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Prenatal Massage and Its Benefits

Massage therapy during pregnancy is a wonderful complementary choice for prenatal care.

By Lena HemsworthPublished 5 years ago 3 min read
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Pregnancy is a special time in any woman’s life. You’re carrying a new life and looking forward to a whole new chapter of your own. Though this part of women's life is beautiful, it can sometimes be a little stressful for the body. After all, your body is going through a lot of changes now to accommodate the person living and growing inside you. To make things easier on yourself, you can make use of prenatal massages.

1. Check with your doctor!

Before you even think about booking a prenatal massage, you’ll need to ask your doctor. In most cases, it’s completely safe and even recommended to have a prenatal massage, but each pregnancy is different. To stay safe and avoid unnecessary complications, your doctor must approve of this decision. As well as that, their job is to direct and guide you.

Though most doctors will approve of prenatal massages, they may give you some limits. In some cases, it’s advised to leave out the stomach and only focus on the legs, face, arms, head, and neck. The lower back may also be a critical part of your pregnancy that you should leave out of the prenatal treatment.

2. Regulate your hormones

Hormones are a big part of every pregnancy, and proper hormone regulation can make the experience much more comfortable. With prenatal massages, you’ll be able to regulate hormones associated with stress and relaxation. Getting cortisol and norepinephrine under control is crucial for mood elevation and improved cardiovascular health.

Prenatal massages are also linked to the increased dopamine and serotonin levels, thus making you much happier in these often difficult months. Women who have bi-weekly massages are noticeable in a better mood. Mood swings are also less frequent and the good vibes stay present for longer.

3. Make sure you’re in the right hands

Prenatal massages may seem as easy as any other massage, but not everyone can or should do them. If they’re not conducted by an expert, they can end up being unsafe for the mother and the baby. A specially trained person in the medical field is the only one that can give you a prenatal massage. Luckily, the business of physiotherapy is blooming all over the world. In some first world countries like America, people hire physiotherapists to come to their home.

In others such as Australia, specialized places have been popping up left and right. The most successful and trustworthy seem to be the professionals at Movement 101. Many women report ease of symptoms like muscle soreness and back pain after regularly scheduling prenatal massages. A safe environment and professional hands are key to a positive experience.

4. Reduce swelling

Swelling, along with back and joint pain, is one of the most common symptoms of pregnancy. This is most often caused by reduced circulation and increased pressure on the major blood vessels. This pressure is caused by the heavy uterus, thus explaining why swelling is most often found in pregnancies. For some women, swelling can get so bad that they have trouble walking. Joints are the first to suffer from swelling, thus making other everyday activities harder to carry out as well.

By booking regular massage appointments, you’re ensuring your circulation stays optimal. As well as stimulating circulation, massages also stimulate soft tissue to reduce the collection of fluid in the joints. Tissue waste in the lymph system is also a big problem during pregnancy. Thankfully, the prenatal massage takes care of this issue as well.

Conclusion

Though prenatal massages may be lifesavers, it’s still important to keep your safety in check. As a mother to be, you’re taking care of your baby and yourself at the same time, which means you have to be extra careful about your health. That being said, prenatal massages make pregnancy way more comfortable in most cases and make this unique period of your life much more enjoyable.

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About the Creator

Lena Hemsworth

Lena Hemsworth is a lifestyle blogger, foodie, and lover of a good book. She's also a strong believer in the written word and positive thoughts.

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