I am currently completing my Ante and Post Natal Personal Training qualification and have been studying the effects of exercise on pregnant women and how important it is to keep active throughout pregnancy.  Physical wellness is so important for a healthy pregnancy but spiritual wellness should be viewed with the same importance.

I have written quite a bit about the general benefits of reiki for those with physical and emotional issues but I thought it would be great to outline the benefits it has specifically for pregnant women.  The body goes through so many changes during pregnancy and there really is a place for reiki to help easy symptoms as well as work to help the emotional wellbeing of the expectant mother.

The most obvious symptoms faced by the mother to be are physical ones.  In the first trimester nausea and sickness often occur and many hormonal changes take place.  Reiki can be great at helping with nausea, allowing the mother to relax.  Later in the pregnancy back pain and discomfort are common, along with tiredness.  I have found reiki to be very energizing which can help with tiredness levels and reiki healing can also be used to help ease back pain.

Pregnancy can also have psychological implications for the mother to be and these can certainly be helped by reiki. There changes can have a big impact on the wellbeing of both the mother and the baby^1.  Due to factors such as hormonal changes and fears about the future it is not surprising that as many as one in three pregnant women experience some type of depression¹.  Stress and Anxiety are also common.  Many pregnant women become anxious, so much so, it is almost considered as a normal side effect of pregnancy¹.  These can range from worrying about drinking and smoking following conception when the mother didn’t know she was pregnant, to worrying about the birth itself and bringing up a child.  Extreme stress and anxiety can manifest into physical symptoms which can harm the mother and child.  Women may notice heart palpitations, increased heart rate, headaches and muscle tension^1..

Reiki is great for stress and anxiety.  Although it does not offer a cure in one session, regular reiki sessions can work to balance energy levels and promote mental and spiritual wellbeing for the mother to be.  Even fears of upcoming labour can be helped through the deep relaxation and balance brought about by reiki.  This deep relaxation can also help with sleep patterns which may be an issue during pregnancy.  Reiki also enhances the bond between mother and child as the child is also receiving reiki energy during the healing session.

After working with pregnant women I have seen that the benefits reiki can offer are certainly worth considering.  Reiki promotes physical, mental and spiritual harmony and wellbeing which is of great importance to a pregnant woman as she journey’s down the path of motherhood.

Love & Light 

Reference

1. The Complete Guide to Pregnancy and Fitness – Morc Coulson and Sarah Bolitho 2012.