Ok, I have a thing about feet... I'm not phobic or anything... well, really I have a thing about touching peoples DIRTY feet. And really, how many women go into labor and go immediately wash their feet? Not many I assume...
So, any tips on this?
Obviously foot massage and labor will most likely work well together and I don't want my foot problem to stand in the way of good support.
Maybe if I just use some hand sanitizer before the massage I'll feel better... anything?
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Ashley Motzenbecker, CD (CBI), RP, PED
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I know.. I like pretty feet, and insist on keeping mine polished all the time. Passed it on to my daughter and we have decided that there should be a rule, well actually a law, and if you want to wear sandals you need to have polished toes and no callouses!
So I do also have a yucky feet fetish. I get grossed out. ( I also do not like anyone touching my feet, except hubby) So I am really not that good at doing the whole foot massage thing. So I bypass it and try to stick with hands and calves and any part of the body other than feet.
Reflexologists use an antibacteria wipe to wipe down feet before they do a treatment. Have a pack of these in your doula bag! It's a health thing, they need to sanitize them before they work on them.
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I've only once had a problem with massaging a woman's feet. They stunk. We were at the hospital, so I got a couple of extra large washcloths, got them wet with hot water, and wrapped them on her feet like it was a spa treatment. (I put a Chux under her feet to keep the bed dry.) She loved it, and I was able to wash the feet on the sly, which helped tremendously. Then I used scented lotion, which made it no problem at all.
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Okay, so my foot thing was weird because when I was growing up I couldn't stand other people's feet touching me. If I sat on the couch too close to my mom or sister and their feet touched me I would freak out. As I got older I still didn't like other people's feet unless they were cute (like Michele ). I did find though that when a mama was in labor and she really needed me and I knew a foot massage would help I had no issues. I would just use a nice smelling oil and all was good (have to make sure she puts socks back on before she gets up though so she doesn't go sliding all over the place).
When I worked in the student massage clinic when I was going through massage school I saw some of the nastiest feet and had to overcome my issues. Some people had dirty feet, but what was worse was smelly feet and warty feet!!!! Thankfully the warty feet we cannot touch as warts are contageous, but geesh I often wondered what people were thinking before they came for a massage. I wondered if some people ever bathed with a few clients!!!
I would suggest a nice smelling lotion or oil. Like someone else said - maybe start with an antibacterial lotion (I wouldn't use a wipe as that might make mama feel like something is wrong with her - I know you can say it is a health thing, but I could see that hurting her feelings all the same). If you use an antibacterial lotion you can start with that and then switch to a massage lotion or oil.
Perhaps starting with people you know and explaining how you hate feet and need to get past this issue and do a little massage on them. Even maybe giving a massage to someone you know who has really gross looking feet (don't tell them that though - just explain you have a foot issue that you want to overcome ). When you are able to massage the worst then semi bad doesn't look so bad anymore
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I've only once had a problem with massaging a woman's feet. They stunk. We were at the hospital, so I got a couple of extra large washcloths, got them wet with hot water, and wrapped them on her feet like it was a spa treatment. (I put a Chux under her feet to keep the bed dry.) She loved it, and I was able to wash the feet on the sly, which helped tremendously. Then I used scented lotion, which made it no problem at all.
I like this idea!!!! You could let her know you had this done to you in a spa and it was amazing
I've only once had a problem with massaging a woman's feet. They stunk. We were at the hospital, so I got a couple of extra large washcloths, got them wet with hot water, and wrapped them on her feet like it was a spa treatment. (I put a Chux under her feet to keep the bed dry.) She loved it, and I was able to wash the feet on the sly, which helped tremendously. Then I used scented lotion, which made it no problem at all.
I wonder how many women would be grateful that you "washed" their feet first. I think I would. I might be paranoid that my feet are smelly if I went into labor at the end of the day and had been in socks and shoes all day and would actually appreciate the little spa treatment cleansing before a massage. I don't think I'd be able to enjoy the massage while wondering if my feet stink lol
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I don't think I'd be able to enjoy the massage while wondering if my feet stink lol
Same here!
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Ashley Motzenbecker, CD (CBI), RP, PED
Certified Labor Doula, Certified Perinatal Educator, Level II Reiki Certified
Regional Coordinator and Volunteer Doula for Operation Special Delivery www.wiregrassdoulaservices.com
Most of the women I am doula-ing for seem to have taken a shower/bath early on in their labor, so their feet are clean by the time I'm doing foot massage, so it hasn't been an issue.
I love the warm washcloth idea - that is great!!!
I'm not a touchy-feely person in general; I did have to get over that when I became a doula LOL
The first foot massage I did was when I was with my mentor doula; we were attending a birth together and at one point she was giving mom a foot massage and then she went to do something else, threw the lotion at me and said, "Go massage her feet." I couldn't really say no, so I muddled through, and the mom said she really liked it!! Surprise surprise!!
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I hate feet! LOL
I have always hated feet, mine or anyone else's; yes, I have a HUGE foot problem. Even if they are clean feet, I do not want them touching me (baby feet are ok before they learn to walk ). I don't like my own feet and never bother to paint my toenails...'cause I'm not going to be showing them off anyway! The only times I go barefooted are if I'm taking a shower or going swimming; at all other times, I have on socks and/or shoes. If I wear sandals, they need to be the closed-toe type; and if truth be known....I sooo wish that everyone else in the world wore closed-toed shoes as well. I had to share a double bed with my younger sister while growing up; I always took a wet washcloth to bed and made her clean her feet. Now, in case his feet touch me, I check dh's feet and make him wash his before climbing into bed, too! I know that paragraph was mighty choppy, but perhaps it conveys some of my insanity when it comes to feet!
As luck would have it, almost EVERY client of mine wants a foot massage (usually more than once) during labor! I do clean their feet first, use nice smelling lotions, and just make myself do it. Not one client of mine has ever known that I have a foot problem because I've become quite the actress; I've been told that I do excellent foot massages, btw. I've actually gotten myself to the point that it seems different, and somehow ok, IF it is a laboring mom's feet....but you would NEVER catch me doing someone else's! It really is a sacrifice on my part to do foot massage, but it's this kind of stuff that keeps me humble.
Another funny is that if there is ever a foot washing at church (showing humility toward one another as Jesus did when he washed the disciples feet), you better believe that I won't be there! I just cannot do it! I can get physically ill just thinking about it.
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Oh my goodness lol. You guys would freak if you knew about my childhood. We rarely worse shoes in the summer. We would run all over town with bare feet. I remember going to bed with the bottoms of my feet BLACK. Heehee. I don't let my kids do that of course but they were different times back then. Now I would be totally grossed out about not having shoes on in a public place because you wouldn't know if you were walking on spit or anything but I still don't wear shoes in the summer unless I am going somewhere.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 1stimestar
Oh my goodness lol. You guys would freak if you knew about my childhood. We rarely worse shoes in the summer. We would run all over town with bare feet. I remember going to bed with the bottoms of my feet BLACK. Heehee. I don't let my kids do that of course but they were different times back then. Now I would be totally grossed out about not having shoes on in a public place because you wouldn't know if you were walking on spit or anything but I still don't wear shoes in the summer unless I am going somewhere.
THe warm washcloth idea is a great one, especially with some peppermint EO (if mom doesn't mind). I used to have a foot problem and then I had to get over it, especially while in massage school. I also saw some nasty feet in the student clinic and I had to suck it up. My instructors used to joke that if you got someone with nasty feet (and usually you'll know if the feet are nasty even before undraping them because you'll smell them) you could massage the feet first and the face last and then maybe they would clean their feet before the next massage.
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It's a health thing, they need to sanitize them before they work on them.
). I did find though that when a mama was in labor and she really needed me and I knew a foot massage would help I had no issues. I would just use a nice smelling oil and all was good (have to make sure she puts socks back on before she gets up though so she doesn't go sliding all over the place). 
Quote:
). I don't like my own feet and never bother to paint my toenails...'cause I'm not going to be showing them off anyway! The only times I go barefooted are if I'm taking a shower or going swimming; at all other times, I have on socks and/or shoes. If I wear sandals, they need to be the closed-toe type; and if truth be known....I sooo wish that everyone else in the world wore closed-toed shoes as well. 
I had to share a double bed with my younger sister while growing up; I always took a wet washcloth to bed and made her clean her feet. Now, in case his feet touch me, I check dh's feet and make him wash his before climbing into bed, too! 
I know that paragraph was mighty choppy, but perhaps it conveys some of my insanity when it comes to feet! 
I've actually gotten myself to the point that it seems different, and somehow ok, IF it is a laboring mom's feet....but you would NEVER catch me doing someone else's! 
It really is a sacrifice on my part to do foot massage, but it's this kind of stuff that keeps me humble. 
I just cannot do it! I can get physically ill just thinking about it. 
