Trying for a baby…maybe reflexology can help?
Over the years I have treated many, many women who came to see me because it was taking a while for them to conceive their much longed for babies.
I always feel very honoured when someone chooses me as their Reflexologist during this often stressful time but also know that I can take away some of the stress, give them advice and information they may not have discovered and hopefully achieve their dream of parenthood.
I can’t talk about fertility without telling you my story. It was always obvious where my speciality was going to lie considering how I got into this wonderful therapy. So here goes…
I used to hate feet. I used to hate my feet. Which is laughable now considering I plaster them all over the internet daily (see my Instagram), regularly get compliments on them and look after them daily! I now love them and know what they can do for me and the power the hold. But it wasn’t always so.
Yes, my feet are massive
I started looking into reflexology because I’d read in Company magazine that it could help you get pregnant. And after nearly two years of trying I was getting desperate and willing to give anything a go. I knew very little about this therapy (and the thought of having my very sensitive and ticklish feet touched by a stranger was a bit mortifying) but got out the good old Yellow Pages and booked an appointment with a lady who lived up the road from where I worked so I could visit in my lunchtime.
I went along and met the lovely Sue Reeves of Larches Reflexology (who has since retired) and she gave me the most wonderful treatment ever. I didn’t realise now stressed and emotional I’d been and felt completely blissed out and wonderful afterwards, so booked a course of treatments (and didn’t go back to work). At this point I didn’t care whether it worked or not, I was just ecstatic I’d discovered this amazing therapy.
I was in love with it and amazed at how much better I felt in so many ways and after a couple of sessions I decided I wanted to learn how to do it so I could treat my family and friends. My dear old nan had recently passed away and left me a little money and I used it to book onto a practitioner course. By the time I started training a few months later… I was 12 weeks pregnant. I’d been receiving weekly or fortnightly treatments with Sue and I think I discovered I was pregnant after 7 sessions. Sue had helped us, when modern medicine had failed to. I’d been on the maximum dose of fertility drug clomid for over a year thanks for my dodgy, severely polycystic ovaries and still wasn’t ovulating. Until I started to receive reflexology.
I continued to have reflexology throughout my pregnancy, whilst on my training course and with Sue, and sailed through my pregnancy (the birth wasn’t so easy but I’ll save that story for another day). I continued to have reflexology postnatally and fell pregnant again when Elliott was only 11 months old. I think Edie was in a hurry to get here!
My babies
Over the past 15 years I’ve gone on to further train in many pregnancy and fertility courses with world re-nouned midwives and health professionals and I’m proud to have played a small part in many other couples stories so similar to ours. I understand the emotions and frustrations that accompany failure to conceive and I also remember all too clearly the nasty side effects of fertility drugs. And I know that reflexology made me feel so much better – physically, emotionally and mentally. So that’s my story….but how does it work and what can I do for you?
Pre-conception care is preparing the body and mind for the everyday miracle of conceiving, developing and birthing a new human being. Reflexology can play an important part in this preparation as it allows stress and tension to flow freely from the body, helping all the bodies systems function more efficiently and creating a healthy, calm environment for conception to take place. Treatments may also help balance hormones, regulate menstrual cycles and help ovulation and sperm problems.
Reflexology encourages normal circulation of blood, lymph, oxygen, minerals and energy around the body and by focusing on the hormonal and reproductive systems, messages are sent via peripheral nerves through the central system to increase circulation and nerve flow to these areas of the body. How cool is that!
Reflexology can be very beneficial for couples undergoing IVF or other fertility treatments and can help keep you calm and ease some of the unpleasant side effects of strong medications without interfering with them. The stress relieving benefits are, in my opinion, unrivalled and this can only be a good thing.
But you don’t have to have fertility issues to benefit from reflexology before conception. Aside from releasing oxytocin and the endorphins responsible for intense relaxation, reflexology provides space away from the speed of modern life and a chance to offload emotionally, physically and mentally.
And the beauty of reflexology is that in its essence it is actually really simple. I know I make it look and feel complicated but anyone can do it (maybe not as well as me but give it a try). Try these simple techniques on each other in the days leading up to ovulation to help encourage good circulation to the reproductive system and help ease any stresses.
- Start by giving the feet an all over gentle massage to warm them up
- Massage all the toes, which represent the head, to calm the mind
- Stroke down from the big toe to the heel on one foot then the other to relax the spine. This simulates a good back rub!
- With the sides of your index fingers, massage around the ankles on one foot and then the other. This area corresponds to the ovary/testes & uterus/prostate reflexes
- Massage over the top of the ankle from the outside in to cover the fallopian tubes / vas deferens
Visit my YouTube Channel to view a video of the techniques which has been viewed nearly 9,000 times! I’m sending good vibes to the git who gave it a thumbs down. And even more to the lovelies who hit the like button…you can do that too please 😉
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTTW_GEt2mo&t=9s&list=UUmQp82zkTC36qamg8cHb-Qg&index=31
But if you can’t be persuaded to let me, or anyone else, at your feet you can try Facial Reflexology. I am trained in Sorensensistem, The Bergman Method and Dien Chan Zone…all similar but completely unique in their application and technique. These therapies have the same benefits as foot reflexology but act as a great alternative, and often get quicker results for some conditions, particularly those concerning the head as the messages take a more direct route to the source of the problem. And the exciting aspect of working on the face, is that it is much more accessible to you! I can give you points and techniques to work on your own reproductive system on your face – amazing!
Dien Chan Zone – Italian Facial Reflexology, is particularly powerful as it emphasises self care in self application, and I have a very potent and effective map to share with you that not only balances hormonal levels but can help ease a myriad of other conditions related to the female reproductive system. I’m witnessing it’s power every day in clients and within the Dien Chan Zone community. So if you’d like to know more, just ask.
If you’ve stuck with me until the end, well done! I know I’ve gone on a bit but I hope you’ve found it interesting. One day I’ll go through all my old client files and add up exactly how many reflexology babies have come into the world in the 14-15 years I’ve been a reflexologist! I think the number will surprise me. When I get that wonderful text yelling “I’M PREGNANT”, I doubt there’s another soul around that has more job satisfaction then me. Unfortunately, there are no guarantees and a few couples have moved on without success to try other options, but if you’d like a free consultation to discuss if I think reflexology can help you or to receive my “Trying to conceive” guide”, please get in touch. But if not, I hope you’ve found this big blog and it’s contents useful.
Peace and Love, George xxx