Reflexology is nothing new and is the ancient practice of massaging pressure points throughout the body to stimulate nerve endings and can help to relieve pain. These nerve endings apparently correspond to different organs and places within the body. Parents are now looking at reflexology to help their young children. Parents are even using reflexology on newborn babies who are just getting started on this beautiful planet.
Listed below are some ways to help your children with any pain or discomfort they may have. Professionals recommend that before you start any reflexology massage, you need to relax your baby first and encourage blood flow to the feet with a gentle foot rub or even a lovely warm bath.
Abdomen Pain (Upper and Lower)
If your child is suffering from indigestion, constipation or heartburn, then expert reflexologists recommend massaging the space between the middle of your child’s foot and the pads of their feet.
If there is pain from wind or bloating, they try gently massaging the middle of the foot and the heel to help with pain relief and to bring some comfort.
Headaches and Toothaches
Teething is a natural part of a babies life, and the pain I can imagine is excruciating but gently massaging their little toes can bring some them relief. You can even massage their toes while they are sleeping, and they will be less likely to be woken by teething pain.
Chest
The pads of the feet just below the toes are pressure points that connect to the chest. Gentle pressure here and massaging in a circular motion can help to relieve the discomfort of congestion or any pain that is associated with coughing.
Stomach Pain (solar plexus)
The Solar plexus is a powerhouse of nerves between the lungs and the stomach. The centre of the foot corresponds with the Solar plexus, or it is also known as the celiac plexus. Lightly massaging this area of the foot can provide relief from upset stomachs, tightness, trouble breathing and spasms.
Sinus Pains and Pressures
According to expert reflexologists, the pressure points in the centre underside of a child’s toes correspond to the sinuses. If you apply gentle pressure to these points on your child’s feet, you will provide some sinus relief.
Pelvis
Your heel on your foot is connected to the pelvis, hips and also part of the stomach. As babies grow very quickly, they can get tension, tightness, and often pain can occur in the babies hips. Gently rubbing your babies heel can help them feel better and can also be helpful for an upset stomach or constipation.
A Sense of Security and Calm
Massaging the back, base and sides of the heel, which is also known as the mother earth area, gives a baby a feeling of safety and comfort. If you gently hold the base of the heel of your babies foot with your fingers and apply gentle pressure can undoubtedly help with crying and make them feel calmer, giving them a feeling of relaxation. This technique is known as the mother earth hold and is called this because it provides a sense of grounding and is often recommended by experts to do at the start of a baby foot massaging routine.
As ever with anything like this, we always recommend that you get in touch with your doctor or GP if your child is experiencing any medical issues.
Give these reflexology tips a try on your baby and see if it helps at all to give them relaxation and relief throughout their day.
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