What is a prenatal massage?

A prenatal massage is a specifically adapted calm and relaxing massage personalized precisely for the mother-to-be. This massage can help you survive the changes to your figure that happen while you’re pregnant. It can be beneficial to ease discomfort when you cannot use certain medicines or other medical options.

Prenatal massage is used to ease pains and aches and expedite relaxation and preparation for labor. Massage in pregnancy can contain many different massage practices. It is typically a gentle massage.

Some Benefits of Prenatal Massage

The study illustrates that massage can lessen stress hormones in your body and ease and loosen your muscles. It can raise blood flow, which is significant when pregnant, and keep your lymphatic system working at the highest competence. And it also reconnects your mind with your body, a very comforting link.

Regular prenatal massages help you relax throughout pregnancy and may give you certain benefits.

• Improved Sleep

Getting quality sleep becomes harder and harder as your prenatal period headways. Prenatal massage soothes the nervous system and releases endorphin hormones. This massage will make you feel more relaxed and let you sleep much better at night. It can also bring frequent sleep esenyurt escort benefits.

• Relieve aches and pains

With increasing weight and changing body posture, pregnancy can generate many new aches and pains, which can cause actual discomfort. Prenatal massage gives a natural and drug-free substitute for pain release.

• Sciatica and Pelvic pain

In some women, the increasing weight of the baby in the pelvic area and the changing hormones of pregnancy can originate sciatic pain or pelvic pain. This therapy can be a sharp, shooting pain, predominantly discomforting, and hard to cope with. Your massage therapist can work cautiously to comfort the pains around your pelvic area and into your buttocks and legs.

• Swelling in feet and ankle

Swollen and sore feet and ankles are widespread in pregnant women. A 2020 study has shown that massage can reduce the fluid build-up which causes this swelling and soreness. Gentle massage strokes can help lessen the feet and ankle swelling.

• Mind and body relaxation

Getting regular prenatal massage relaxes both the mind and body of the mother. It provides an inclusive sense of well-being and relaxation.

Can pregnant women get massages?

Prenatal massages are commonly considered harmless after the first trimester. But you’ll want to elude massage throughout the first three months of pregnancy as it may activate faintness and add to morning sickness.

Many massage therapists won’t give prenatal massages during the first trimester. The cause is the potential for miscarriage. Some prenatal massage specialists claim that prenatal massage doesn’t cause miscarriage, but no investigation has demonstrated a connection between a massage and a miscarriage. As many miscarriages occur in the first trimester, some massage therapists and doctors are against first-trimester massage solely to evade any possible liability issues should a miscarriage happen.

The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine recommends that all pregnant women check with their doctor before having a massage.

When is the best time to get a prenatal massage?

The American Pregnancy Association APA says that women can get a massage anytime during pregnancy. At the same time, many prenatal massage therapists do not take clients until the second trimester of pregnancy.

The third trimester is primarily the excellent period to get a prenatal massage. By then, your body has experienced a massive transformation, and you are more likely to be physically and mentally fatigued by the pregnancy. It is even an excellent groundwork exercise for labor.

A massage can even relax you at the commencement of labor. Although some studies show that a regular prenatal massage can help reduce anxiety and pain levels throughout the pregnancy, other research has uncovered inconclusive facts on the effectiveness of massage in easing labor pain.

Prenatal Massage safety tips

Prenatal massage is meant to cherish you physically and mentally, so try to relish it fully. A massage in pregnancy does not vary all that much from a regular massage, but there are some safety tips to keep in mind when you’re getting a prenatal massage.

• Try not to be self-conscious.

If you are feeling uncomfortable about your pregnancy body, try to go into your massage at ease so that therapists are unbiased and are there to help you think you are most extraordinary.

• Drink plenty of water

Staying hydrated before your massage is always essential, as the fluids are also beneficial to flush away toxins.

• Speak up

If you feel uncomfortable uncovering certain body parts, let your therapist know. A professional massage therapist will provide a safe and sound environment for the massage and will not force you to do anything that makes you uncomfortable.

• A Trained Massage Therapist

One of the utmost concerns doctors have with prenatal massage is the massive difference in training and certification available for massage therapists. So, get the best massage from a highly trained massage therapist.

• Use safe pregnancy positions.

During pregnancy, your body starts to change noticeably. Ensure that your massage therapist has cushions, pillows, and even a unique massage table to make sure you can lay on your side for your message.

When to avoid Prenatal Massage

As the research on prenatal massage is very slight, many doctors advise a conventional slant. They mainly advise many pregnant women to avoid massage. Make a clearance from your doctor before getting a massage, and try to avoid massage if you have these problems:

• If you are facing vomiting, nausea, or morning sickness.
• If you are having a high-risk pregnancy
• If you are at an increased risk of miscarriage

The common prenatal massage technique

There are dozens of massages established and applied by different cultures and nations for hundreds of years. Certain types of massage techniques are most appropriate and safe for pregnant women. Most experts recommend these three standard massage techniques:

• Deep Tissue Massage (uses intense pressure on your muscles)
• Swedish Massage (use medium to light strokes of pressure)

These two types of massages can be more helpful in various ways for pregnant women.

What makes prenatal massage different?

The most common reason prenatal massage is different from other regular massages is the techniques used in prenatal massage. The goal of the massage is the same as the standard massage, to help you relax and reduce stress and anxiety. It must ensure that the massage treatment occurs when the expectant mother is lying on their back or side, depending on their size, condition, and how they feel comfortable.

The therapist offering this massage usually has experience in diagnosing which parts of the body will benefit most from therapeutic care and will adapt the patient’s understanding to meet their discrete needs.

Choosing a trained Massage Therapist

Once you get a clearance from your doctor, you can search for a highly trained and qualified massage therapist who can give you a proper prenatal massage.

This massage will generally last for 45 to 60 minutes.

To make sure you have a harmless and helpful experience, ensure that your massage therapist is:

• Certified in prenatal massage
• Provides a safe sound environment
• Use approved massage techniques for pregnancy
• Use proper massage positions
• Does not use essential solid oils (Basil and clary sage)