Let’s Talk About Reflexology During Pregnancy and Labor

Reflexology, acupressure and massage can all be wonderful during pregnancy and labor. Every pregnant woman deserves to have at least one massage per trimester, says I. Massages should always be performed by certified massage therapists, preferably one that is familiar with pregnant women. Acupressure, also referred to as reflexology, has the ability to trigger uterine contractions if done in specific points of the body, and should only be performed to induce labor after a woman is overdue to deliver. Avoid reflexology points until you are past your due date. To induce labor naturally using reflexology, follow these instructions: For all … Continue reading →

Let’s Talk About Touch During Labor

Skin is the largest organ of our bodies, and touch is a very powerful thing. For your infant, it will be one of their most-used tools for discovering the world around them. For you, it can be the best or the worst part of your labor. Learn how to use the power of touch to your benefit while laboring. Women who are touched in a loving and supportive way during labor report that their pain is less intense. Touch will give the laboring woman a way to center her concentration and focus her mental energy away from pain. Some women … Continue reading →

Let’s Talk About Water Birth: Fluid Pain Relief

My second daughter was born at home via water delivery. Today is her three-month birthday. Today I rejoice in her magical birth. I had planned a water birth at home from the very beginning. I knew that having a water birth would probably be the best thing for me to do, and I was very excited about it. I only wish that I had delivered my first in the same way, but being a young first time mother, it wasn’t something that I knew enough about. In the almost five years before becoming pregnant again, I had come across the … Continue reading →