If your little one is unwell or she's mostly unsettled, and yous've tried everything, then yous might want to slip off those booties and give her a foot massage. Many parents swear by foot reflexology to help at-home newborns so if you lot haven't tried information technology, here's everything you demand to know.

What is reflexology?

Reflexology is a type of massage where pressure level points in the feet and hands are worked on to help ease hurting or promote wellness in other areas of the body such every bit diverse organs, muscles and bones. An aboriginal class of natural healing therapy, reflexology has been practised for centuries in countries such as China and Egypt and is still a popular technique used by many today.

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How it helps babies

Massaging a babe when she's upset comes naturally for female parent, and for a good reason – it really helps. With their sensitive skin, soft basic and developing bodies, babies are peculiarly responsive to reflexology. By applying gentle pressure level to congested areas of the anxiety you can aid release blockages and restore energy flow to your baby's whole torso to help with everything from tum pains and teething, to constipation, colds and flu.

Reflexology is besides very benign for babies who have had traumatic births, where instruments such as forceps were used. Unfortunately, it will not cure any major conditions that your babe might have. All the same, it Will assistance soothe them. And the best part? Information technology's totally costless, safe, convenient and a not bad bonding exercise that both you and your baby volition love.

The mother-baby connectedness

According to Lyn Fava, Principal of The Australian School of Reflexology and Relaxation, the primary matter with infant reflexology is about connecting with the mother as well as the baby, because the baby reflects the mother's emotions.

"Whenever I work on a baby I always work on the mother also. Often the mother will have tender spots in the same areas that her babe is experiencing problems and if she is anxious the babe volition be as well," says Lyn. "Reflexology is similar an emotional release for the baby, but hold them in your arms and then exercise tiny gentle physical movements over the foot to help calm them, relax and allow go."

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How and where you do it

Apparently, you can see a professional to give your bub (and yourself!) some reflexology therapy. However, yous can besides do it yourself at dwelling. Lyn says yous can beginning pretty much equally before long after nascency as long your baby settled. Because it's hard to pinpoint all the dissimilar pressure level points when she's so little, merely a full general lite massage over the whole human foot area volition work initially.

Then, equally she grows, y'all try and exist more specific in where yous massage. Here'due south a rough guide of where to apply pressure to aid a particular part of her body:

  • Tips of the toes – Great for helping with teething pain, earaches or headaches as it helps generate more claret flow to the skull.
  • Toe undersides – Helps with sinus congestion and pain caused past viruses and colds.
  • Pads – This is the cushion spot right under the toes, give this a massage in a circular motion to assist ease chest pain, coughs and congestion.
  • Centre of the foot – This links straight to your baby's solar plexus (nerves connecting the lungs and tum) and so tin can help with tummy pain and tightness in the abdomen, plus anxiety.
  • Between eye and pad – The spot betwixt the center of the foot and the pad is where you'll assistance ease constipation, indigestion and heartburn.
  • Between eye and heel – For gas and bloating hurting caused by the lower intestine, massage the spot betwixt the heel and center of the foot.
  • Heel – This tin provide relief from pelvic hurting and growth discomfort in the hips, and might as well help with stomach upsets and constipation.

baby reflexology

Image credit: The Hearty Soul

Tips and tricks

The primal thing to call up says Lyn, is that you need to be very, very gentle.

"You besides need to seek permission, energetically, from the baby to touch them and be sure to stop when they've had enough," she says. "Reflexology is all virtually love, nurturing and care – that'due south the mindset. It really can help babies straight abroad, and it besides works as they go older too – particularly with things like anxiety."

Here are some other unproblematic tips to assistance yous plant a good reflexology routine with your little ane:

  • Make sure they're relaxed – A good time to do it is either when they're feeding, asleep (such as in a baby carrier), during or right afterwards a bath. This is when they're near probable to be calm and non stressed.
  • Start with a warm-up – You want to go the blood catamenia happening first so do a gentle all over massage of the feet with some soft strokes.
  • Use an oil – At that place are lots of prophylactic and natural babe massage oils on the market place which can help you get a better catamenia and technique happening.
  • Non besides hard – Make certain y'all're not applying pressure that'southward too firm or they won't relish information technology. Very light and gentle movements merely. If your baby is sick, they will exist more sensitive too so attempt beingness extra gentle.
  • Don't exercise it for too long – Around 5-10 minutes is a skillful guide for how long to make your bub'due south reflexology session, but if they pull their foot away before then it probably means they're not enjoying information technology so best to stop and effort once again another fourth dimension.

Read more on alternative therapies:

  • Gently does it: How to give your baby a massage
  • Acupuncture: How it can help with fertility, pregnancy and mail service nascency
  • Aromatherapy for babies: Here'due south a little how-to guide to go you started

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