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Pregnancy well-being treatments
From aromatherapy to acupuncture to shiatsu, there is a huge range of complementary therapies on offer at spas. There has been limited research into their safety during pregnancy, but here are some steps to take if you want to use complementary therapies during pregnancy.
First stepsAcupuncture
Acupressure
Aromatherapy
Herbs
Massage
Reflexology
First steps
Always:
* Find a qualified practitioner who has experience of working with pregnant women.
* Make sure you are aware what the therapy involves, and what's in any of the products being used.
* Stop doing anything that makes you feel unwell or puts you in pain.
Acupuncture
Are you currently in the throes of the "joys" of pregnancy, such as morning sickness and back pain? The good news is that acupuncture has been shown to be useful for dealing with these pregnancy woes and is considered to be safe. The even better news is that acupuncture is available in an increasing number of spas. Just make sure you use a qualified acupuncturist (who will be using sterile needles.)
Acupuncture can also be used to induce labour (although it would be best to find a qualified specialist nearer to home if you want to try that.)
Acupressure
Similar to acupuncture, acupressure involves putting pressure on key points on the body instead of needles, and is fine to try during pregnancy.
Aromatherapy
Popular in spas, aromatherapy oils have been used for thousands of years. Whilst some are absolutely fine to use, others are thought to be harmful during pregnancy.
Confusingly, there is little agreement about which oils are safe. Even more confusingly, it depends on how the oils are used. So, using one kind of oil might be fine in an oil burner, but not recommended for applying to your skin.
Potentially dangerous oils are rarely found in spa products, so you probably won't do any harm. But, if you want to be on the absolute safe side, steer clear of aromatherapy oils (and treatments involving them) during your first trimester.
Consult your therapist about what's safe to use later in pregnancy.
Herbs
Spas tend to have a huge variety of herbal teas, and some have proved to be useful for helping you cope with the "joys" of pregnancy. However, herbs can have strong effects so you'll need to check what's safe and what's not with a herbalist who has experience in treating pregnant women.
Massage
Massage, carried out by a qualified practitioner, can help if you are suffering with back pain and may be useful to help minimise stretch marks. It can also be extremely relaxing during pregnancy, so would be of particular benefit if you are being kept awake all night by a baby kicking your insides.
Plenty of spas offer special massages for pregnancy, or can adapt non-pregnancy massages.
Reflexology
Reflexology is very unlikely to cause any harm during pregnancy, and some women find that reflexology helps them deal with pregnancy discomforts such as sickness and constipation. Even if it doesn't cure your "morning" sickness, reflexology can certainly prove to be a very relaxing experience.
An added incentive for reflexology if you're in the last days of pregnancy: studies have shown that reflexology might help to shorten labour!
See also:
* Buy mother-to-be and baby products at The Good Spa Shop
* I'm pregnant and feeling pretty grim. Will this ruin my spa stay?
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