I met Aisling from The Lovely Wellness Company just before Christmas, as having recently moved to Teddington I wanted to meet some people in the area who were in similar industries to me. 
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Aisling teaches yoga classes, specialising in pregnancy and post natal wellness and runs yoga retreats. She has a lovely air about her and I would highly recommend going to one of her classes- whether you are pregnant or not!

https://thelovelywellnesscompany.com/

Follow the instructions on this image to give yourself a maternity reflexology treatment, or even better, get someone else to do it for you! Make sure you don't do the intestine 4 point until you are past your due date. I would start using these points about a week before you are due to help to relax you and encourage the baby to come naturally. 

My mother, Katie Sandeman, is a birth doula and she is highly recommended. 

A birth doula is there to support you in any decisions you make with regards to the birth of your child. She will offer one-to-one support during the ante natal period and throughout the birth itself. 

She is also a breast feeding support volunteer at Chelsea & Westminster, so can help iron out any problems following the birth of your child and any breastfeeding issues you may be having. 

​If you are interested in having extra support during your birth, please contact Katie at:
www.theputneydoula.co.uk

Reflexology is a great non-evasive therapy that can be had throughout pregnancy (I treat from week 14 onwards), right up to the point where the mother may go into labour. Although there is no evidence that reflexology can induce labour, it can help to support the body to prepare for labour and promote relaxation when anxiety levels are often high.

In the second and third trimester, reflexology can be used to help with any issues that may occur. It can help the body to relax and ease any aches and pains. 

If it is "labour inducing" you are after through your maternity reflexology journey, then the best time to start having treatments is around 33/34 weeks. It is good to have at least 2 treatments before your due date to allow your body to get over the "healing crisis" so that you will feel tip top when it comes to giving birth! The healing crisis is our bodies way of flushing out toxins after a treatment- sometimes this process can make us feel a bit groggy and run down, which can all be helped by drinking plenty of water. 

After these two treatments, the labour inducing techniques can be introduced. These techniques are quite firm and sometimes can be a little bit uncomfortable- but can all help towards getting the baby out naturally. 

There are some very good videos on YouTube which you and your partner can do at home to help encourage a natural labour:
Labour Induction Pressure points on the back
Labour Induction pressure points on the upper back and hand
Labour Induction pressure points on leg and foot
These techniques should be applied from week 37 onwards.