Pre Natal Massage – What You Need To Know

Massage is an ancient art of maintaining health, which has much to offer even in modern times. It may seem simple, but it is a holistic combination of many disciplines like yoga, acupuncture, reflexology and Ayurveda. Today, a lot have been researched about massaging and its benefits. Expert physiologists are discovering new benefits to solve old problems through simple massage techniques.

The scope of massage use for medical treatment has evolved a lot from its humble beginnings, and many renowned doctors today advice to get a massage once a week. Massage therapy can be used to treat a plethora of different complications and even used as a pre-emptive measure against any future disorder. Whether it’s a muscle or joint pain or extreme stress and anxiety, a good massage goes a long way in helping us. In this topic, today, we are going to look at how prenatal massage helps expectant mothers overcome a lot of pain and stress.

One of the most crucial stages in a woman’s life is pregnancy. The 9 months can be the most emotional time for a woman, and also, can be a cause of great discomfort. During pregnancy, a woman’s body undergoes a series of physical changes followed by physiological ones. Some are: –

– Changes in the anatomy of the abdomen cause further changes in the skeletal and muscular structures of the lower back.

– The body’s center of gravity is pulled down which exerts a lot of pressure on the neck, shoulders, upper back and abdominal muscles.

– The body is naturally programmed to make space for the growing baby. This change can sometimes cause tremendous pain and make the whole experience traumatizing.

– A lot of hormonal activity sometimes overloads and can cause anxiety, depression, mood swings and a host of other physiological changes.

– Muscle cramps are common due to increased metabolism and the extra stress on nerve endings.

Prenatal massage can help a lot in this regard. There are more than a hundred different types of massage techniques and prenatal massage is a combination of a selected few. Some of the widely used types of massage used for pregnant women are: –

– Deep-tissue massage, for thick parts of the body like thighs, shoulders, and legs. It involves strong pressure strokes which affect hidden muscle fibers.

– Swedish massage is done mainly to increase the flexibility and mobility of joints.

– A hot stone massage is a simple form of massage which soothes primary muscles and relieves deep-seated joint pains.

– Trigger-point massage. This focuses on specific points of the body to correct muscle pain and inflammation.

– Shiatsu is a Chinese traditional massage, which is done by the use of fingers.

So, what are the benefits of prenatal massage, and why is it really important to include it in your lifestyle? To start with, you have to understand that massage is a long-term prevention method and you cannot expect quick one-day results. You may feel relaxed and reinvigorated instantly, but to treat disorders like bone relocation, bent posture, muscle stress, etc. you need some more time. Having said that, read on to know what benefits you can expect out of a good prenatal massage.

– Relieve you of muscle tensions. During pregnancy, our muscles tend to continuously stiffen and relax and they are naturally overworked. It also accumulates a lot of metabolic toxins inside your muscles, which is generated by the growing baby. A good massage will improve the flow of blood and oxygen, which further drive out the wastes. It’s important to give these aching muscles some twists and turns from time to time.

– Bone and Joint relocation. The counter the negative effects of gestation, it’s important to channelize the body’s growth in the right direction. Once a week massage therapy during pregnancy a help you make sure, your ligaments and skeleton are naturally expanded.

– Massage is a great natural and organic way of distressing. It increases the flow of feel-good hormones like dopamine and serotonin, the lack of which can cause depression and mood swings. At the same time, the level of stress-inducing chemicals such as nor epinephrine and cortical are reduced. The combined effect not only distresses you instantly but increases your tolerance and stress-level in general, as these hormones are associated with promoting calmness and happiness.

– You can get permanent relief from headaches, which are very common during pregnancies and often it’s related to muscle or skeletal disorder of the neck region. Proper alignment of the shoulder and head along with the spinal cord, improves blood flow to the brain. For this, the long strokes of Swedish elbow massage are very recommended.

– Massage can help you cope up with edema, which is the excessive swelling of joints due to fluid accumulation. This is caused a defense mechanism to the skeletal expansion of the body and a combination of deep-tissue massage and acupuncture can successfully treat this condition.

– Better sleep due to improved blood circulation, distressed muscles, and the hormonal change. Prenatal massage also improves nerve inflammation and so you can finally let you sleep peacefully at night, which is a treat during pregnancy.

So to conclude, prenatal massage is not only a luxury but a necessity to cope up with the pangs of childbirth. It’s one period a woman’s life when she has every right to be pampered like a queen, and a good hour-long massage is surely the best treat.

It’s worthwhile to mention here that prenatal massage is an intricate thing and requires an expert hand. You may need to do some background research about the masseur or the massage center you are planning to visit. A good idea is to take your search online where you will find a lot of customer testimonials and reviews. A bad masseur can do irreversible damage if he/she is unaware of the precautions one should take while working on a pregnant woman.

Next, after choosing your masseur, you can consult your masseur about any specific problem you have. If not, tell him/her about the spots that tend to stiffen a lot. In pregnancy due to ligament relaxation, some bones get locked and stiffens the muscles around it. The more you tell you masseur about these reflex points and areas of pain, the more help you will get.