Pre/PostNatal Relaxation support for Moms
Posted by jen on October 28 2009 18:40:48
Massage has been used for centuries to improve overall health, reduce stress, and relieve muscle tension.
Pregnant women have often received ambivalent responses from the health community
regarding the safety and purpose of massage during pregnancy.
Modern investigation and research is proving that prenatal massage can be a very instrumental
ingredient in women’s prenatal care and should be given careful consideration.
The Following is a short list of effective Post Natal support tools.
Hot Stones Compress – warm Besalt Stones provide deep penetrating heat to ease muscle tension and soothe nerves. It also aids in relieving muscle pain, strains, poor circulation, back pain and insomnia.
As a Breastfeeding Support – it helps relieve engorged breasts and clear blocked ducts.
Baby Massage – new mothers are taught a baby massage sequence to practice on their baby. It helps stimulate the baby’s sensory development and improve sleep patterns. It can also help to relieve gas and colic while creating new ways for a mother to interact and bond with her baby
Extended News
Pre and Post Natal Massage Rates*
30 minutes - $30
60 minutes - $50
*Rates reduced when Relaxation For Birth services are also utilized.
Studies have shown that women who received regular massages during pregnancy had lower rates of premature birth, fewer obstetrical problems, and their babies had a lower rate of postnatal complications.
Reduces stress hormones, while serotonin and dopamine levels are increased – this change is believed to bring about less complications during the child’s birth and a lower instance of birth complications.
Increases blood and lymph circulation, which helps to reduce swelling and improves the oxygen supply to the baby.
Alleviates neck, shoulder, and back pain caused by muscle imbalance
Reduces sciatic nerve pain
Relieves stress and swelling on weight-bearing joints such as lower back, pelvis, and ankles.
Promotes relaxation, relieves insomnia, lowers anxiety and stress levels.
Provides emotional support through nurturing touch.
Other potential benefits of prenatal massage:
Reduced edema
Reduced muscle tension and headaches
Improved oxygenation of soft tissues and muscles
Better sleep
What precautions should be taken when seeking prenatal massage?
As with any therapeutic approach to pregnancy wellness, women should discuss massage with their prenatal care provider.
The best way to address the risks of prenatal massage is to be informed and to work together with knowledgeable professionals.
Body position during prenatal massage
Many professionals consider the best position for a pregnant woman during massage is side-lying. Tables that provide a hole in which the uterus can fit may not be reliable and can still apply pressure to the abdomen, or allow the abdomen to dangle, causing uncomfortable stretching of the uterine ligaments. Consult your relaxation therapist before your first appointment to verify what position they place their clients in during the massage.
More information on prenatal massage can be found at
americanpregnancy
canadianparents
The benefits of prenatal massage or massage during pregnancy:
Studies indicate that massage therapy performed during pregnancy can reduce anxiety, decrease symptoms of depression, relieve muscle aches and joint pains, and improve labor outcomes and newborn health.
Massage addresses different needs through varying techniques, one of which is called Swedish Massage, which aims to relax muscle tension and improve lymphatic and blood circulation through mild pressure applied to the muscle groups of the body. Swedish Massage is the recommended prenatal massage method during pregnancy because it addresses many common discomforts associated with the skeletal and circulatory changes brought on by hormone shifts during pregnancy.
Hormone regulation
Studies done in the past 10 years have shown that hormone levels associated with relaxation and stress are significantly altered, leading to mood regulation and improved cardiovascular health, when massage therapy was introduced to women’s prenatal care. Hormones such as norepinephrine and cortisol (“stress hormones”) were reduced and dopamine and serotonin levels (low levels of these hormones are associated with depression) were increased in women who received bi-weekly massages for only five weeks. These changes in hormone levels also led to fewer complications during birth and fewer instances of newborn complications, such as low birth weight. The evidence points strongly to maternal and newborn health benefits when relaxing, therapeutic massage is incorporated into regular prenatal care.
Reduction of swelling
Edema, or swelling of the joints during pregnancy, is often caused by reduced circulation and increased pressure on the major blood vessels by the heavy uterus. Massage helps to stimulate soft tissues to reduce collection of fluids in swollen joints, which also improves the removal of tissue waste, carried by the body’s lymph system.
Improvement of nerve pain
Sciatic nerve pain is experienced by many women in late pregnancy as the uterus rests on muscles of the pelvic floor and lower back. The pressure of the uterus spreads tension to the muscles of the upper and lower leg, causing them to swell and put pressure on nearby nerves. Massage therapy addresses the inflamed nerves by helping to release the tension on nearby muscles. Many women have experienced significant reduction in sciatic nerve pain during pregnancy through regular massage.