Benefits of yoga

I joined a yoga class many years ago, I found it was a great way to unwind and relax as well as keeping fit. Although it's not a strenuous sport, you can feel your muscles stretching.

I practiced right through my second pregnancy - avoiding some postures of course -, it helped me to prepare for the birth using breathing and relaxation techniques. Combined with self-help reflexology, I had an "easy" two hour labour, much better than the 15 hour labour I endured for my first child.

Actually if you are interested in running a class or practicing at home, you can also download a set of yoga gesture drawings here
108 yoga pose drawings

Foot reflexology and Pregnancy

This is a message for pregnant women who want to try reflexology to ease the strain and pain of pregnancy.

Despite what you might read in papers, pregnant women can benefit from reflexology treatment. You can start the treatment from the end of the third month right until the birth. Once or twice a month is the recommended rate of visits but if you love it, you can have weekly sessions.

Pregnancy can be a wonderful time for the future mum, surrounded by loved ones, pampered by the future dad, blessed with childbearing wish, delighted to become a mum. However, pregnancy can also be a source of stress, discomforts and health problems: how to become a perfect mother, adjusting to body and hormonal changes, sleep disorders, heartburns, backaches, heavy legs, etc...

Foot reflexology brings many benefits for the future mum and can be of enormous support, in particular, it gets rid of stress and tensions, brings about deep relaxation, can regulate and improve blood circulation, eases backaches, provides a state of well-being during pregnancy and helps the mum to be more attentive to her baby. Reflexology can also be helpful in labour and delivery, some midwifes are using the treatment for pain relief during labour.

Foot reflexology is a natural holistic therapy which has been around for a long time, in various forms. It is mainly a preventive therapy which also helps chronic disorders. With foot reflexology, you can restore mental and physical equilibrium, eliminate toxins and disperse negative energies such as stress. 

It should be made clear that reflexology is not intended to diagnose or treat medical conditions, and is not a replacement for conventional medical practice. In particular, you should consult your GP if you are at risk of pre-eclampsia or diabetism.

Reflexology therapists will often specialise or do extra training to deal with pregnant women. If in doubt, you should ask the therapist if he/she has received advanced training in this field, or has experience in treating pregnant women.