The Gentle Birth Method: The Month-by-Month Jeyarani Way Programme. Karen MacLeod Swan

Its pedigree

      Reflexology has an esteemed history. Like acupuncture, it has been used in China and India for over 5000 years. In Egypt, ancient hieroglyphic drawings have been found that depict royal persons receiving reflexology with the caption ‘you shall thank me for the pain’ (when the nodules are massaged to break down the granules it can be painful). There is also evidence that Native American tribes knew of the relationship between the reflex points and the internal organs of the body and used this knowledge to treat disease. Reflexology has been steadily assimilated as a complement to conventional Western medicine since the 1870s, in the fields of dentistry, gynaecology, chiropractice, chest medicine, orthopaedics and ENT. In addition, it is now being used in a growing number of other specialities within UK hospitals and in general practice clinics within the NHS.

       Reflexology in pregnancy

      My inclusion of reflexology in the initial pregnancy strategies that I developed was accidental, yet it is now one of the most powerful tools in my programme. You may find, as you have more and more treatments, it helps to identify areas within your body that need cleansing. Many of my mothers find their feet are indicators of their internal health and enjoy finding out how the reflex areas are improving with reflexology as the weeks go by. As mothers progress through their pregnancies, they are quick to point out specific areas of tenderness in their feet that correspond to a physical weakness elsewhere, such as a tender sciatic nerve.

      Reflexology is very safe in pregnancy, and is instrumental in helping 45.5 per cent of my mothers give birth at the optimum gestation of 40 weeks. At term, it can be effective in initiating contractions and labour by stimulating the pituitary, adrenal and uterine reflex areas.

      Note: In the early weeks of pregnancy (up to 12 weeks), before the placenta is fully established, I generally advise a gentle foot massage, concentrating on light drainage and working only on the upper areas of the foot. Along with this I recommend positive visualization and Reiki. In the month-by-month guide on pages 131-83, there are specific indications for reflexology at different stages of pregnancy.

       What it can do for you in pregnancy

       Reduce and normalize high blood pressure (hypertension). Weekly treatments of reflexology for 30-45 minutes usually reduces high blood pressure and can help you avoid repeated admission to hospital for rest and observation

       Normalize low blood pressure

       Eliminate oedema and reduce swelling in feet and ankles

       Prevent heartburn

       Improve sleep quality

       Clear headaches

       Relieve varicose veins

       Clear pelvic congestion

       Improve lymphatic drainage and complement the effects of the recommended eating plan

       Aid digestion by boosting the pancreatic secretion of digestive hormones – the pancreas can become sluggish during pregnancy due to the effect of the placental hormones

       Oxygenate the baby by improving the blood flow within your whole body, your uterus and the baby’s placenta

       Help you to carry your baby to term

       Can be used to initiate labour if you are overdue, thereby reducing the need for medical induction at hospital

       Intensify contractions during labour and shorten labour as a result

       Can you do it yourself?

      Yes, partly. Below is a basic five-minute massage that can be performed on the feet or hands.

      Method: A light all-round kneading of each foot can help to relax your whole body. Specific lymphatic drainage is encouraged by working deeply on the tissues on the top of the recipient’s foot by moving your fingers up and down the spaces between the bones and massaging deeply. (The same techniques can by applied to your hands – simply massage up and down the webbed area between the fingers on the top of the hands.)

      Birth story: Reflexology benefits during labour – Tricia

      My contractions started at 12.15am and were every 20-30 minutes. By 6am they were every 5-10 minutes and by 9am, every 3 minutes. I arrived at hospital at 9.45am and was found to be 6cm dilated. By 1.00pm, I was fully dilated. My waters broke at 1.15pm and Robert was born at 2.36pm.

      Throughout the contractions, I concentrated on my breathing and other than occasionally walking around, I knelt on the bed, holding the headboard, rocking backwards and forwards in time with inhaling and exhaling.

      During the birthing process, I sat upright so that I could push downwards. Other than four gasps of entonox, I had no pain relief, other than my husband massaging my feet. I did notice that when he massaged my feet, the contractions weren’t so severe.

       Creative Healing

       What is it?

      No this is nothing to do with mystic powers, it’s a specialized hands-on massage technique using virgin olive oil. Its aim is to restore function to a disturbed part of the body. This is achieved by applying the four principles of Creative Healing, which are:

      1 to normalize body temperature through cooling or warming techniques

      2 to create drainage channels to decongest (along with lymphatic drainage)

      3 to remove congestion by light massage on thickened areas under the skin

      4 to reposition displaced substances i.e. within vertebral disc spaces, or knee cartilage.

       Its pedigree

      Creative Healing was developed by Joseph B. Stephenson, who was born in 1874 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. He migrated to America, where he practiced as a respected healer for over 20 years and passed on his method to several chiropractors and physical therapists on his retirement. Creative Healing has a wide following in the United States and in 1989 I met Patricia Bradley of The Joseph B. Stephenson Foundation of Creative Healing, based in California. Struck by the simplicity and effectiveness of the method, in 1990 I invited Patricia and her husband John to come to London to teach us the method. Since then I have been practising Creative Healing and have taught courses in England, Europe and India.

       Creative Healing in pregnancy

      The success of Creative Healing in clearing the body of congestion and optimizing physiological function was my primary reason for incorporating it into my Gentle Birth Method programme. There is a great need for the joints and muscles of the lower back, sacrum and coccyx to be functionally mobile and clear from congestion if a mother is going to have a gentle birth. When muscles and ligaments within the body are returned to their natural state, they automatically become supple and elastic. The Creative Healing treatments in the programme concentrate on bringing about this transformation to the birthing areas – the spine, pelvic area, sciatic area and sacrum. However, since birth is a function of the whole body, treatments for the organs that are important to maintain optimum health – for instance, the heart, liver, pancreas and gut – are included at specific times during pregnancy.

       What it can do for you in pregnancy

       Reduce nausea and vomiting

       Optimize digestion and pancreatic function

       Relieve constipation and regulate bowel function

       Increase energy levels

       Reduce breathlessness

       Reduce anxiety and stress

       Eliminate back and neck pain

       Eliminate