What is a pregnancy massage?
A pregnancy massage is specific style of massage that is tailored to the specific needs of pregnant, post-partum and postnatal women. Designed to be calming, reassuring, and soothing in nature, for women about to, or who have recently given birth. The aim of a pregnancy massage is to target both the physical aches, pains, and fluid retention associated with pregnancy, while helping to reduce emotional stress and anxiety.
Pregnancy massage benefits can target many varying physical and emotional symptoms caused through pregnancy:
- Helps to reduce stress, feelings of anxiety, and balance emotional wellbeing.
- Target aches and pains.
- Help with fluid retention levels.
- Enhances sleep.
- Increase the blood circulatory system, as well as the bodies lymphatic circulation.
- Boosts the immune system.
- Assists constantly evolving hormone levels.
- Helps to control nausea.
- Helpful in the preparation of childbirth.
- Beneficial Post Partum, in the first 6 weeks after giving birth.
- Assists in balancing hormones.
- Helps to combat Post natal depression.
The benefits of pregnancy massage
Reduces stress and anxiety.
Stress throughout pregnancy can be very normal, how you manage the stress is what makes the difference. Your body is going through physical and emotional change constantly throughout pregnancy, which is what causes the feelings of anxiousness and stress. Whether it be the physical aspects of pregnancy, changes to your body, or the emotional stress of pregnancy. None of which are helpful to mum-to-be or the baby. Pregnancy massage helps to lower stress and anxiety levels. This can be beneficial for both the mother and the baby.
Relieves pain.
New aches and pains as well as headaches are common throughout pregnancy – after all there’s a whole new human growing! Back pain, leg cramps, and developing sciatica are common. With the extra weight you carry as the baby grows, this can also affect your posture with the strain of pregnancy. Naturally your body will produce a hormone that can help to loosen ligaments as your body prepares for childbirth, but this increased flexibility of looser ligaments can also make you more susceptible to injury.
Headaches, caused through changes in hormones, lack of sleep or reduced quality sleep as you navigate the bump in bed, changes in blood circulation, lower blood sugar, dehydration, or tension, can all cause mum’s to be to experience more headaches during pregnancy. Pregnancy massage can help to relieve these symptoms, reduce aches and pains, as well as giving you some clarity of mind.
Improves sleep.
Sleep patterns during pregnancy are often impacted from an early stage. Many pregnant women experience difficulties in falling asleep, getting comfortable as they progress through their pregnancy or as their baby starts to develop and move more. If you’re feeling anxious and stressed or suffering from headaches, then sleep can feel like something out of grasp. Hormones, new aches and pains, leg cramps, nausea, vomiting, or the need to head to the loo more frequently, can all disturb your regular sleeping routine. Pregnancy massage benefits both the quality of sleep and duration of sleep.
Promotes healthy blood flow.
Your blood circulatory system goes through huge change during pregnancy as your blood circulates through the placenta, then the oxygenated blood is sent to your baby via the umbilical cord vein. During pregnancy, your blood circulatory system switches up a gear, as it has a new job to perform. Ensuring that all your blood filters through the placenta, eliminating waste to ensure your baby receives nutrients and oxygen, your circulatory system goes into overdrive.
During pregnancy women can experience dizziness or feelings of exhaustion if blood pressure lowers. If it increases, hypertension can occur. Oedema, or swollen ankles, legs, and feet can also be attributed to the changes in circulatory blood flow. Pregnancy massage can help to promote and improve a healthy blood flow to the baby and help to reduce a fluid build-up in the tissue.
Boosts the immune system.
You’re looking after your unborn baby and yourself during pregnancy. Having a healthy auto immune response is vital, to keep you both healthy, safe, and free from illness. Naturally, varying types of white blood cells increase and become more active during pregnancy. Playing the role of defender against bacteria, viral, and pathogen attacks on the body. While the immune system changes to protect the baby and ensure that the body welcomes this new mix of half mum / half dad, rather than reject it, like it could with an organ transplant. These fluctuations in the immune system can leave mum-to-be susceptible or more vulnerable to virus attack. Pregnancy massage can help to boost the immune system, which can help to protect both mum and baby from illness.
Sciatic and pelvic pain.
Sciatic and pelvic pain during pregnancy is not uncommon. With the physical bodily changes, you experience during pregnancy affecting your weight, posture, everything internal being jiggled about! Additional pressure applied to the sciatic nerve from the ever-developing uterus and foetus, can cause inflammation, irritation, and pain. Often resulting in pain in the lower back which then causes a shooting pain down the leg. In the same way if the piriformis muscle (set deep in the buttocks) feels under pressure or goes into spasm, this can also result in sciatic pain. This additional pain during pregnancy can be very distressing and needs management. Regular pregnancy massage can help to ease the pain caused through sciatica or target pelvic pain too.
Reduce ankle and feet swelling.
Regular pregnancy massage can help to alleviate poor circulation, reduce inflammation, and relieve pain. During pregnancy if you’re suffering with oedema, in a specific area of the body, most commonly the ankles, feet and legs, or hands and it gradually increases throughout the day, most believe this is very normal swelling and although uncomfortable it’s not harmful to you or your baby. Regular pregnancy massage supports the lymphatic and blood circulatory system function, helping to alleviate the symptoms of swelling. During a period when taking over the counter medications are often viewed as being detrimental to the baby’s health, pregnancy massage is a great, natural remedy to relieve the pressure of swelling in the body as well as offering some much-needed time out for mum-to be!
Prepares for childbirth.
Flexibility and strength, whilst feeling calm and in control, can help mum-to-be prepare for labour. Being in a positive mind set can help to reduce the anxiety, fear, and feelings of in trepidation. Regular pregnancy massage throughout your pregnancy, not only assists the body with the physical flexibility, by keeping the body relaxed, mobile, and lowering aches and pains. Pregnancy massage helps to reduce the anxiety, fear, and can influence the symptoms of pain during childbirth.
What to Expect During a Pregnancy Massage
At The Massage Company, our expert massage therapists are trained in pregnancy massage techniques and it’s something we offer as part of our everyday menu of services. (We perform many pregnancy massage treatments!) so you can relax, knowing you’re safe in expert hands.
When you come to visit us, if you know, then we’d like to know that you’re pregnant. So many women in their first few weeks of pregnancy don’t know they’re pregnant. When the times comes that you can confirm your pregnancy, tell your massage therapist all about it.
Even if you suffer with a medical condition and you’re pregnant, and you’re under the impression that massage may not be the treatment for you. Be reassured, 99% of customers who walk into The Massage Company Treatment Centres receive a massage.
Master’s at providing expert pregnancy massage to conserve, cultivate, and protect the health of both you and your foetus. If you have a specific medical condition, adaptations to a treatment can be made. You can always raise any questions or queries, at your time of booking, prior to consultation.
We always want to provide the best pregnancy massage possible, so be prepared to answer all the questions your expert massage therapist will have for you. They’ll want to discuss your medical history, pregnancy to date, how you’re feeling, any symptoms you are having or if you’re suffering from any pain. That way, our experts can ensure you get the most out of your pregnancy massage.
Expect to feel good after your pregnancy massage treatment. If you experience any tenderness or discomfort during treatment, let your massage therapist know. We want you to savour your massage and make it part of your routine during your pregnancy and once your baby has arrived!
Feel comfortable in whatever you wear to your treatment. You may be headed home after your treatment, off to purchase some new baby outfits, or headed back to work. We use a non-oily massage lotion for our pregnancy massage treatments, so your skin will feel replenished, but your clothes are safe from oil marks. Your modesty is always protected during treatment, we use sheets during our massage therapy treatments, so there’s no towels to tango with either!
Drink water: Pre and post Pregnancy massage treatment, stay hydrated.
The only time to avoid a pregnancy massage is if you have a condition listed below, or your doctor/consultant has advised against it.
- If you’re in premature labour – we’d love to offer you a massage once the baby is born.
- Placenta previa
- Bleeding
- Severe morning sickness
- High blood pressure
- Thrombophlebitis
If you have been advised not to have a pregnancy massage due to a medical condition associated with your pregnancy, then why not come to one of our massage centres to help you recover after the birth of your baby? We’re experts in massage, and the benefits to health both emotional and physical are numerous.
Is pregnancy massage safe?
Yes! Pregnancy massage is generally considered to be safe. If you have medical condition concerns, we’re here to help and answer any of your queries prior to booking a treatment.
You may be advised that you cannot have a massage in your first trimester, at The Massage Company we do offer massage during this period. Women can be unaware that they are pregnant during the first few weeks of pregnancy, so may be having regular massage sessions during this time and be unaware that they are pregnant. During these first few months, people often believe massage should be avoided as it’s the stage where your baby starts to settle. Although that this is true, your body also goes through physical and emotional change rapidly, pregnancy massage is beneficial to keep the body balanced, hormones from going awry, and keep your emotional wellbeing balanced during this first phase of growth and change.
Massage can help with the feelings of nausea although most establishments may advise you to avoid a pregnancy massage if you’re experiencing vomiting or symptoms of nausea. Nausea can be caused through stress, pain, dizziness, low blood sugar, anxiety, or lack of sleep. Pregnancy massage can help boost the circulatory system, improve sleep, reduce feelings of anxiousness and stress. So, if you’re able to get comfortable on our treatment couches, we’re able to treat some of the symptoms that may be linked to your sickness episodes.
Pregnancy massage is a safe way to relax, improve your emotional wellbeing, and de-stress during pregnancy. It can also help to ease muscular aches and pains, improve sleep, and prepare your body for childbirth. It can also be beneficial to post-partum women.
Post-natal women if they are suffering from post-natal depression, PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) can also benefit from regular massage treatments. Immediately after childbirth, they may be recommended pregnancy massage or later, massage therapy to help alleviate their symptoms too.
Pregnancy Massage FAQs
Pregnancy massage is a type of massage that is specifically designed for pregnant women. It is a gentle and relaxing massage that can help to ease aches and pains, improve circulation, and prepare the body for childbirth.
Pregnancy massage and regular pregnancy massage throughout your entire pregnancy has multiple benefits. Not only can pregnancy massage target your physical health, but it can also help to keep your emotional wellness balanced at a time when your hormones are raging, your body is growing in every which way and physical aches have elevated to a new level!
Pregnancy massage can target, manage, and treat pain associated with pregnancy, helping to relieve symptoms of pain and discomfort you may experience.
Pregnancy massage helps reduce stress, anxiety, and fear during pregnancy by increasing the production of “feel-good” hormone serotonin, the body’s hormone which promotes a “happy state of mind” boosts mood, regulates anxiety, and helps memory loss.
Improving sleep, it may not be insomnia, but during pregnancy your sleep routine can be impaired. Pregnancy massage helps to reduce the feelings of anxiety associated with sleep disruption. If physical pain is disturbing sleep, then a pregnancy massage can target the source of muscular pain too, to encourage a better night’s sleep.
Pregnancy massage helps to increase both the blood and lymphatic circulatory systems. Ensuring your foetus is receiving the nutrients, oxygen, and blood support required for healthy cellular growth.
By boosting the immune system, pregnancy massage aims to keep both you and your unborn child in positive peak condition. The stimuli we experience during a pregnancy massage can have a positive impact. The emotions and the immune response converge for a positive health outcome through the power of touch during a massage.
Following on from a recent BBC health feature, an interesting link as to why humans and animals rely on social touch featured on the BBC website.
Article: Why humans and animals rely on social touch – BBC Future
When choosing where to head to for the best pregnancy massage, visit www.massagecompany.co.uk as you’ll know you and your baby are safe in the expert hands of their knowledgeable massage therapists. In comfortable, warm, easy access treatment rooms, if you’re unsure about having your first pregnancy massage by yourself, then why not take your partner, friend or loved one for a treatment at the same time, and ask for the twin treatment room?
With their own accredited training academy and pregnancy massage a part of their everyday treatment menu. It’s a treatment they perform regularly and have received 5-star reviews for.
The Massage Company employ only expert therapists who have transited their own accredited training academy. Have peace of mind, with the knowledge that their massage therapists are trained to the highest standard, ensuring the pregnancy massage they provide, will benefit your physical health, emotional health, and medical requirements.
