Change, even welcome change, is stressful and can make it difficult to cope with your day-to-day responsibilities. By easing tight muscles, increasing circulation and calming the nervous system, massage therapy relieves physical and emotional tension, promotes better sleep and increases energy. In a massage, you also become more aware of your body, which helps you recognize tension as it builds during the day and consciously release it.
Properly administered massage therapy is safe and healthy throughout pregnancy. Your body goes through unique changes as your baby grows and each trimester brings with it new and potentially stressful changes. Therapists trained in pre and post natal massage employ adaptations to massage techniques that specifically address the physical issues that accompany pregnancy and recovery after childbirth.
Massage will help
- Reduce muscle cramps and painful trigger points
- Relieve leg, low back, neck and upper back pain
- Increase flexibility
- Ease constipation, gas and heartburn
- Reduce swelling due to excess fluid retention
- Slow the progress of varicose veins
- Relieve headaches
What to Expect
During your massage, your therapist will use pillows and bolsters to be sure that you are supported comfortable while you enjoy your massage in the position that is most comfortable for you. It is fine to interrupt the massage to use the restroom if needed and you may request more or less cover to adjust for your body’s temperature fluctuations.
Learn Self-Care Techniques
Besides the immediate relief you get from a massage, during your session you may learn ways to increase your comfort at home. For example, your therapist may demonstrate how to use pillows for support when you are lying down, teach you breathing techniques to help you relax or recommend gently exercises and streches to encourage good posture and help relieve tension.
Prepare for Labor
Receiving massage during your pregnancy will contribute to your comfort, confidence and control during labor.
- Increase awareness
- Learn to consciously release tension
- Practice breathing
- Increase hep and leg flexibility
Postpartum Massage
After the birth of your baby, massage can help you recover from the exertion of labor and help you handle the physical demands of caring for a newborn. Emotionally, massage can nurture and comfort you whether or not you are experiencing postpartum “blues.”
When to schedule your first postpartum massage will depend on how your delivery went and what your health care provider and massage therapist feel is best for you. Ask about having your baby in the room with you during your massage.
Please call our office or ask your doctor is you are concerned or have questions about receiving prenatal or postpartum massage.
