Published: 2021-07-25
Views: 565
Author: Contributor
Published in: Fitness

Pregnancy is an important period in a woman’s life. It is because the earth replenishes its population through this process.

While being pregnant is a great experience, it is necessary for pregnant women to have a periodic massage because of its benefit to them during the period of pregnancy.

What is Pregnancy?

Pregnancy is the usual period when a woman’s womb develops a fetus. This is the prenatal period. In general view, it is the time when a woman becomes pregnant and when the child is finally born.

A Bit about Pregnancy Massages

During pregnancy, the pregnancy massages will take the changes in the shape of the body into consideration.

Let’s assume you are doing massage when you aren’t pregnant, you will be expected to spend half the time lying on your stomach. But with pregnancy, it is practically out of place to lie down with your stomach facing down, because it will affect the baby.

Another position that is experienced during massage is in lying while facing up. Lying face up for a long time for a pregnant woman might put pressure on your blood vessel, this may affect blood flow to your baby and leave you feeling nauseous.

A well-trained therapist will make room for your body, as its shape and posture change. Most times specialize cushioning systems or open holes that allow you to freely lie face down safely are used.

This method also provides enough space for your growing belly and breasts. Or you might use pillows and a special cushion as support when lying on your sides.

Special Benefits of Pregnancy Massages

• It reduces the stress hormones experienced by women during pregnancy. It also boosts those hormones which are low in depressed women. Especially, when carried out successfully.
• One benefit of pregnancy massage is that you will be relieved from day-to-day discomforts of pregnancy such as the sore back, aching neck, heaviness in the pelvic bones, leg cramps, swelling of the ankles and feet, and oedema.
• Since pregnant women are also social beings. It helps build a sense of connection and rapport with another person. This may be important for pregnant women because many of them experience changes in their intimate relationship with their partners which may cause them to feel being touch-deprived.
• One good thing about pregnancy massage is that it may help the progression of labour with better health outcomes for the mother and her unborn baby. When a pregnant woman is more relaxed during pregnancy, she may have a lower risk of having interventions during labour and birth.

Precautions in Pregnancy Massages

As good as pregnancy massage is, it has to be done with safety precautions. Some safety precautions during pregnancy massage are as follows:

• Make sure you inform your massage therapist about your pregnant state.
• Don’t allow your massage therapist to use aromatherapy oils, it can be unsafe during pregnancy.
• Don’t massage your belly. This is because a firm massage of the belly could result in serious complications in pregnancy.
• It is expected that you speak with your therapist about your body position when you go for a massage. Your therapist should use a specially designed massage table for pregnant women.

Please, make sure you only visit a well-trained and certified massage therapist. Check and make sure they have been certified by your state.

When Having Pregnancy Massage should be avoided

At some point, it is necessary to avoid massage because there are conditions that you need to look at before embarking on pregnancy massage.

The following points should be noted.

• In the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, avoid having a pregnancy massage because it has the potential of leading to miscarriage. Some massage therapists have a policy of not doing massage for pregnancy within this period.
• If possible, make sure you avoid using those massage tables which have a hole cut out to accommodate the pregnant belly because when the abdomen hangs without support it may lead to stretching of the uterine ligaments. It is best to use the side-lying position, especially in the second and third trimesters.
• If you naturally don’t like massage, you can avoid it. Don’t go for a massage because other people said you should do so. Ensure you are comfortable with it before embarking on it because some people naturally feel massage is an intrusion of their privacy.
• If you observe during the massage that the massage therapist is being too vigorous you should open up immediately. You should ask them to be a little gentler and make sure there is open communication between you and the massage therapist. This is commonly referred to as a therapeutic relationship and it is needed if you want to get the best from the massage.

In summary, going for a massage during pregnancy has its health benefit. But make sure you only visit a well-trained massage therapist.