Prenatal Massage

15 Jul Prenatal Massage

Yes, you can get relief from all that discomfort of carrying around your future progeny. Men, this article isn’t for you. Women who are with child or plan to be might just find this post to be pretty informative and persuasive in getting yourself motivated to make a massage appointment. Power to the pregnant!

Why get a massage when you are pregnant?

Carrying a baby inside you changes your center of gravity and puts a lot of stress on your back, neck, abdominal muscles, and shoulders. Pregnancy also relaxes your ligaments, so that your pelvic joints are less stable, and changes your posture, pulling your pelvis forward. Add to that the extra weight you’re carrying and you’ve got yourself an aching lower back.

Massage therapy addresses those different needs through varying techniques that aim to relax muscle tension and improve lymphatic and blood circulation through mild to medium pressure applied to the muscle groups of the body. Swedish Massage is the recommended prenatal massage method during pregnancy because it addresses many common discomforts associated with the skeletal and circulatory changes brought on by hormone shifts during pregnancy.

Massage is beneficial for almost every woman that is pregnant. Even women carrying multiples babies can benefit greatly from massage. There may be certain conditions that may or may not be related to the pregnancy that would preclude massage or certain types of massage. This may include women at risk for pre-term labor, women with blood clots or clotting disorders, and other ailments.

Women with the following conditions should speak with a health care provider prior to receiving a massage:

• High risk pregnancy
• Pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH)
• Preeclampsia
• Previous pre-term labor
• Experiencing severe swelling, high blood pressure, or sudden, severe headaches

What are the benefits of pre-natal massage?

Many studies have indicated that massage therapy performed during pregnancy can reduce anxiety, decrease symptoms of depression, relieve muscle aches and joint pains, and improve labor outcomes and newborn health.

Hormone Regulation
Studies done in the past 10 years have shown that hormone levels associated with relaxation and stress are significantly altered, leading to mood regulation and improved cardiovascular health, when massage therapy was introduced to women’s prenatal care. Hormones such as norepinephrine and cortisol (“stress hormones”) were reduced and dopamine and serotonin levels (low levels of these hormones are associated with depression) were increased in women who received bi-weekly massages for only five weeks. These changes in hormone levels also led to fewer complications during birth and fewer instances of newborn complications, such as low birth weight. The evidence points strongly to maternal and newborn health benefits when relaxing, therapeutic massage is incorporated into regular prenatal care.

Reduction of Swelling
Edema, or swelling of the joints during pregnancy, is often caused by reduced circulation and increased pressure on the major blood vessels by the heavy uterus. Massage helps to stimulate soft tissues to reduce collection of fluids in swollen joints, which also improves the removal of tissue waste, carried by the body’s lymph system.

Improvement of nerve pain
Sciatic nerve pain is experienced by many women in late pregnancy as the uterus rests on muscles of the pelvic floor and lower back. The pressure of the uterus spreads tension to the muscles of the upper and lower leg, causing them to swell and put pressure on nearby nerves. Massage therapy addresses the inflamed nerves by helping to release the tension on nearby muscles. Many women have experienced significant reduction in sciatic nerve pain during pregnancy through regular massage.

Other potential benefits of prenatal massage:

• Reduced back pain
• Reduced joint pain
• Improved circulation and reduction of swelling
• Reduced muscle tension and headaches
• Reduced stress and anxiety
• Improved oxygenation of soft tissues and muscles
• Better sleep
• Relief from muscle cramps, spasms, and myofascial pain, especially in the lower back, neck, hips, and legs.
• Reduces stress on weight-bearing joints.
• Improves outcome of labor and eases labor pain.
• Enhances the pliability of skin and underlying tissues.
• Provides support for the new mother with physical and emotional strains of mothering.

Is pre-natal massage safe throughout the entire pregnancy?

Yes, it is! Women can begin massage therapy at any point in their pregnancy – during the first, second, or third trimester. No matter where you are in the childbearing year, massage may have many benefits for you and your baby.

What is different about getting a massage while pregnant?

Massage during pregnancy differs from a regular massage in a couple of ways. The biggest way it differs is that the person receiving the massage is pregnant, and therefore knowledge of pregnancy and the anatomy of a pregnant woman are very important. This means that positioning during a massage is critical to the safety and well being of both the mother and the baby she is carrying.

The massage table will be set up so you will lie in a semi-reclining position. This is not only really comfortable, but safe for baby. Also you will turn from side to side to do your back and hips, there are body pillows, wedge pillows and extra padding to make you comfortable. There are massage tables with cut-outs for the belly and swollen breasts to allow the woman to lay face down somewhat comfortably. This position is actually discouraged because it puts unnecessary pressure on the lower back and spine and it is not something I do with my pregnant clients.

Trained prenatal or pregnancy massage therapists are aware of pressure points on the ankles and wrists that can gently stimulate pelvic muscles, including the uterus. Certified prenatal massage therapists are trained to avoid very specific and intentional pressure to these areas during pregnancy. Any woman who has experienced pre-term contractions or consistent Braxton-Hicks contractions should alert her therapist to that fact so that pressure points can be avoided completely.