Self Help Advice

RE: Self Help Advice

Hi 🙂 Nobody has replied so I'll jump in here.

I don't know that I'd recommend reflexology as the first way to deal with morning sickness, especially in the early stages of pregnancy. Later, of course, it's gonna get harder to reach your feet! 😉

There are some other forums here that might be more helpful, such as the pregnancy one, and I'd especially look at nutritional issues. You may want to check with your doctor, but my studies indicate that often morning sickness can be related to a deficiency in chromium.

If your feet are uncomfortable, I'm sure it would be OK to use some of those wooden rollers -- I don't much like the electrical versions of foot "massagers" but I keep a wooden roller under my desk all the time -- great for something to do during stressful phone calls 🙂

Hope this helps -- probably there are others here who know more about the pregnancy stuff than I do 🙂

Love and Light,
Kathleen

RE: Self Help Advice

I don't know that I'd recommend reflexology as the first way to deal with morning sickness, especially in the early stages of pregnancy. Later, of course, it's gonna get harder to reach your feet! 😉

I strongly disagree with this statement.
Are you a reflexologist Kath? From what you say I'd say you're not.
I'm a reflexologist and I specialise in treating ladies throughout their pregnancies - many others who use these forums do too.

I would advise your friend to go to a reflexologist. Self help treatments are fine but reflexology is a holistic treatment - it treats the whole body, not just the symptoms. Your friend's morning sickness may be caused by a hormonal imbalance. She should try to find a reflexologist with experience treating ladies in the first trimester of pregnancy (some therapists will only treat after the first 12 weeks).

Believe me, she doesn't need a foot roller, she needs a reflexologist.
If you're anywhere near Nottingham drop me a PM 🙂

Love

Sulis xx

RE: Self Help Advice

Yes, Sulis, I agree that a properly trained professional will know how to work with a pregnant client, and I sure am glad that at least one of you has (finally) responded.

I do believe that it is possible to dislodge an early pregnancy if and when the client has not informed the professional and/or does not herself know she is pregnant. And, morning sickness might not be understood by the client herself as a "symptom" of pregnancy.

My nutritional recommendation came from a nutritionally trained MD, by the way.

As for your attack on me, I am quite surprised. I suppose I expected more openness and maturity from UK reflexology practitioners. Is reflexology in the UK similar to the "British club" mentality?

RE: Self Help Advice

Please can we please keep attacks on each other's professionalism off the open forums.

As much as we know reflexology works, there has been little scientific study. We are all taught slightly different things during our training and all work individually, building up our own thoughts and experience along the way.

There is no right and wrong, as long as we stick to our training and experience.

Can we continue with mutual respect, please.

Thank you.

Lesley

RE: Self Help Advice

Hi Aromababe,

Yes of course we should respect each others professionalism.
I have just re-read my post. From what I can see, I disagreed with the advice that Kath had given. I can see no personal attack; if you can see one, please let me know and I'll gladly edit my post to remove it.
I think, as professionals we can and do disagree with each other.

Sulis xx

RE: Self Help Advice

Sulis,

Agreed, your intention was not a personal attack, but perhaps

Are you a reflexologist Kath? From what you say I'd say you're not.

could have been phrased more like "With greatest respect Kath, I'm assuming you aren't a reflexologist from what you have said"

The problem with the written word is that a person reads it with their own inflections and not necessarily with that of the author. I myself have fallen foul to misunderstandings when writing emails. We just have to be careful how we phrase things.

All friends? Good. Hugs and carry on.

Love and Reiki Hugs

RE: Self Help Advice

Sulis

I have PM'd you.

Can we now please keep this thread on topic.

Thanks

Lesley

RE: Self Help Advice

Thanks, Lesley. My apologies because I thought that I had introduced myself as a reflexologist, whose mother trained with Eunice Ingham decades ago. Since that intro was moved to the "New Members" forum, of course not everyone who posts in this forum saw that.

This topic is a bit sensitive because I did once have a case of a young woman who was trying to get pregnant, probably in order to convince her boyfriend to marry her. She did not inform me of this -- they had just returned from a Club Med vacation. Perhaps she did not mention it because the lad was in the room at the time, I don't know. In any case, she had a miscarriage, or at least said she did, and blamed it on my reflexology treatment. I very much remember working on her reproductive reflexes, which were tender, but that's not unusual with young women.

Later, she did conceive (again?) and as far as I know, is now back in her home country with mate (married and all) and presumably healthy offspring.

As a result of that experience, personally, I learned a hard lesson on this topic and because of your kindness, Lesley, am sharing it here. And, I've altered my intake form to say not only "Are you pregnant?" but "Is there any possibility you could be pregnant?"

I certainly do not doubt that reflexology, in general, with sufficient understanding of the anatomy and physiology of pregnancy, can be helpful. So can Reiki, and aromatherapy, and transcendental meditation, and a lot of other modalities. And I trust that those here who have been taking advanced reflexology courses on that topic have great skills to offer.

As for foot rollers, they are not a substitute for, but can be an adjunct to, the professional use of reflexology. Some of us do not have the luxury of heaps of other reflexologists about us. Perhaps I should have said "Please consult your professional reflexologist before embarking on any course of self-treatment." Which I believe was exactly what the original poster in this thread was doing, eh? So, I will now back out of this thread, as I'm sure many of you have much more relevant suggestions for vampvixen.

Love and Light,
Kathleen

RE: Self Help Advice

Kath

Thanks for your post and making clear your experience which would obviously makes you cautious when treating pregnant women.

However, we can only act on the information given to us during a consultation (and that goes for any problems affecting the person). If the client chooses to withhold such information, they and only they can be responsible for any consequences. To then go ahead and blame you for her miscarriage, in my opinion, says heaps more about the client than it does about you as a professional reflexologist.

Your views are very valid, so please feel free to continue to post on this thread, if you so wish.

Lesley

RE: Self Help Advice

hi kath,

i'm sorry you had such a nasty experience.

however, i totally believe that reflexology cannot shift a viable pregnancy and we have had these duscussions on HP before. imagine if it were possible... we would get plenty of "dubious" clients.

i also have been trained in maternity reflexology, same tutor as sulis actually. certainly we can help with early pregnancy discomforts... well all through as it happens!

for vampvixen asking... i guess there are self help treatments but if you are feeling yuck, the last thing you want to do is bend over and touch your toes!! and yes, her DP/ DH could help but then what if he stimulates the wrong bits by accident and makes her feel worse? i just feel, at this time, that its best to seek professional help and advice, albeit reflex, acupuncture/ pressure/ aroma or whatever.

RE: Self Help Advice

Hi folks its lovely to see you all on here again. I've been away a lot recently, so missed you all.

Wow, your Mum knew Eunice Ingham Kath, what an honour. Did your Mum train you.

A word of caution on the Chromium supplement. Some forms are not at all good for you. Especially those with nicotinate. Investigate very thoroughly before taking anything while pregnant. I take chromium but am still investigating. (Iam not pregnant)

We all have to make our own decisions re treating in the first trimester. I do now if all well and no previous miscarriage or bleeding ( As much to make me feel ok as anything). You can give a lovely relaxing treatment avoiding the repro's and pituitary. Lots of nice relaxing massage and help with solar plexus, spine (down to L5), stomach, chest, breast. All soothing and good for Mum to be. Plain olive oil, as I'm not sure about effects on pregnancy. I used lavender before, but then read a caution in pregnancy.

I avoid the sciatic reflex down the leg until 38 weeks as it goes over an acupressure point to be avoided. I also dont do much with the little toe, another acupressure point to avoid.

Jan x

RE: Self Help Advice

hi jan, nice to see you too!

as it happens, the sciatic reflex doesnt actually go over SP6, the one to avoid, so i really wouldnt worry to much. also, the pressure you use during a reflex is not likely to impinge SP6, you have to really dip into it and you know when you have because its extremely sensitive, in any event.

the outside of the little toe (BL66) also requires quite a bit of pressure, and for a period of time to make a difference, so again, i wouldnt worry too much. :o)

RE: Self Help Advice

Hi Rosie its lovely to talk to you again. Have pm'ed you.

There are quite a few acupressure points to help with morning sickness and nausea, which are easy for self use. P5 - 4 finger widths above the center of the inner wrist crease, between the tendons. P6 same line but 2.5 finger widths above wrist crease. ST36 - 4 finger widths below thekneecap, 1 finger width outside of the shinbone. The muscle should flex as you move your foot up and down, this one also helps fatigue as well as nausea. All these are listed in my book for morning sickness, so should be safe.

Janx

RE: Self Help Advice

😀