Therapeutic massage during pregnancy can help alleviate discomfort and support a healthy pregnancy.
Evidence-Based Benefit for Mom and Baby
Research shows that when regular massage is received during pregnancy, women have fewer complications during delivery and shorter delivery times.
A Comfortable Pregnancy
During the time of pregnancy, a woman’s body is changing on many levels. These common changes, and sometimes challenges, can be supported through specific massage practices.
As each pregnancy is unique, common experiences of fatigue, muscle soreness, joint instability, swelling of the limbs, and back pain are often felt. Therapeutic massage during pregnancy can help alleviate discomfort and support a healthy pregnancy.
Among many physiological changes taking place, the hormone relaxin is released through the body facilitating “ligament laxity “ (the ligaments which hold bone to bone at joints soften and stretch) allowing the necessary mobility within the pelvis to take place, preparing the body for the delivery of the baby. While this amazing phenomenon takes place, challenges in daily living can be experienced with instability in various joints in the body. Common activities such as walking can become challenged when the hip joints become unstable.
As the body tries to stabilize itself, a secondary situation happens: muscles take on a second job helping with joint stabilization. In addition to their first job of being a body part “mover”, they fill in for the ligament, temporarily becoming a joint “stabilizer”. So, the muscle is performing both mover and stabilizer at the same time. While the effort is appreciated (allowing you to walk across the room), it is unfortunately not optimal. Mobility and movement require a fluid, dynamic, and coordinated releasing and contracting of the muscles. Stability, on the other hand, requires strong steady contraction. Asking one muscle to do opposing jobs at the same time, is tricky. Not only that, the muscle is not fully trained in, nor equipped, with the necessary tools to be a long-term stabilizer. Hence, muscle pain and soreness are felt.
Massage can help.
Over the years we have partnered with many women during pregnancy bringing a range of success stories. Whether an easy pregnancy or one that is higher risk, we customize the session for your unique needs. Our clients have had healthy comfortable pregnancies, delivered full-term twins following months of bedrest, vaginal deliveries following previous c-section births, and relief of sciatica, anxiety, swelling, muscle cramping, and lack of sleep.
Each session is custom-made to meet your unique changing needs throughout your pregnancy. We have pillows, cushions, and The Body Cusion system available to create the optimal experience.
For additional information, questions, or to explore how a prenatal massage can work with your unique situation, please contact us.
To schedule a prenatal massage session or to get further information, call 720-219-5622.