Has anyone tried reflexology or acupuncture for miscarriage?

[alterego]

Just wondered if anyone had tried reflexology or acupuncture, mainly to try and prevent miscarriage, but for anything really. Does it work?

reflexology helped me for a number of complaints...and speed up the time in which i got pg (last time took ages!).....I think they can help a bit...you'd have to talk to a good one really though as some won't touch pregnant women with a barge pole because of potentially being blamed for m/c I think.

I don't think anyone would worry about me blaming them for a m/c - I've already had two at 10 weeks and two at 5 weeks

hi alterego, sorry to hear about your miscarriages. As far as I remember, reflexology is not particularly recommended in the first 3 months, but don't quote me on that, as I have never dealt with pregnant women.

Rosies is the person you need, she's a reflexologist mumsnetter and I think she does a lot of work with pregnancy. Hope you manage to get hold of her.

like cq says..try putting out a thread for Rosies.....or maybe try contacting a reflexoligist and having a chat. In my experience it's best to go on a personal recomendation as the people i contacted without wouldn't touch me for pregnancy related stuff...and claimed that reflexology wouldn't help with getting pg...however the one I now see regularly has helped a few of my friends and friends of friends fall pg withon 3 months....I would ask her when i see her...but as my pregnancy is going well so far and I'm not ill or anything she says that there is no real need to see her before 3 months (I saw her 7 days past ov where she did a hormone workover!).

Rosies...where are u......??

gosh... i have been summoned!

hi alterego,

hmmm i dont think anything can prevent a miscarriage, if its going to happen. otoh, reflexology or any other therapy for that matter, are not to blame, should one occur.

having said all that, if you have a history (which you do) of early m/c, i'd think it best to avoid any therapies, until the pregnancy is more stable... it really all depends on the reasons for the m/c's.

reflexology can certainly aid conception and can certainly have good effect on stress... its a very tricky one... who is to say that undue stress is not having a detrimental effect on the pregnancy and therefore adding to problems that may cause m/c?

i would certainly recommend, if you did want to try reflex, getting in touch with an experienced maternity therapist. i dont know where you are but i do know therapists around the country i'd recommend.

best wishes

I would highly recommend reflexology but not during the first three months of pregnancy. (Rosies, where are you living?)

hi canadianmom,

i am in surrey, uk.

its interesting you say not in the first 3 months? are you a practitioner?

i actually did further training in reflexology to treat for pre conception through to birth and beyond.

as i said, in this particular case, i think caution is key but normally i would not hesitate in treating pregnant clients.

reflexology is great for pre conception (hmmm was going to say issues but maybe not ), early pregnancy discomforts like nausea, tiredness, stress... and then right through to maintain a good health balance and boost the bodys systems.

Oops! Sorry for the confusion... I am not a reflexologist so I should not have commented at all. I actually thought that you might be a friend of mine who is a practitioner (currently in South Africa) because her daughter's name is Rosie.
She did suggest that she would not consider treating me until I was beyond 12 weeks. I should never have said anything as I do have a history of miscarriage and maybe she was concerned more for our friendship should anything go wrong...
I could ask her via email and see what she says. Please forgive me for sticking my nose in here. I really intended to give reflexology my endorsement as it worked wonders for my son who was very ill as a baby and it sped my recovery following a late miscarriage.
Thanks for your helpful advice.

hi canadianmom,

no worries... i do get protective of my discipline though.

it is unfortunate that when training we are taught many contra indications and with some therapists, this sticks... to the extent that they will only treat well people!!!

with experience and further training, one knows their own limitations and treats within them.

the reasons why your friend didnt treat you could well be to do with your m/c but again, as you say, treatments helped you recover (i am guessing both physically and emotionally) all the quicker.

and yes, women that have regular treatments throughout pregnancy often have better deliveries with less need for induction or caesarian plus calmer babies.

Thank you for being so forgiving Rosies. I understand why you are so defensive of your profession.
Wish that I had kept my finger in my lap! (MN equivalent of keeping my mouth shut) Thanks for clearing up my doubts.
Happy New Year too!