Reflections on Feet When Pregnant Can Reduce Tired, But There Are Requirements To Be Safe

Medical Video: How to Give a Foot Massage During Pregnancy - Pregnancy & Parenting - ModernMom

When you are sore and tired, foot reflection does sound like it could be the right solution. However, what if you are pregnant? Can pregnant women do foot reflexology?

Reflexology itself is a traditional therapy that originated in China for centuries. By putting pressure on certain points in the body, reflexology can provide health benefits to the body. The points that are pressed when we undergo reflexology are believed to have a close connection with the organs in the body.

Reflexology is one of the additional therapies that can be given during pregnancy period. Reflexology can reduce complaints about the feet that are often felt during pregnancy.

For example, foot pain, cramps in the legs, and swollen legs. In addition, reflection is also able to help reduce the burden on the joints of the body, facilitate blood flow, and help the relaxation process so that the quality of sleep will be better.

Reflexology is proven to reduce the fatigue of pregnant women

Based on research published by Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research in 2017, experts found that reflexology on the soles of the feet can reduce the feeling of fatigue felt by the mother.

The study involved hundreds of women aged 18 to 35 who were pregnant for the first time with womb ages between 19 and 29 weeks. The participants were then divided into two, namely the control group who did not get any treatment and the group that received reflexology on the soles of the feet.

In this study, foot reflection was done twice a week for five weeks. Each session lasts 30 to 45 minutes. After the study ended, pregnant women who received reflexology stated that their fatigue felt significantly reduced when compared to the group of pregnant women who did not get foot reflexology.

Is foot reflection when pregnant safe?

Women in the first trimester or third trimester of pregnancy should certainly be more be careful if you want to do reflexology. Why so? This is because the emphasis on certain points in the foot can increase blood flow to the uterus, causing changes in hormonal reactions, to trigger uterine contractions. This is certainly a danger if you are still in the first trimester of pregnancy.

So, consult first with Obstetricians to assess the safety of your uterus before doing a reflexology massage. Remember, tell the therapist who will massage you that you are pregnant. A trained and professional therapist will usually immediately know which points need to be avoided when massaging the legs of a pregnant woman.

So, which massage points should be avoided during pregnancy?

If the doctor has allowed you to do foot reflections, there is nothing wrong for you to make sure again to the therapist about the points that should be avoided during pregnancy because it can stimulate the appearance of uterine contractions.

Check the following picture to find out the six pressure points which should be avoided during pregnancy because it can stimulate contractions in the uterus.