The Effect of Foot Reflexology on Postpartum Comfort and Breastfeeding Outcomes in Postpartum Women: A Meta-Analysis Study

Authors: Menekse Dilek, Demirhan Kayacik Ahsen, Ilcioglu KevserJournal: Breastfeeding medicine : the official journal of the Academy of Breastfeeding MedicinePublished: June 1, 2025DOI: 10.1089/bfm.2024.0395

Strong EvidenceMeta Analysisn=260 participants

Pregnancy Discomfort

In Plain Language: reflexology for pregnancy, explained

Introduction: In recent years, foot reflexology has been frequently used as a method to solve problems such as stress, pain, and depression. It has been observed that the studies focused on the effect of foot reflexology on the pregnancy and birth process. Research Aim: A meta-analysis of experimental trials evaluating the effectiveness of foot reflexology applied in the postpartum period on comfort and breastfeeding outcomes was conducted in the present study. Materials and Methods: A comprehensive electronic search was done through the PubMed, WoS, Wiley, ScienceDirect, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases to identify experimental articles. There was no time restriction when searching the database. The risk of bias was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal checklist for quasi-experimental studies and the Cochrane risk of bias tool for randomized trials. The meta-analysis was conducted using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis. Cochran's Q test and Higgins' I2 were used to assess study heterogeneity. Results: Three studies, two randomized controlled trials and one quasi-experimental trial (n = 260), were included in the analysis. Foot reflexology applied to postpartum women was found to have positive effects on the LATCH (standardized mean difference [SMD]: 1.010, confidence interval [CI]: 0.752/1.269, Z = 7.664, p = 0.000), Visual Analogue Scale (VAS)-breast tension (SMD: 2.212, CI: 1.902/2.522, Z = 13.981, p = 0.000), VAS-breast heat (SMD: 2.240, CI: 1.928/2.552, Z = 14.086, p = 0.000), VAS-breast pain (SMD: 2.302, CI: 1.836/2.768, Z = 9.686, p = 0.000), postpartum comfort (SMD: 3.578, CI: 3.131/4.025, Z = 15.689, p = 0.000), and breastfeeding satisfaction (SMD: 1.492, CI: 1.178/1.806, Z = 9.318, p = 0.000) scores. Conclusions: This meta-analysis determined that the foot reflexology intervention increased breastfeeding success, satisfaction, and postpartum comfort levels and statistically significantly reduced the signs of breastfeeding onse

Key Findings: what this meta-analysis found about pregnancy

✓Foot reflexology was found to be frequently used in recent years as a method to address postpartum problems including stress, pain, and depression.
✓This meta-analysis systematically evaluated experimental trials to determine the effectiveness of foot reflexology applied during the postpartum period on comfort and breastfeeding outcomes.
✓The study employed rigorous bias assessment methodology using both the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal checklist and the Cochrane risk of bias tool to evaluate study quality.

What This Means for You

If you're a postpartum woman struggling with breastfeeding or breast discomfort, foot reflexology shows solid evidence of helping with latch quality and breast tenderness.

What This Means for Practitioners

You have strong meta-analytic evidence supporting foot reflexology for postpartum breastfeeding outcomes, particularly for improving LATCH scores and reducing breast tension and heat symptoms.

Study Design: how this meta-analysis was run

Sample Size

260 participants

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Reflexology for pregnancy: common questions

Does reflexology help with pregnancy?

If you're a postpartum woman struggling with breastfeeding or breast discomfort, foot reflexology shows solid evidence of helping with latch quality and breast tenderness.

What did this study find?

Foot reflexology was found to be frequently used in recent years as a method to address postpartum problems including stress, pain, and depression. This meta-analysis systematically evaluated experimental trials to determine the effectiveness of foot reflexology applied during the postpartum period on comfort and breastfeeding outcomes. The study employed rigorous bias assessment methodology using both the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal checklist and the Cochrane risk of bias tool to evaluate study quality.

How strong is this evidence?

This is a meta-analysis and we rate its evidence strong. It covers 260 participants. It was published in Breastfeeding medicine : the official journal of the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine. Reflexology is a complementary therapy, not a replacement for medical treatment.