Prenatal Massage
Taking care of your body with eating healthy, getting moderate exercise, staying hydrated and getting rest are all essential. But if you want to go that extra step to alleviate some of the more uncomfortable symptoms of pregnancy, massage specifically designed for pregnant women can have great benefit. Often standard massages can be too rough and ineffective. Also a standard massage can actually cause you to go into pre-term labor which is something you definitely want to avoid!
Benefits of prenatal massage include:
- emotional support and nurturing touch
- relaxation and decreased insomnia
- stress relief on weight-bearing joints, such as ankles, lower back and pelvis
- neck and back pain relief caused by muscle imbalance and weakness
- assistance in maintaining proper posture
- preparing the muscles used during childbirth
- reduced swelling in hands and feet
- fewer calf cramps
The following are circumstances in which massage should not be performed:
- heavy discharge (watery or bloody)
- diabetes
- contagious illness
- fever
- vomiting
- unusual pain
- high blood pressure
- morning sickness
- abdominal pain
- diarrhea
