Pregnancy and Post-natal Holistic Reflexology with Jacqueline Dark is now available at The Lymington Chiropractic Clinic
Our Holistic Therapist Jacqueline Dark, of Swakeleys Massage, has worked with pregnant women for over 20 years now, supporting them through Conception, Pregnancy and Post-Nataly. She has also treated many of her clients’ babies with Craniosacral Therapy too.
Reflexology is a complementary health therapy. It is based on the theory that the feet and hands contain a mini-map of the whole body. All body systems, glands, and organs can be found on parts of the feet or hands. These are known as reflexes.
We are delighted that Jacqui is able to offer her services at The Lymington Chiropractic Clinic and complement our Paediatric Specialist Chiropractor Charlotte in caring for mums and their babies at all stages.
Pregnancy Holistic Reflexology
In 2017, Jacqui was invited to Hillingdon Hospital to train the midwives and student midwives in some reflexology techniques to use on low-risk women in labour on the labour wards. This really does show how Reflexology is now being recognised for use during pregnancy and labour.
Maternity Reflexology is a branch of reflexology aimed specifically at women during pregnancy, labour and the post-natal period. During your pregnancy, your body will go through significant changes; these changes will affect the emotional, hormonal and physiological balance of your body. Reflexology can help to alleviate or prevent discomfort arising from this imbalance and restore the body’s equilibrium. Research has shown that regular reflexology treatments during pregnancy can shorten the duration of labour, with women often requiring less pain-relief during the course of delivery.
Jacqui has a wonderful, comfortable couch that can be adjusted to ensure your comfort at all times. During this treatment, you will not be lying flat but will be in a raised position with the added comfort of bolsters, pillows and blankets if needed. As a fully trained Aromatherapist with additional Essential Oils in Pregnancy training, Jacqui can incorporate the use of essential oils into your treatment too.
Benefits of Pregnancy Holistic Reflexology
- Helping with symptoms of fatigue, especially noticed in the first and third trimesters, reflexology can provide deep relaxation, relieve stress and improve sleep, which helps that exhausted feeling.
- During pregnancy hormones and a growing baby can slow down and upset digestion and increase water retention. Reflexology can help the body to move things along, relieving constipation and bloating as well as reducing swollen legs and ankles.
- Muscular discomfort is common in pregnancy with pains such as neck and shoulder pain, backache, sciatica and pelvic girdle pain. As your feet and legs get tired, reflexology can also help revive your legs enable them to feel lighter and more comfortable.
Priming for Labour Holistic Reflexology
Priming for Labour treatment is for sessions taken 37 weeks+. This is a wonderful reflexology treatment to assist the body in preparation for labour using specific points on the foot, such as those for the uterus and pituitary. These are stimulated strongly to help encourage the body to naturally prepare for labour. The pituitary is a good point to start, as it’s the part of the brain that produces the hormone oxytocin, and it is this love hormone that helps the uterus to contract. Jacqui then strongly stimulates the point corresponding to the uterus to respond to the increase of oxytocin. In addition, friction-based techniques are used to naturally work alongside the body to encourage the onset of labour.
Although Jacqui works strongly on these points, and others, you will still get a deeply relaxing treatment as lots of calming techniques will also be used.
Jacqui has seen good results with using these methods to help the onset of labour, although there are no guarantees that priming for labour techniques will get things moving, as with any other medical intervention or therapy. For best results and to get a cumulative effect from the reflexology, Jacqui recommends between 1 and 3 sessions around your due date.
Post-Natal Holistic Reflexology
Often, the post-natal trimester is the one that is forgotten, by ourselves and others, but I have noticed that over the last 12 months or so, awareness is really growing on how important it is to look after ourselves during this time.
Post-natal reflexology is available anytime from birth to 8 weeks after birth. You are more than welcome into the clinic with your baby/partner if this makes it easier for you to come for a treatment.
Reflexology is a beautiful holistic therapy which supports your body, mind and spirit to return to a non-pregnant state through the use of specific techniques, dependent on how you are feeling both physically and emotionally. This treatment is a fantastic way to rebalance, harmonise and restore you in mind, body and soul, after giving birth.
Benefits of Post-natal Holistic Reflexology
There are many benefits to coming in for postnatal reflexology, some of which include :
- Emotional support, including easing anxiety and postnatal depression
- Balancing the hormones
- Easing breastfeeding discomforts and encouraging lactation
- Helping with digestive problems and constipation
- Assisting recovery following an epidural/caesarean section
- Perineal pain (to encourage tissue repair and blood flow)
Some of my clients feel that a massive benefit from coming in for a post-natal session is being able to discuss their birth experience in a safe non-judgemental space. This in itself can generate a huge amount of healing.
Testimonial
I’ve had the pleasure of having several sessions of Pregnancy Reflexology. The sessions were fabulous and really eased my intense leg cramps when nothing else did.
I’ve taken my newborn daughter to several Infant CranioSacral Therapy sessions since she was a few weeks old, following a c-section section birth. Jacqui has been so fabulous with her, and she has benefited hugely from the sessions. She always seems more settled and calm after a visit to Jacqui. We are still visiting 7 months later!
I highly recommend Jacqui’s treatments; she is hugely knowledgeable and a really calming presence.
Laura Sept 25
Book a Pregnancy Reflexology or Post-natal Holistic Reflexology Treatment with Jacqui
Pregnancy and Post-natal Holistic Reflexology appointments with Jacqueline Dark are available on Tuesdays at The Lymington Chiropractic Clinic.
BOOK ONLINE, call us on 01590 679560 or pop into reception.
Gift vouchers are also available if you want to treat a special loved one.