Explore the benefits of prenatal massage

Pregnancy can be exciting and intimidating at the same time.You’re excited about the life growing inside you and you want to do everything possible to make sure your baby is healthy inside the womb and when they’re finally born. Doctor’s visits chart their growth and the doctor monitors your health closely. You’re well taken care of medically, but what about your emotional well-being and comfort? Often, these physical, mental and emotional concerns of the mother take back seat to the health of the growing baby, but research has shown that prenatal massage benefits your well-being and that, in turn, will positively impact your baby. Here is why:

Ease Aches and Pain

The body undergoes changes during pregnancy. As the baby grows and your body makes room to accommodate the change, you may also experience aches and pains. Common complaints include headaches, muscle tension, fatigue, backache and leg cramps. By using gentle massage strokes and applying light pressure to the trigger points in your body, your massage therapist will help restore equilibrium and ease muscle tension and pain. Not only that, prenatal massage improves blood circulation that helps to flood the body with rejuvenating oxygen. Massage also improves the flow of lymphatic fluid that supports a healthy immune system.

Seek Emotional Balance

The effects of hormonal changes during pregnancy affect all women differently. While some glow through pregnancy, others may experience less desirable effects. You may feel vulnerable, emotional and prone to mood swings (one day happy, the next depressed), but don’t despair. Prenatal massage helps: reduce norepinephrine and cortisol, hormones that generate stress and anxiety; and increase serotonin, a mood stabilizer, and endorphins that help relieve pain and stress.

Address Swelling and Discomfort

As the months go by and the baby gets bigger, the mother may experience swelling of joints, or what is referred to as edema. What causes fluid to accumulate in the joint areas? The weight of the baby adds pressure to the uterus and depresses major blood vessels. Poor circulation results, causing fluid retention. To reduce swelling, a trained prenatal massage therapist will stimulate soft tissues to reduce the water retention. The stimulation also helps the body’s lymph system remove tissue waste.

If you’re not sure whether you should treat yourself to a prenatal massage, talk to our experienced massage therapists. If you’ve any particular concerns, such as high-risk pregnancy or difficult pregnancy, you should talk to your health care practitioner before scheduling a prenatal massage. A trained massage therapist will be able to take the needs of your changing body into consideration and adjust his or her techniques to take care of your health concerns.

Feel free to contact us with questions or to schedule an appointment.