Tag: reflexology

Categories
Reflexology

Reflexology and infertility

Reproflexology and undiagnosed infertility – some numbers for you.

Pregnancy – 70%
Live birth rate – 70%

Success rates from a data collection study of 180 cases, published in Reflexology for Fertility.

‘It is important to be aware that these results can ONLY be attributed to using these particular reproflexology protocols and no other form of reflexology’

Barbara Scott, ‘Reflexology for Fertility, a practitioners’ guide to natural and assisted conception’ (Watkins, 2016)

Are you struggling to get pregnant? Have you been told you have undiagnosed infertility (i.e. “we don’t know why you aren’t pregnant yet”)?

Reproflexology techniques are designed to help you – by teaching you how your bodies work; using specific reflexology routines to support and maintain a regular monthly cycle; by treating male partners as well (remember, their wellbeing is also critical) to help optimum sperm health; and by discussing dietary and nutritional information which is specific to your needs.

I am now taking on new clients to work with these new techniques, get in touch with me to schedule your consultation, by calling or booking an appointment online.

Categories
conception families fertility pregnancy Reflexology

Reflexology and endometriosis

Reproflexology and endometriosis – some numbers for you.

Reflexology and endometriosis:
Pregnancy – 65%
Live birth rate – 55%

Success rates from a data collection study of 180 cases, published in Reflexology for Fertility.

‘It is important to be aware that these results can ONLY be attributed to using these particular reproflexology protocols and no other form of reflexology’

Barbara Scott, ‘Reflexology for Fertility, a practitioners’ guide to natural and assisted conception’ (Watkins, 2016)

Endometriosis is a condition in which uterine tissues grow outside the uterus – it can develop around all your reproductive organs, around the bowel, bladder and vagina. Up to 25% of women in the UK who are ‘sub-fertile’ are thought to have endometriosis, and approximately 5-10% of all women of reproductive age.

Symptoms: pain during sex, heavy, painful or irregular periods, bleeding between periods, chronic pelvic pain, abdominal pain, bloating, fatigue.

Reproflexology techniques are designed to help you – by learning how your bodies work, using specific routines to support a regular monthly cycle, as well as any known conditions that may affect your wellbeing; by treating male partners as well to help optimum sperm health and using other tools and advice.

Book or call now for a consultation and assessment –https://weymouthbayreflexology.co.uk/appointments-fees/

Categories
exercise mindfulness Reflexology relaxation

Week of self care

If you’re following my pages on Instagram or Facebook, you might have seen some of my week of self care tips. If not, don’t worry, I’m adding them all here for my lovely website viewers!

Day One – Take a shower  (or run a deliciously deep bath). ENJOY the hot water, feel how gorgeous it is to be luxuriating instead of rushing. GIVE yourself at least 10 minutes – TIP: use a timer if you need to. USE that special shower gel or bath bubbles you’ve been saving for a special occasion. Make YOURSELF the special occasion and LUXURIATE in this time for YOU. NOTICE how paying attention to something small makes you feel – note it down if you want to remember.  YOU are special and worthy of self-care.

Day Two – READ something REAL. An actual paper book, a magazine, your kids stories, even a gardening or clothes catalogue. REMEMBER how the texture, smell and even the typeface of words make the experience PLEASURABLE and so much MORE engaging of your senses than reading a screen. GIVE yourself at least 10 minutes – TIP: use a timer if you need to. NOTICE how paying attention to something small makes you feel – note it down if you want to remember. YOU are special and worthy of self-care.

Day Three – Try using a positive affirmation. Look at YOURSELF in a mirror and tell yourself : I am worthy of LOVE and JOY – say it with feeling. This is just for YOU so don’t worry if you feel silly – nobody is watching or judging. If you feel that a different affirmation would be more truthful for YOU then your magical search engine will help you find something GOOD and JUICY. FLOOD yourself with LOVE and positive energy. NOTICE how paying attention to something small makes you feel – note it down if you want to remember. YOU are special and worthy of self-care.

Day Four – LEAVE your phone alone. Really far away. Take a walk without it, try a meditation or a stretch. Bake a cake. GIVE yourself at least 60 minutes  phone free time. NOTICE how you feel WITHOUT it and what you did with that time instead (NOTE your feelings if you’d like a reminder). Pay ATTENTION to what’s around you right NOW. TIP: use a timer if you need to. NOTICE how paying attention makes you feel – note it down if you want to remember. YOU are special and worthy of self-care.

Day Five – TRY reflexology. Use the video posted on my IGTV and story showing you some quick and EASY HAND reflexology that you can use on yourself. Be MINDFUL of your self touch, you should be gentle and use smooth and flowing movements. USE these techniques for 2 minutes at least 3 times TODAY. NOTICE how paying attention to something small makes you feel – note it down if you want to remember. YOU are special and worthy of self-care.

Day Six – CALL (don’t text) a friend or someone special for a catch-up, short or long. TELL them how much they mean to you. REMIND yourself that CONNECTIONS with other human beings are part of the LOVING nature of life. NOTICE how you FEEL being part of someone else’s story for a few minutes and have GRATITUDE and LOVE for that person in your life
NOTE that feeling if you want to remember. YOU are special and worthy of self-care.

Day Seven – GIVE yourself a high five! If you’ve followed along all week and tried out everything I suggested, you’ve given yourself the GIFT of a week of SELF CARE. I hope you’ve enjoyed taking part. Let me know how you got on with the challenge – has it changed how you feel about giving YOU some time and attention? Will you repeat any of it? Drop your comments below or send me a DM- I’d love to hear from you.
YOU are SO special and worthy of self-care 

Love, Rowena x

Categories
Reflexology

We’re all doing our best

We’re all making it up as we go along…
Don’t beat yourself up about things you have no control over. Be kind to yourself first – it makes it easier to be kind to everyone else around you. Take it easy if you can, have a routine if it helps. Get some fresh air when you can.
.
I’m here for chats if you need to talk.
.
Big love 💙👣💙

Rowena

Categories
conception fertility nutrition Reflexology

Virtual Support

I want to play my part in keeping my clients (and myself) safe and well during the current Corona virus pandemic. That means that for my clients, hands-on treatments have been suspended for the time being. Currently suggestions from government mean that the earliest potential opening date for hands-on therapies may be some time in July.

I am providing online consultations / support at this time. If you do need support or would like further information or advice about the services I can offer, then please use the contact form to get in touch.

FERTILITY CLIENTS – If you are waiting for your fertility clinic to re-open, this may be the perfect time to prepare yourself using a holistic approach for when your fertility journey can begin again. We can work together online, with specific advice and self-care to look after your fertility during this ‘down-time’.

For everyone: I have a selection of self-care reflexology videos available for you to try (there are also simple diagrams to help you on the Freebies tab). Do have a go if you’ve got some spare time and need a little guidance. I am also keeping in touch via my Facebook and Instagram pages, so do check in from time to time and say hi!

If you feel that you just want to talk to someone, I’m available during my usual office hours (Mon-Thurs, 9-3), by email or phone.

Categories
conception families fertility men Reflexology

Men’s Health Week 2020

During this week, I’ll be adding posts to my social media with links to useful articles on men’s health, particularly in relation to their fertility. In my practice, unfortunately, I don’t see men coming for ANY reflexology very often, and I’d like to see that change. The majority of the work I do now is reflexology for fertility – however, when I see the female in a couple, I often don’t ever see the male, or find out what’s going on with them. That needs to change.

It seems like the role males play in their own or their partners’ fertility is being ignored, or downplayed – either by the men themselves, or by their doctors. As men contribute 50% of the genetic material to a potential embryo, I’d like to change that narrative, and work with both parties, as it makes such a difference – not only in the fertility side of things, but emotionally and within that relationship, where both parties are included within the process.

Anyway, off my high horse for now, here are the articles and podcasts that I’ve found for you, which might educate and inform you a little.

https://www.thefertilitypodcast.com/season2ep9/?fbclid=IwAR0uSFjnM9RbuAps4vkm5P9nmDj-y9G4_NoukUtRYJsnmLE98Wn8K4TG6fU

https://www.menshealthforum.org.uk/sperm-faqs?fbclid=IwAR2oBlSC6us1pEhAyfGDI56dYMioXUdSzeSDVvWoK4aKbgMpjbsxVoWyTZM

https://www.instagram.com/p/CBgi9-ZARSp/

https://www.instagram.com/p/CBlkEdZpwpP/

Categories
Reflexology relaxation stress

What is homeostasis?

Do you know what homestasis means?

It’s a term used in many holistic therapies, including reflexology.

Essentially, it means balance. Within your body all the many systems that keep you upright and functioning are very finely tuned. Trust me, YOU are a miracle!

If anything goes out of balance in an organ or system, it manifests as some kind of issue in your body, a pain, a feeling of wrongness, symptoms of illness, fertility issues and so on.

Reflexologists aim to encourage your body to re-balance itself through applying gentle touch – including massage and reflexology to the feet, face, and hands. It’s a powerful therapy.

Have you tried reflexology yet?

Categories
conception fertility pregnancy Reflexology

What is a short luteal phase? And why is it important when you’re trying to conceive?

The luteal phase is the 10 – 16 days between ovulation (release of an egg) and the bleed. The phase length is governed by the corpus luteum, a temporary endocrine gland which forms from the empty follicle after ovulation. The corpus luteum is responsible for the production of progesterone, which supports the development of any embyros until the placenta forms at about 12 – 15 weeks gestation and takes over.

If you are trying to get pregnant, a short luteal phase could hamper your attempts, as the progesterone needed to help establish a pregnancy may not be sufficient. You may have been diagnosed as sub-fertile or experienced early miscarriage.

A short luteal phase usually means your body is producing low quantities of progesterone. Signs of this include PMS, pre-period bleeding or spotting, cyclical headaches, weight gain, painful or lumpy breasts, heavy/long bleed.

Short luteal phases can be caused by many factors:

Stress (emotional, physical, illness, trauma, surgery) – the body can suppress reproductive hormones when the hypothalamus reacts to body chemistry changes

Undereating – another form of stress where the body reacts to being undernourished

Medical conditions – these may be undiagnosed, but coeliac disease and thyroid disease are known to be a factor

Can you improve a short luteal phase?

Yes. Changes to diet, lifestyle,specific supplements and targeted reflexology have shown improvements in lengthening luteal phases.

Balancing your cycle helps your body to work in harmony (remember homeostastis in my last post) and regulate itself.

What’s your luteal phase like?

Categories
Reflexology

My Story

Welcome! I’m Rowena Gledhill, your fertility reflexologist.

How did I get here?

I was born in Weymouth and lived here until moving to London in the 1990’s. We were told we had unexplained fertility, after trying for a baby over a year, undergoing lots of tests and an operation. I was devasted, and then decided that I wanted to retrain as a reflexologist, so I was about to leave my job and start a full-time training course.

I found I was pregnant (very unexpectedly) on my 30th birthday and my training plan was sadly shelved at that time. I had my first baby at 35 weeks (premature), and as a result of the trauma from this unplanned event, I suffered with post-natal depression and PTSD. My health visitor recommended looking into holistic therapies to help me, and I found a local reflexologist to give me treatments.

These quickly helped me to feel better, and also kept me well during my second pregnancy, and second premature delivery. We decided to move back to Weymouth with our two babies, so that I could have some help from my Dorset-based family.

When our children had both started school, I studied Early Years education with the OU. However, my experience of receiving reflexology, and the benefits I had experienced kept nudging at me, and then the Universe conspired to arrange my local college to offer qualification at a professional level – so I invested in myself, took a leap of faith and qualified in Reflexology with Anatomy and Physiology. I have since added to my original training with professional qualifications in fertility reflexology, facial reflexology, and baby and child reflexology, giving me a rounded basis to work with clients from pre-conception on.

My ambition is to support couples to achieve their dreams for a family, using reflexology and a holistic approach to support that desire. If you want to maximise fertility and wellbeing naturally, then I know that reflexology can make a difference.

Categories
conception fertility pregnancy Reflexology

What is PCOS?

What is PCOS / Poly Cycstic Ovary Syndrome?

PCOS is a whole body hormone condition, not just a period problem.

When follicle sacs within the ovaries fail to develop properly, they can cause cysts on the ovary surface (hence the term poly = many and cystic = follicles). These can interfere with ovulation because the hormones needed to support ovulation are not working correctly.

It’s relatively common for women to have polycystic ovaries – and in fact teenagers are very likely to have polycystic ovaries and be considered ‘normal’.

Not everyone with these types of cysts has PCOS – unless you also have raised levels of luteinising hormone (LH) and testosterone.

PCOS is really a group of symptoms, related to lack of ovulation and higher levels of male-type hormones (androgens).

What are the symptoms of PCOS?

Irregular or late bleeds (irregular bleeds are typical of cycles with NO ovulation)
Long bleeds
Excessive facial or body hair
Acne
Hair loss
Weight gain
Infertility

Commonly prescribed treatment options for PCOS include the contraceptive pill, anti-androgen drugs, and metformin.

Some of these will not be suitable if you are trying to conceive or want to get your cycles regulated in a more natural way. They also rely on knowing which type of PCOS is driving your condition – i.e. insulin-resistant, post-pill, inflammatory or adrenal.

As a fertility reflexologist, I use a holistic approach, which includes sharing information on nutrition, lifestyle changes and supplements. I use fertility reflexology to help your menstrual cycle rebalance, reminding your body what it needs to do to reduce your symptoms and get those hormones properly flowing.

How can you help yourself? Lots of different things can help, but as above, find out what kind of PCOS you have in order to make the right changes.

Need help with that? Get in touch via the ‘book now’ button, or click here.