Reflexology for Labour

RE: Reflexology for Labour

Dear Belinda x,

No matter how many times this question is asked, the answer isn't easy at all.

One of the most deep and undeveloped secrets nature still keeps is what is exactly the trigger of starting labour. Doctors, gynaecologists, obstetrics and midwives will be able to explain the physiological process.....after the process starts.
From my point of view, it is the baby itself who decides when is it ready to come to the world. It is its first decision in life. Many mothers don't understand it this way but once you can convince them to follow this thaught, they will be learning their first lesson on parenthood.

Let me tell you about a couple of cases I had in the recent past:
The first one, a lady who came to a Reflexology session on week 36+3 with a Gift Card. 28 years old, first pregnancy, happy and calm. No pathologies or conditions (with the exception of some morning sickness by the first weeks of pregnancy), everything normal. She was adviced to train her vagina with Epi-No, a devicecreated toflexibilize the tissues of the birth cannal, and she was doing so every day. I worked on a general treatment, stressing the accent on all the evacuation systems: digestive, urinary and respiratory tract, and working on "pulling" techniques. I didn't work on the uterus reflex, the reproductive systemor the hormonal system reflexes at all.
Two days after that the lady who bought the gift card for her phoned me to tell me that she gave birth to a beautiful girl and that the delivery was so fast!: only 5 hours from the moment her waters broke. Such a record for a first time mother!!

The second one, a lady who came to me on week 39+6, one day before the due date, suffering from Oedema and Anxiety. 32 years old, first pregnancy, a story of constipation behind here, aggravated probably by the Iron tablets she was taking. "Please do something to induce work!" she said. I didn't. Who am I to take such an importantdecision that belongs to the baby?
I worked intensively on her spine, solar plexus, diaphragm reflexes and vagus nerve to promote deep relaxation. At the same time, I worked intensively on her evacuation systems: digestive, urinary and respiratory, again, again and again, pulling with other techniques all her energy down, "calling" the baby. If the baby was able to attend my call, he would have done that. He didn't. He came to the world on week 41+3, two days after his mother attended her 3rd. Reflexology session.

Conclusion: It's not only a mechanic procedure, and there is no science that can teach you how to induce birth with a natural therapy when the baby hasn't shown signs of being ready for that.

Important: Never try to induce labour pressing the Pituitary gland if you are not at a hospital. You can succeed, but at the same time you can drive the mother into a dangerous state of Hypertonia, which is netto Fetal Stress. Please be careful.

So.......if a mother comes to you even they have "gone over" the statistical term, do work on relaxation and pull her energies down to drain all the stress she brings with her.

I hope this helped.

Good luck and best wishes!

Moshe Kruchik

RE: Reflexology for Labour

Dear Belinda x

One thing I forgot to say.
Many times themums-to-be don'treally knowhow to expresstheir tiredness and anxiety, and one of the best indicators is when they ask to be induced.
So you can probably help them with a deep relaxation session.

Best wishes

Moshe Kruchik

RE: Reflexology for Labour

Tweak their little toes (meridan effective) BUT It's gonna happen anyway... and very soon. (by week 39/40).

All you can really do is be supportive and don't promise anything.

Good luck

RE: Reflexology for Labour

Thanks for your replies and I take everything you have said on board. I still however, don't really know the points for starting off labour. I will try tweeking the little toes, but I know there are others. I just don't know whatthey are.

Thanks anyway
Belinda

RE: Reflexology for Labour

Yes, there are some other points.
Good luck.

RE: Reflexology for Labour

hi belinda,

yes there are other points and other techniques. its always a good idea, if you are treating many pregnant clients, to get yourself onto a course specialising in reflexology for maternity. not only will this give you confidence but it will also teach you much more about the anatomy and physiology of pregnancy and its effects on women.

hi moshe,

interesting posts and i totally agree that baby will come when ready - not our or medical intervention will change that, which is why medical induction can often result in C section.

but what really annoys me the most with complementary therpies is that we cannot even agree amongst ourselves on how to treat.

for example, i would most definitely treat the pituitary, along with the rest of the endocrine system, and see it as essential in strengthening that system. i would also treat the repro system... you talk of downward energy and treating the digestive system, to stir things up, so why leave out the repro? we already agree that baby cant "be made" to come. and we use the best intention, right?

i treat with reflxology for conception, sub fertility and the through pregnancy. i treat all systems throughout. we provide a balancing treatment, so why leave bits out? we can do no harm imo, although true, we should be very aware of what we are doing and who we are treating (history etc).

anyway, i obviously studied differently to you! but i think one should be careful of using the word dangerous with reflexology - we have a tough enough time as it is! knowledge is key, imo.

RE: Reflexology for Labour

Hi Rosie,

I couldn't agree with you more !!! Reflexology is all about balance and as you've already stated "we can do no harm". I've never understood this leavingarea's out business ??

Meridianmoon xx

RE: Reflexology for Labour

Dear Rosie,

Thank you for your answer and for your interesting point of view.

I agree with you that the word "dangerous" should not belong to the Reflexology glossary of terms. No doubt that Reflexology is mostly a safe therapy (mostly.....not totally) and that our intention are two great ingredients to guarantee the success of a treatment.
However, things happen sometimes. I used the word "dangerous" to relate a specific situation that can occur when giving Reflexology in labour called Hypertonia. A midwife in Spain who I trained in a Maternity Reflexology course last year, reported me having caused this condition when innocently applying Reflexology to a lady. Everything was OK, the dynamic of labour was a bit slow, so she decided to press the Pituitary gland as I taught her. Contractions started to develop then very quickly and she felt that she should continue stimulating. But then, after 5 minutes, it came a long contraction without remission. She forgot to apply some other points to balance the power of the contraction and the poor lady developed Hypertonia, which is netto foetal stress, baby's heartbeat dropped dramatically and the labour ended as an emergency. Fortunately, there was a happy end.

Even when working in the birth room, I never start the induction process (with Reflexology) without having the green light from the midwife! Imagine that the lady from the above linescame to my clinic, I induced her and my technique was so succesfull that she started to develop contractions right there, but she also started to bleed or there was a Hypertonic state.....what exactly should you do? How exactly can you cope with oneof these situations? I agree with you that Reflexologycannot harm, however I would also say: please be careful!

After having treated some hundreds of pregnant womenwith Reflexology,and many of them in the birth room,I can say that Reflexology is "mostly"a safe therapy, but still, please be careful of whatyou do. One single mistake can ruin your career. You are not protected as doctors are. I am sure that nobody can accuse you of having done something wrong, but nobody willhave either any proof to defend you.

The fact thatthere are so many techniques and ways of treating doesn't really annoy me.It doesn't annoy me eitherthat when I amteaching that a specific reflexis here, an Irish reflexologist says"no, it's here", an English one says "Iwas taught that itwas here", a Spaniard says "wow, I work it here"...... so you can findlots of opinions. This demonstrates that Reflexology is not a science, so until it becomes one, every reflexologist will be working according to his own education. Look around and you will see that every Monday and Thursday comes to the market a new "System" or "Method". Have you read the book "Clinical Reflexology" by Denise Tiran and Peter Mackereth? You'll find 4 different places for the Solar Plexus.

It doesn't annoy me eitherthat Reflexologists can have sometimes so radically different points of view, on the contrary, they invite me to think about my own practice and perhaps to add something more interesting and enlightening to it. Mostly with Maternity Reflexology, where you are dealing not only with your client's body and health, you are dealing also with the new life growing inside her.

With best wishes,

Moshe Kruchik

RE: Reflexology for Labour

Hello Moshe,
You said 'yes there are other points'What are they then???
Belinda

RE: Reflexology for Labour

Hi everyone

I too am trained in Maternity Reflexology and did the same training as Rosie. I too stimulate the Pituitary Gland where i was taught on my original training and maternity training. My lady had had attempted induction 4 times and it didn't work. The time that she had the strongest reaction and contractions was when i did my treatment!! So on my second treatment i really really stimulated the pituitary gland. I might add i did have midwife permission. The midwife even knew that i would be included pituitary stimulation.

I do find it funny though why some say to avoid this during treatments and i have been trained to include it.
In reponse to you 123bmd ,IMOi don't think it is advisable just to tell you where the points are. It is best to do a course because it is not just about pressing some points.( Not meant in a patronising or funny way)I know that i would not be happy unless i haddone the training.

Best wishes

C.L

RE: Reflexology for Labour

Hi chickenlicken, thanks for not beating around the bush. I think I will do the course as I want to do things properly. I just wanted some pointers in the meantime, which I have now. Thanks

RE: Reflexology for Labour

Dear Belinda and CL

Let's see if we can sort this misunderstanding. There are not reflexes you should avoid or refrain of treating, there are indeed some reflexes that you should not stress during pregnancy. Why should you stress the pituitary gland, for example, during the 8th. month of pregnancy? You will treat that point with a certain touch, with a specific technique and under specific circumstances. Why should you stress the pituitary gland during labour with a different technique? Because you want this gland to give its most andrelease oxytocine. There are specific conditions in which you'll have to work on the pituitary gland over the pregnancy but always taking care of how do you work on it.

I am frequently asked for example: why don't you stress the ovaries reflexes? My answer is: what for? Is there any specific reason they should be stressed during pregnancy?

Besides the pituitary gland, there are many other points (complementary points) to stimulate contractions, but these belong to specific moments of labour,pursuing a specific reaction of the body and under specific circumstances. You have to be there to evalue what to do and probably change your way of working according to the development of birth. I am sorry if I can't explain more than this, but I completelyagree with CL, it is not only about pressing certain points.

Best wishes,

Moshe Kruchik

RE: Reflexology for Labour

Dear all,

I love discussing cases with other reflexologists. In fact, this is one of the reasons I have joined this forum.
However, i don't believe that somebody who hasn't attended a qualifying maternity reflexology course and only becauseshe has a pregnant woman knocking at her door, should simply go to the net to find answers on this matter. Sorry, belinda, but i don't agree with your attitude.

I attended two wonderful and enlightening (one of themwithMoshe)courses before i felt i was able to put my hands on a pregnant lady. these coursescosted me a lot of money but they were worththe effort and every single pennyi paid for them.

Even though my confidence on treating pregnant women has increased after that, I'd never go to the net to ask where do i have to press for this or for that and how to promote contractions before the due date as if i was pressing the buttons ofacoke dispenser!!! That wouldn't be responsible or professional from my side. Reflexology is a serious matter, it is a therapy that has to be studied and practised seriously, with a serious attitude and not just as a matter of fact.

Meridianmoon: It's not true that you can not harm. intention is not the only thing you need. These are two old and absolutely meaningless "clichés" that somebody has invented to put reflexology out of the question.Doctors also work with good intention and they are not supposed to harm, however the medical world is full of stories. Who are we to claim the contrary? We can always harm if we don't have enough knowledge of what we are doing, pretending or letting others think that we really do. moshe, what a pleasurethat you joined the forum. this is a privilege for all of us. i haven't stopped talking about your course, still recommend it to everybody, the new techniques i learned from you and your human& wise approach to maternity reflexology are simply fantastic.

I had the opportunity to treat agood friend of minein the delivery room with the techniques you showed us. there i understood that maternity reflexology is not only touching there or pressing that. it involves much more than that.....

I wish i didn't offend anybody with my comments. These are my points of view, anyway.
if yes, i beg your pardon.

have a greatdaay everybody

Evelyn

RE: Reflexology for Labour

Hi Evelyn.

I'm sorry that you didn't feel confident enough to treat pregnant ladies until you had done a reflexology maternity course.

I, on the otherhand am an RGN SCM so I think that I know quite a lot about pregnancy and birth. I am a confident reflexologistand I have been very sucessful in treating ladies while they are pregnant. However I had not ever attempted to induce anyones labour. I came to this site ( and not just any net site) as there is a mountain of knowledge and experience on here, just to simply ask everyone's advice.

I have been given some really good advice now (tanks everyone in question) and I will be attending a maternity course as soon as I can. So please don't be negative. I take my reflexology as serious as I do my convential medical career.

There is too much negativity in this world to start with.

Smile and the world smiles with you. x

RE: Reflexology for Labour

Dear Evelyn

Thank you for your words, there are really heartwarming. I really enjoy reading your progress in Maternity Reflexology, and I feel more than happy that I could contribute to that. Keep going, good job!

Let me say only one thing regarding your comments. Since I know you personally, negativity is the last thing I would say about you. I do enjoy your pragmatic, enthusiastic and positive attitude, so Belinda, let me say that you had perhaps an incorrect impression.

However, let me be specific about two of the points you mention.
There isn't (unfortunately) a clear code of ethics that Reflexologists worldwide should follow. This can be due to the fact that modern Reflexology, as we conceive it today, is still an emerging therapy with lots of question marks around it. People who believe in and need ascientificexplanation for what we do ( I often hear the term :"evidence based") try to diminish our achievements as Reflexologists. And from the moment that there are so many theories around the concept of what is correct Reflexology, I can say that where there are four reflexologists there are five opinions.

The problem is not the power of our intention or how safe is Reflexology as a therapy. The problem is that most of the people still don't buy the concept that Reflexology can improve balance and then letting the body stimulate its own energies in order to do whatit knows how to do.We explain the influence that reflexology can have in the physiological processes:as an acceleration of a developing process,or overcoming a stagnation andasa product of it therelease of toxins, trapped energy, you name it. People still don't buy the concept that their organisms are the ones able to heal themselves if they only had the right stimulation and the right body/mind insight to do that. Changes must also come from within in order to achievewanted results. Butmost of thepeople still leave that responsibility for the Medical System, which at the same timebecomes an easy target of lawyers and insurance companies.

My personal opinion is that all the expressed in this enlightening discussion is right and all the points of view I've read are valid.

I remember you asking once in class: Can you harm a mum to be with Reflexology?.....(sigh...!) It is always a difficult question, and unfortunately it doesn't havea precise answer. I personally believe that not, but there is still a chance that if due to any eventuality the mum doesn't feel alright a short time after the treatment, she will quickly look for and easily find a target and blame you for that. You always have to put all the cards over the table before you start giving Reflexology to a pregnant woman and be sure than when giving a treatment you have an accurate knowledge of her condition and enough confidence onyour skills and knowledge as a therapist. If you don't, or if you don't feel confident, don't hesitate to refer your potential client to a more experienced colleague.

My best wishes to everybody

RE: Reflexology for Labour

ORIGINAL: Moshe Kruchik

<snip>

I remember you asking once in class: Can you harm a mum to be with Reflexology?.....(sigh...!) It is always a difficult question, and unfortunately it doesn't havea precise answer. I personally believe that not, but there is still a chance that if due to any eventuality the mum doesn't feel alright a short time after the treatment, she will quickly look for and easily find a target and blame you for that. You always have to put all the cards over the table before you start giving Reflexology to a pregnant woman and be sure than when giving a treatment you have an accurate knowledge of her condition and enough confidence onyour skills and knowledge as a therapist. If you don't, or if you don't feel confident, don't hesitate to refer your potential client to a more experienced colleague.

My best wishes to everybody

hi moshe,

couldnt agree with you more :). we live in times of litigation and i was taught that 2 contraindications to consider are 1. if the client doesnt want the treatment and 2. if you the therapist, doesnt want to do it.

i personally dont feel we can harm an unborn child or put the woman in danger but IF a natural miscarriage occurs after our treatment, we would more than likely be held up to "blame".

reflexology is powerful, but as has been said before on these forums, it is incredibly hard to shift a viable pregnancy.

RE: Reflexology for Labour

Hi Rosie

I have seen through the years a radical change of attitude in reflexologists, mostly a positive attitude.
When Istarted studyingReflexology some good years ago, one of the contraindicationsof Reflexologywas precisely Pregnancy, under the statement (not even a theory: a real statement) that Reflexology can cause miscarriage and that you should never treat a pregnant woman more than x minutes in one session, and when doing it, treat only the symptoms.

These words soundnow arcaic to me, and at the same timeabsolutely unconceivable and ridiculous.
But thatis nowhistory(not in every place though....there arevery modern and civilized countries in which this statement is still valid and taughtas an ironrule in Reflexology courses).

It is interesting to see how during the past few yearsReflexologistsdeveloped greatconfidence towardsMaternity Reflexology,I think mostly influenced by Susanne Enzer & Else Reid, Gabriella Liisbergand Denise Tiran's fantastic work. I confess that I don't always agree with them in all what they say, but at the same time we wouldn't be able to conceive today the concept of Maternity Reflexology without their inspiration andthe courage theyhadto challenge the establishment.

What I am afraid of is exactly the opposite, this means excess of self confidence together withlack of knowledge.I do take things to the extreme for the purpose of this discussion. I don't agree thatevery Reflexologist is able to treat every pregnant women unlesshe/shehas been qualified forit.

I think that before you treat a pregnant woman youshould havea basic (if not deep) knowledge about the anatomy and physiology of pregnancy and birth, a wide comprehension of the psychological and emotional insights of pregnancy and great responsibility from the therapist. (When I say "you" is in generic terms, not personal...).

It will be enough one tragic or controverted case and a hungry journalistto ruin the reputation of a great community of professional therapists who believein Reflexology. All what we need is to admit our limitations as therapists, beinghumble and responsible enough to respect and protect our client's wellness.

I have seen that with Reflexology the sky is the limit, you can never forsee the exact results of your work. I was a witness of many "miracles" that the use of Reflexology was able to "perform", many times having success in cases that conventional medicine didn't (and I am sure that every Reflexologist can tell at least a couple of cases....).

BUT, even knowing that the sky is the limit, please do always keep your feet on the ground. (or take them to a good Reflexologist to pamper them).

Best wishes

Moshe

RE: Reflexology for Labour

hi moshe,

again, i couldnt agree with you more. in fact over the years on these very pages i have said we should always work within our limitations, beit knowledge or physical (massage and clients that want it harder than one can do ;)).

i trained with susanne, so thats where our differences of opinion would occur but i bow to your greater experience and knowledge :)and i am a perennial student anyway, so all tips are valid and worth considering.

RE: Reflexology for Labour

Hey everyone, what a wonderful discussion and thank you all for sharing your views and experience. It's nice to see you here Moshe. A hot topic of discussion among my colleagues and myself at the moment is the perception that we are chiefly here to 'induce labour'. I went through a phase of getting calls from ladies whose babies were overdue, and they just wanted somebody to get their baby out no matter how! I share your view Moshe that the baby decides when it's ready to come, and I try to explain this to people when they ring me asking for a miracle. As a reflexologist I work with a huge amount of respect for the unborn baby, and it's a bit sad in our 'want it all and want it now' world that my services are regarded by some people as a quick fix rather than an amazing and gorgeous preparation for birth. When clients have come to me later on in their pregnancy, they have tended to express regret that they didn't start coming to me much sooner. We have to get the word out there.

RE: Reflexology for Labour

Dear Siobhan,

Can't agree with you more!
First lesson of paternity and maternity: let your child take his first decision, don't force him to come.
As you do, I am completely contrary to this over-the-counter culture of health, as you perfectly defined: I want it all and want it now. I cannot spend my precious time waiting. I have plenty of things to do, I don't care what my body says, my mind has to solve it first.

The great first step ofa mum-to-be in order to enjoy a pleasant birth (yes, there are those....) is to listen to her own body. If mums-to-be knew a bit more about the fantastic womanly experience of being mothers, they would stop coming to the maternity ward claiming for Epidural-Monitor-Induction and ending in an Episiotomy, none of these 4 things are absolutely necessary in every case.

If you are afraid of pain, you are probably stressed. Stress causes you to secrete adrenaline, antagonist of oxytocine. No oxytocine, no contractions. No contractions, no dilation. No dilation, more pain, sometimes foetal stress, please monitor, you can't moveeither walk, doctors impatience and you become anxious. Induction. Booom-boom, the pain starts. No remission. One contraction over the other. Please epidural! I can't push!!!! Please lie down on your back. I'll tell you when to push.I can't push! Tlak tlak tlak! Episiotomy..... and the baby is out.

How much of all thiswould be prevented if the mum-to-be dedicated to train herself for the big moment enhancing her self-confidence?

What kind of effect do you think this self-confidence would be transmitted to the baby? Instead of thinking about asking somebody else to take him out from you, you can also think aboutsendinga message of love and patience. He will understand that and will cooperate with you during his own birth.

Let me share you one story of the very recent past....: One of my students in Northern Ireland last March wasin her 36th week when she attended the Maternity Reflexology course,feeling panic of painand uncertainty before birth. After the weekend, she herselfwas surprised becausesheswitched her mindto a positive thinking, having trained and rehearsed lots of techniques and minding many of the insights of the course.When I came again to N.Ireland she came to visit, her sister was doing the course. I asked her if she could invite her to come and visit. Great hug.I was blessed for what she told: "I could easily bear the contractions, they were very painful though, but Iknew that Ihad to be patient,I learnedwhat to do, and first of all respected my instincts, talked with my babyand said to myself: come on, one contraction less..... and smiling because every contraction was getting me closer to my baby.

Isn't this a wonderful approach?

RE: Reflexology for Labour

Oh fabulous, I have been trying to find a course here in Ireland having missed out on your course earlier in the year. I am hoping to do the course in Newry in November- my teacher thought you were marvelous!! - hope there is still some places left - just sent an email.

RE: Reflexology for Labour

Hi everybody,

just got back from a short and sunny holiday to my wet and cold country....it was lovely.

I do keep my feet on the ground, Moshe, i feel much more confident than before...i consider that your attitude is very responsible when saying "be careful and think" instead of saying "go ahead" with everybody. What you brought to the course was a fantastic way of thinking and feeling reflexology that i haven't seen before in any tutor.

Besides that, for me it was like an advice of responsibility, to go and study more and more. Idon't really know what I thaught I knew, but this pushes me now to learn more. Following your advice makes me feel much more confident than if i said "hey, come on" to everybody. As you perfectly told us, maternity reflexology requires lots of knowledge, commitment and responsibility. the fact that i attended another course in the pastand this course with you last year doesn't make me a specialist.

Evelyn

RE: Reflexology for Labour

Hi Jess

Welcome to the club....!
One thing i'll tell you: he IS marvelous.
Don't miss this time.....

Evelyn

hi suzanne, thanks you for emailing me with the techniques for priming labour. i thought that there were some accupresure points in there somewhere. i now have all i need to know and i can carry out my treatments with a renewed vigour. many thanks again and thanks for not beating around the bush and getting straight to the point. good luck with your course. belinda