Modern research is proving that pregnancy massage therapy can be instrumental in reducing stress, relieving muscle tension and improving overall health of pregnant women.
Relieving Stress and Providing Relaxation
Therapeutic massage aids in deep-breathing which brings back mind and body integration. Pregnant women face various symptoms of depression like mood swings, fatigue, aimlessness etc. Pregnancy massage therapy helps in reducing ‘stress hormones’ like nor epinephrine and cortisol. Thus, reducing the risks associated with stress like miscarriage, prolonged labour, low weight baby and infant irritability.
Circulatory Benefits
Massage therapy improves circulation by stimulating blood and lymph systems. This helps in reducing discomforts like edema, high blood pressure and varicose veins. It strengthens the immune system, removes toxins and wastes produced by the body and stabilizes hormonal levels.
Relieves musculo-skeletal pain
As the pregnancy progresses, various changes take place in body alignment to bear the weight of the baby. This places immense strain on a woman’s back, legs and weight bearing joints. Pregnancy massage therapy helps in increasing flexibility and easing muscle tension, thereby, reducing backaches, headaches, shoulder, neck and pelvic pain.
Other Benefits of massage therapy include reduced fatigue, better sleep, improved digestion, fewer complications during delivery and increase in skin elasticity which reduces the occurrence of stretch marks.
Massage therapy methods vary according to the needs of the pregnancy. For instance, during trimester 1, the main aim is to improve blood circulation and provide relaxation. In the second trimester, the weight of the baby increases causing muscle soreness. In this trimester the aim is to loosen joints and keep them aligned. During the third trimester, the primary aim is to relieve pain and stress and to prepare the woman’s body for delivery.
However, you must check with your doctor before getting into massage therapy as it is not advisable for women suffering diabetes, hypertension, Preeclampsia or previous pre-term labour.
