Benefits of Prenatal Massage

A prenatal massage has many benefits for the mother-to-be.  The gentle massage can help ease the soreness and stiffness of tight muscles.  Long gliding strokes help the circulation of the blood and lymph flow to deliver nutrients throughout the body, reducing the cramping of the muscles, which can be terribly painful.  It also reduces the stress on the weight-bearing joints such as the ankles, back, and pelvis.  A pregnancy massage is relaxing and soothing, which helps ease an expectant mother’s stress and anxiety, calming her nervous system.

When she is more relaxed mentally and physically, she will be able to sleep better at night.  Sleeping is important to the health of both mother and baby.  Also, a massage will improve the elasticity of the skin, thereby reducing the appearance of stretch marks that are so common with pregnancy.  Not only will you feel better, but you’ll look better too!

Prenatal Massage – What to Look Out For

If you are thinking of getting a pregnancy massage, you should always consult your doctor first.  If you are a high risk pregnancy, have blood clotting disorders, etc. it may not be safe for you to get a massage.  Also, it is usually not recommended to get a massage in the first trimester of your pregnancy.

If your doctor gives you the green light to get a pregnancy massage, you will then need to find a massage therapist that specializes in prenatal massage.  A pregnant woman’s body is different from a normal person and requires that a therapist has knowledge of pregnancy.  A massage therapist trained in prenatal massage knows what is safe and what isn’t for the mother and the unborn child, including positioning, what parts of the body are safe to massage and what parts are not.

Some therapists use “Prego Pillow” or tables with holes for the belly so you can lie facing down.  However, these cause stress to your lower back, which makes going to get a massage counterproductive, as you are getting a massage to relieve stress to your lower back.  Side-lying or semi-reclined positions using ergonomic pillows are more comfortable and safer for a pregnant woman.

A prenatal massage is a wonderful stress reliever and a treat for expectant mothers.  If you are feeling achy, sore and uncomfortable, a pregnancy massage may just be what you need to help make you feel better and rest easier at night.

Research shows that massage therapy increases blood flow circulation, which helps deliver oxygen and nutrients throughout the body to vital organs and tissue.  It also improves movement of the lymph, which flushes the toxins from the body, thus strengthening the immune system. 

Another benefits of massage therapy is that it reduces muscle tension and stiffness. Massage therapy can reduce spasms and cramps that result from injured and overused muscles.  It relaxes the muscles, which increases joint flexibility and improves range of motion. If you have sore, achy muscles, why not schedule a massage today?   

A massage can also be helpful in improving the digestion of the body. The digestive system is the most complicated system in the human body and in order to stay healthy, you need to keep your digestive system working properly. Massage can help strengthen the digestive system.

People suffering from severe headaches or migraine have also benefited from massage therapy, as it can relieve tension-related headaches and mental stress.  Research has also shown that massage therapy can be helpful in dealing with depression and anxiety and lower blood pressure.

We live in a hectic world today and many of us are too busy and too stressed out to pay attention to our aches and pains.  Rather, we just make the choice to live with our aches and pain.  However, these aches and pains will not go away on their own.  It will just lead to more serious problems. 

Stress and muscle aches and pain can disrupt your sleep patterns.  Getting a massage can alleviate these problems, helping you get a good night’s sleep, so that you can be productive and have mental clarity rather than be groggy the next day.

As you can see, there are many benefits of massage therapy.  It can help reduce numerous problems, both mental and physical, caused by every day stress.  If you asked anyone who has had a massage for their opinion, almost everyone will tell you that they felt much better after getting a massage.

Swedish Massage

This is the most well known massage and the one that people think of when they think of massages.  Most therapist start out learning Swedish massage.  Swedish massage therapy uses long, flowing strokes, kneading, circular motions to improve circulations and blood flow.

Deep Tissue Massage

Deep tissue massage is a types of massage focuses on the deeper layers of the muscles.  It is a more focused massage to release chronic muscle tensions.  The therapist uses slower strokes, but with more pressure.

Shiatsu

Shiatsu is Japanese for finger pressure.  Shiatsu, pressure is applied to meridians to unblock and stimulate the flow of energy to promote self healing.

Pregnancy Massage

Also called Prenatal Massage.  A relaxing, soothing massage tailored for the mother-to-be to relieve aches and discomforts associated with pregnancy.  Done with the mother lying on her side with pillows to prop and comfort her.

Hot Stone Massage

Smooth hot stones are combined with Swedish massage therapy and placed at key points on the body to provide deeper relaxation.

Thai Massage

Thai massage involves yoga-like stretching with deep massage of the muscles, tendons, pressure points and energy lines.

Reflexology

Massages and applies pressure to certain areas of the hands and/or feet that corresponds to different parts of the body.

Trigger Point Therapy

Type of massage therapy that applies pressure to a tender point on a certain part of the body to alleviate pain in another part of the body.

Manual Lymphatic Drainage

A gentle types of massage that stimulates or moves excess fluid from the body to improve the function of the lymphatic system.

Cranial Sacral Therapy

A gentle, non-invasive technique that enhances   the function of the cranial sacral system by unblocking the fluid surrounding the skull and the spine.