Pregnancy is a hugely exciting time, but it can also take its toll on the body and mind. It is an increasingly popular remedy for women who are eager to keep tension, stress and pain at bay during pregnancy. If you’re expecting, and you’re wondering if booking a remedial massage could benefit you, here’s a handy guide to pregnancy massage.
What is Pregnancy Massage?
Pregnancy massage, as the name suggests, is a form of massage therapy designed specifically to benefit pregnant women. Massage therapists use movements and actions that target common problems experienced by pregnant women focusing on a holistic approach, which champions mental and physical health. For many women it can provide curative benefits, especially for those struggling with pain or discomfort.
The benefits of Pregnancy Massage
It’s very common for pregnant women to suffer from pain, particularly in the back and shoulders, and hormonal changes can also cause fluid build-ups, swelling, stiffness, and sleeping troubles. Massage is an effective, natural, holistic solution to many of these ailments. The main benefits of massage for pregnant women include:
Reducing stress and anxiety
While many women enjoy being pregnant, and it’s a very exciting time, it can also be nerve-wracking. If you’re expecting for the first time, or you’ve had problems or complications during a previous pregnancy, you may be prone to stress and anxiety. Massage can help to facilitate calm and relaxation, reducing anxiety and eliminating the risk of side-effects, including heartburn and insomnia.
Combating back pain
The excess weight your body carries when you’re pregnant can elevate the occurrence of back pain. Back pain and pelvic girdle pain is one of the most common complaints during pregnancy. Massage targets pressure points, releasing tension and loosening up the muscles. In some cases, pregnancy can increase the risk of sciatic pain or sciatica. If you have sciatica, gentle massage can help to alleviate discomfort by releasing the muscular tension around the nerve.
Headaches
If you’re prone to headaches, coping with pain during pregnancy can be difficult. Massage therapy can provide a natural alternative, releasing tension in the muscles in the neck and shoulders, improving posture, and helping to make you feel calmer.
Hormonal Changes
During pregnancy women experience significant hormonal changes in the body, and this can result in a wide range of symptoms. Research published by the American Massage Association suggests that regular massages during pregnancy can help to stabilise hormone levels, particularly cortisol and norepinephrine, which are known to increase stress levels. Increased relaxin can also contribute to lengthened ligamentous tissue and subsequent pain, massage can balance areas of the body by decreasing muscular tension.
Pregnancy massage is recommended from 12 weeks onwards. All of our therapists are able to provide pregnancy remedial massage and gift vouchers for pregnancy massage can be purchased in ours clinics or on our website HERE.