Prenatal Massage – Effective for Pregnancy

Pregnancy is always followed by pain and problems especially when you are working woman and you are in the second or third trimester. You often suffer from back pain after long sessions of office or sitting work. You go for the option of standing but the result is swollen ankles and sore legs. Due to increased hormonal secretions you often face mood swings and unconditional episodes of anxiety.

The movements of the baby make resting a difficult procedure to get rid of pain and restlessness. If you are mother of kids already, then situation might be tougher for you. Prenatal massage may be an option in these conditions to get rid of several kinds of aches. Many women think that massage is not good during pregnancy and it could have an impact on the baby. Research has proved that prenatal massages have many advantages for pregnant women.

Pain relief by massage

Prenatal massage is good for the health of your baby and it gives you relief from pain too. During pregnancy many women experience headaches, muscle tensions, fatigue and swelling especially on legs and feet. Massage is the best way to get rid of all the pain caused by work stress or the weight of baby. During long hours of sitting or standing while working the weight of baby affects your muscles, massage helps to relax those muscles by its rhythmic movements and gives you relief from several kinds of aches.

Pressure management

With the progress of pregnancy the weight of bay increases and it puts pressure on nerves and major blood vessels. The sciatic nerve pressurized causes back aches and the fluid accumulates around the joints due to pressure on vessels. Prenatal massage helps to get relief from the pressure and eases the nerves. The gentle circular movements help to make the accumulated fluid mobile gain, releasing the tension from the joints and swelling around ankles and legs is greatly reduced.

Hormonal balances

Pregnancy is followed by low amounts of happiness hormones, dopamine and serotonin. It causes anxiety and stress in women. Massage releases extra stress from your body and increases the level of serotonin and dopamine in your blood. Moreover, it decreases the level of cortisol, the hormone released to get rid of stressful situations but high level of this hormone causes anxiety. Massage increases the amount of feel good hormones and decreases the level of stress hormones in your blood and makes you feel relaxed and happy.

Ordinary vs. prenatal massage

Prenatal massage is different than ordinary massage. It involved Swedish massage technique to release extra stress from your body. Your body weight is balanced by supports and cushions and the areas where you feel stiffness or pain. Repeated massage sessions also aid in decreasing the labor pains and makes you less dependent on pain killers during pregnancy. Recent studies had also helped in getting to a conclusion that repeated massage therapies could decrease the time of labor to about three hours less than normal one.

When you are ready for massage?

Prenatal massage works best when you ate in twenty fourth week of your pregnancy. You can also take the therapy anytime during your pregnancy but your obstetrician can better tell you about that. Repeated sessions twice for five weeks can help you get rid of joint stiffness, mood swings and anxiety. It also helps to have deep sleep that is important for the health of baby too. You can get massage anytime of the week by hiring your therapist according to your work schedule and you can make it a part of your life too.