Benefits of Prenatal Massage
A prenatal massage shares many of the same goals as a regular massage: to relax tense muscles, improve circulation and mobility, to simply make you feel good! Therapeutic massages have been used for centuries to improve overall health and to help in the healing process of various conditions.
The benefits of prenatal massage come when it is specifically catered to pregnant women and their changing bodies. At Body N Balance Massage Therapy, we are grateful to help you reduce stress and promote overall wellness during your pregnancy.
Some Benefits of Prenatal Massage Includes:
Migraine relief
Some studies have shown a correlation between hormones and migraines, as women tend to get more of them than men. It is also common for women to experience their first migraine when they are pregnant. Massage can provide the necessary relaxation to prevent migraines from becoming a regular condition.
We recommend also keeping a headache diary. This will help make you aware of what may have triggered your headache so that you can avoid them in the future. Common headache triggers for pregnant women are stress, chocolate, cheese, or coffee.
Relax muscle tension
Muscles will become tense due to increased hormones, change in center of gravity, additional weight, posture, and other factors including emotional stress. A Relaxing massage will help alleviate the tension pregnant women feel throughout their bodies. People are prone to holding their emotional stress in the weakest part of their bodies. At Body N Balance, a pre natal massage means reducing stress and healing these painful areas.
Reduce Fatigue
Fatigue is a common symptom during pregnancy. A woman’s experience with fatigue will vary, but it is most common in the first trimester. In addition to hormones contributing to fatigue, the physical and emotional changes can contribute to making you sleepy or lethargic. Massage treatment can help increase blood flow and work out any toxins from the body that may be contributing to your fatigue.
Relieve leg cramps
Leg cramps are common for pregnant women, especially during the 3rd trimester. This can be caused by added weight and changes in your circulation. A pre natal massage can help improve your circulation and soothe your leg muscles from annoying cramps. If this is a particular complaint for our clients, we recommend regular exercise and stretching, resting with legs elevated, self massaging your legs and feet, and applying local heat.
Swelling reduction
During pregnancy, a woman’s body will produce approximately 50% more blood and bodily fluids to meet the needs of the developing baby. Swelling, also known as edema, is commonly experienced in the hands, face, legs, ankles, and feet. Although the extra fluid is beneficial to you and your baby, excess swelling may become troublesome. Factors such as summertime heat, standing for long periods of time, diet low in potassium, high caffeine or sodium consumption can contribute to unnecessary swelling. While you can take certain steps to reduce the impact of these factors, a prenatal massage can help your body to circulate out the fluid retention.
Sleep enhancement
Loss of sleep can happen for a variety of reasons while pregnant. Whatever the reason is, know that it is normal and affects approximately 78% of pregnant women. A prenatal massage can reduce factors affecting sleep such as back pain, heartburn, anxiety, and discomfort.
The benefits of prenatal massage are endless when you utilize a trained massage therapist from Body N Balance healing. Along with your prenatal care provider, massage therapy can be an excellent support to your emotional and physical health.
If you are experiencing back pain during your pregnancy, you are not alone! This is a common complaint among pregnant women (about 50-70%). Carrying a child changes your center of gravity, putting stress on your neck, back, shoulders, and abdominal muscles. In addition, your hormone levels are altered leading to changes in emotional stress. Part of the benefits of prenatal massage includes dealing with these changes to your body, mind and spirit. Massage therapy naturally helps to achieve muscle relaxation as well as mood regulation.
Women who are out of their first trimester and have a normal, low-risk pregnancy can receive the overall benefits of prenatal massage from Body N Balance. Owner Marsha Eisen is a Licensed Massage Therapist as well as a licensed Esthetician and Reiki and Energy Healer. Locally established in Wantagh, Long Island, you will leave us relaxed and eased from the stress of life!