Prenatal Massages
Prenatal/Pregnancy Massage- Pregnancy massages are therapeutic treatments for expectant mothers. When incorporated as a routine part of prenatal care, they can improve pregnancy outcome and maternal wellness by acting as a physical and emotional health supplement. Using techniques such as kneading, stretching, and compressing, a prenatal massage therapist induces relaxation, while placing special attention on the lower back, hips, and other areas that may affect the pregnant mother.
Prenatal massage has experienced a significant growth in popularity. Expectant mothers are holding fast to this trend, as health during pregnancy is a high priority. Prenatal massages can be performed during any trimester of pregnancy. However, some therapists prefer to wait until the 2nd trimester, for fear that massage may be linked with miscarriage during the first 12 weeks of gestation.
The benefits of prenatal massage include relief from muscle tension, soreness, cramps, and spasms. The body responds to this hands-on therapy by increasing the flow of blood and lymph, delivering nourishment, improving immune function, carrying out cellular waste, and reducing swelling. Blood pressure and anxiety levels decrease, as mental stress dissipates, and relaxation and tranquility take over. In addition, it is believed by some that prenatal massage may also have an effect on the labor, promoting a faster, easier delivery.
On the other hand, prenatal massage can be contraindicated in certain situations. Women who are experiencing pre-term labor should not participate in massage treatments. Also, those with hypertension, preeclampsia, previous pre-term labors, or any condition in which they are a high risk pregnancy, may incur more serious problems by having massages. Talk to your doctor about current health conditions before beginning a pregnancy massage regimen.
It used to be that prenatal massages were commonly performed on a table with a cut out for the mother’s expanding belly. However, this caused some stress on the lower back and could put too much pressure on the uterus. Therefore, most of today’s therapists perform prenatal massage with the mother lying on her side. Treatments generally last between 30 to 90 minutes and average $60 to $160 in price. The cost is a bit more than traditional massage therapy, but is considered a specialty. The prenatal massage therapist must have training beyond the national standards, and understand specific pregnancy needs and conditions.
It’s important to know that not all pregnant women should participate in prenatal massages. There are some women who may not be suitable for pregnancy massages because of their pregnancy. We discussed some of the reasons earlier in this prenatal massage article so just remember to contact your doctor prior to having a pregnancy massage performed on you.