Labour Priming in natural therapies works differently than it does in Allopathic medicine. Allopathic medicine calls it Labour Induction, which is by definition a medical intervention to artificially start labour, either with medicines (pitocin, cervadil…) or procedure (membrane sweeping, artificial rupture of membranes …).
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
How Reflexology for Labour Priming works is through learned protocols we check in with birther and babe to ensure everything is in order for a good and natural birth. If this is the case, then Reflexology for Labour Priming can start a process that wasn’t starting itself for whatever reason (anxiety by mom, anxiety of babe, imbalance of hormones or interrupted communication channels between uterus and pituitary/hypothalamus). If everything and everyone is ready, the birther and babe can expect action to begin anywhere in the 48 hours post Reflexology Session.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
If, however, some finishing touches still need to be applied or if the birther or babe have some last minute processing to do or whatever the reason for delay of labour starting, Reflexology for Labour Priming helps put the finishing touches on, helps any processes sort themselves out etc and Labour will not start until everything is sorted accordingly.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Reflexology for Labour Priming can safely be received anytime the birther is 37+ weeks and has the “go ahead” from their obstetrical care provider . Generally these protocols are applied after 40 weeks to help avoid any medical intervention in birth.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Regular Reflexology throughout the whole pregnancy is shown to reduce 1st and 2nd stage labour times, reduce sensation associated with birth (pain), and speed healing times postnatally. Regular Reflexology throughout gestation can also encourage natural onset of labour, negating the need, in many cases, for natual or allopathic “induction” procedures.
Category: Maternity Reflexology
How Often Should I Have Reflexology when Pregnant
Regular Reflexology sessions throughout pregnancy have shown to reduce 1st and 2nd stage labour times, reduce sensation associated with birth (pain) and improve healing times postnatally. But regular Reflexology sessions throughout your pregnancy can also help with the miriad of symptoms, side effects, and conditions of pregnancy as well. So, how often should a Pregnant person receive Reflexology?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Weeks 1 to 14: weekly or bi-weeekly treatments⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Frequent treatments during this Spring of your pregnancy help keep all hormones balanced which helps with symptoms of early pregnancy like fatigue nausea and frequent micturation. It also helps prevent loss of a viable pregnancy due to hormone imbalance or Chi imbalances.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Weeks 15-31: every 4 weeks⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
During the Summer and Fall of your Pregnancy, if you are not presenting with any conditions of pregnancy (oedema, hyperemsis gravidarum, high blood pressure, gestational diabetes etc..) then receiving treatment every 4 weeks is a recommended amount for preventative and maintenance of good health for both birther and babe.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Weeks 32-37: every 2 weeks⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
As we near the Winter of your pregnancy we advise to start receiving Reflexology a little more frequently to ensure all the processes are maturing properly, discomfort of birther is kept as minimal as possible and all organs and systems that are displaced in pregnancy are supported as much as possible.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Weeks 37-42: weekly treatments⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Again with entering the Winter and birthing stage of your Pregnancy we want to ensure the good health and balance of birther and babe, ensure all development is complete and of good quality, prepare the birthers body and mind for the birth process as well as that of the babe.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
If the birther reaches weeks 40-42 then they may decide to start receiving Reflexology twice a week due to the amazing support and refreshment they receive from Reflexology sessions, as well as taking advantage of some Reflexology for Labour Priming protocols.
MULTIPLE THERAPIES WHILE TTC:
Is it OK to see other Therapists?
Maybe one of the more frequent questions I am asked by my clients is “is it ok to also have other therapies while having Reflexology” and the answer is an unmitigated, “Yes, but not within 24-48 hours of each other.”
A good number of my TTC clients also receive Acupuncture treatments or Mayan Abdominal Massage or Chiropractic – all therapies that are also proven to aid in the regulation of the body’s health and encourage Fertility.
But why the 24- 48 hour proviso?
Allowing 24-48 hours between the therapies ensures that any system that is trying to heal itself does not become overloaded by too much attention from multiple treatments in too short a time frame. Giving the therapy time to be affective and the body time to heal between treatments will ensure no mixed signals occur and healing is as linear as possible.
In every other way, all of these therapies work in such a similar way that they work to complement each other and speed the healing process for the body.
Best Wishes
Gloria
Seed Cycling for Hormone Balance
Hormone Balance, or imbalance, affects women across all the stages of menstrual life.
From the very beginning stages, a young woman approaching Menarche starts exhibiting signs of surging hormones, mood control issues, headaches, increased appetite, acne… fast forward to a woman who has been menstruating for a few years already and she is experiencing Pre Menstrual Symptoms like back pain, tender breasts, mood control issues, increased appetite, cyclical acne…. a New Mother, recently birthed and hormones having a hard time normalising, experiencing frequent bleeding well past the time of lochia, perhaps she is experiencing mood control issues as well and not sleeping well even when babe is sleeping, and a Peri Menopausal woman, night sweats, anxiety rushes, tender breasts, lack of sleep in luteal phase, loss of libido and all of the above symptoms as an added bonus… in the majority of cases these hormonal imbalances can be addressed and significantly improved if not resolved through natural medicines and natural foods.
Seed Cycling is one very easy and delicious way at addressing hormone imbalances.
Simply stated, the different types of 
seeds you eat during the different parts of your cycle have properties that will naturally begin balancing your hormones.
Now not every cycle is 28 days, as my clients know VERY well, [soapbox time] .
“Normal” cycles run from 21 to 35 days. To best calculate your follicular and luteal phases if you have a regular cycle, take your cycle length and subtract 12 or 14 (the number of days in an ideal luteal phase) to get the number of days in your Follicular Phase.
So if you generally have a 35 day cycle (give or take) you likely ovulate around Day 21-23. if you have a 21 day cycle you likely ovulate around Day 9-11.
If you are dealing with a more serious diagnosis like PCOS or Secondary Amenorrhea, this can still be VERY beneficial for you. You likely (especially if you are TTC) are already tracking your cycle in a Period Tracker of some sort (I recommend Kindara to all of my clients due to ease of use, adaptability and easy share function). Simply follow instructions for Follicular Phase until you have a positive ovulation indicator, then carry on Luteal Phase instruction.
So how does one go about Seed Cycling?
Here’s a cute infographic (that i couldn’t find an original source for so if someone knows, PLEASE educate me)
During your Follicular Phase (Start of Bleed until you Ovulate)
1 tbsp. freshly ground flax seeds: full of lignans that block any excess oestrogen.
1 tbsp. freshly ground pumpkin seeds: high in zinc which supports progesterone production.
1 tbsp. freshly ground flax seeds: full of lignans that block any excess oestrogen.
1 tbsp. freshly ground pumpkin seeds: high in zinc which supports progesterone production.
During your Luteal Phase (After Ovulation until your next bleed)
1 tbsp. freshly ground sunflower seeds: high in selenium for hormone metabolism and liver detoxification.
1 tbsp. freshly ground sesame seeds: full of lignans that block excess oestrogen
1 tbsp. freshly ground sunflower seeds: high in selenium for hormone metabolism and liver detoxification.
1 tbsp. freshly ground sesame seeds: full of lignans that block excess oestrogen
Now, before you run out to your local Bulk Barn to load up on these tasty treats which are sure to send you into hormonal bliss, lets discuss FRESHNESS and ORGANIC!
I am not a huge pusher of organic, not because I don’t believe true organic is beneficial, rather because I know things marketed as organic AREN’T always, but they DO always carry a higher sticker price. So unless you are able to grow your own FRESH and ORGANIC seeds (and please, if you are, send some my way), find a reliable source for FRESH and ORGANIC seeds, like your local health food supplier (not grocery chain)… I stress FRESH because ground seeds lose their nutrients quickly enough that you don’t want something that’s been sitting around in barrels or bags for a long time. For maximum effectiveness, fresh is your best bet. I say (in this case) ORGANIC because why would we put something grown with hormone altering chemicals into our body as a way to regulate hormones… silly question, I know, you already thought of that yourselves because you are one smart group of readers!
Now, how do we consume these amazing hormone regulating tasty treats?
How about:
– on a bowl of hot breakfast cereal
– as a salad topper
– mixed into your 5% Greek Yogurt
– on top of that zucchini noodle coconut amino stir fry you just made
the possibilities are as endless as your Pinterest Search options.. now GO, DO!
Gloria Laing – Reflexology Therapist and Doula
Reflexology for Women’s Health, Fertility, Maternity, Birth Support
