have given birth vaginally or by cesarean section. I recommend treatment as soon as you feel ready following the birth, it will help you to feel relaxed, restored and rejuvenated. I offer personal postnatal treatments tailored to your needs available for ongoing support. It can also be combined with Postnatal Massage for a deeply relaxing and healing treatment.
You may wish to cuddle and nurse your baby during your treatment and this is something I encourage as it helps both mother and baby to remain close, enhancing relaxation. As you recline in the chair your baby can rest in your arms, propped up by comfy pillows.