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June 2020
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By Donna Maurer. For more, contact her via donnamaurer.com
Muscle cramps, fatigue, nausea, back pain, swollen feet, and heartburn! Creating life is a natural process, but that doesn’t mean it’s comfortable. While some women feel great throughout their entire pregnancy, others experience every discomfort in the book. Thankfully, there are several steps a mom-to-be can take that will relieve their discomfort. Eating a healthy, nutritious diet, gentle exercise like walking and yoga, and prenatal massage can all make pregnancy much more pleasant. For an expecting mom, prenatal massage offers physiological, emotional, and psychological benefits. It’s different from a regular massage because it focuses on the particular needs of a mom-to-be as her body goes through the dramatic changes of pregnancy. A qualified prenatal massage therapist knows how to adapt the technique for a pregnant woman in each trimester of her pregnancy. For the pregnant woman, prenatal massage can relieve mental and physical fatigue, improve circulation and blood flow, improve the function of sore or stiff joints and muscles. This noninvasive and gentle form of therapeutic bodywork can also ease the discomforts of pregnancy while nurturing the emotional needs of the pregnant mother and helping her get ready for labor and delivery. Let’s take a more in-depth look at how prenatal massage can help during every stage of pregnancy. The Benefits of Prenatal Massage During Every Stage of Pregnancy Prenatal massage offers benefits for both mom and baby throughout the entire pregnancy. When you are expecting, everything you do, especially what you eat and how you exercise, could affect your growing baby. There is a direct connection between the mother’s state of mind the healthy development of the baby. Common pregnancy complications, such as uterine prolapse, scar tissue, and incontinence, can also be prevented by keeping your uterus and ligaments healthy with prenatal massage. One study even found evidence that receiving prenatal massage regularly throughout pregnancy can shorten delivery times and make labor more comfortable, possibly reducing the need for epidurals and other pain medications. The same study also shows that receiving massage as a regular part of prenatal care reduced the need for cesarean births by half. Other key benefits include:
It used to be that prenatal massage wasn’t recommended for women in their first trimester, but that’s no longer the case. Recent studies show that proper prenatal massage by a qualified practitioner can have tremendous benefits at this stage of pregnancy. And, a healthy first trimester sets a good foundation for a healthy pregnancy, baby, and delivery. Prenatal massage during the first trimester will focus mainly on correcting pre-existing problems like back, pelvic, neck, or shoulder pain that could worsen as the pregnancy progresses. Relieving these problems now will help your body adapt to the rapid changes that come with creating a new life. This stage of pregnancy also brings a whole host of symptoms due to the sudden influx of pregnancy hormones. Prenatal massage can provide significant relief for many of these symptoms, including morning sickness, constipation, and headaches. Second Trimester Benefits As you enter the second trimester of pregnancy, things settle down a bit, and those initial discomforts begin to subside. However, your belly is also growing at a rapid rate, and as your center of gravity is thrown off, back pain can become a problem. Prenatal massage at this stage can relieve tenseness in the muscles and improve your posture and alignment. Now is also the time your massage practitioner will want to focus on supporting the rapidly enlarging uterus as grows from about four ounces to as much as 13 pounds by the end of your pregnancy. Your practitioner will work to keep your ligaments flexible and toned, which will be extremely beneficial for preventing not only pelvic and back pain, but also preterm and back labor. Third Trimester Benefits Now that you’ve entered your third trimester, you and your practitioner will be focused on getting ready for labor and delivery. Hormonal changes and weight gain will put additional strain on the ligaments that support your uterus. The added pressure your bulky uterus puts on your legs and feet may cause swelling or fluid buildup. Your growing uterus is also likely to cause issues with elimination and digestion, and heartburn becomes a daily issue. You may also be experiencing increased anxiety about labor and delivery. Prenatal massage in the third trimester can be incredibly beneficial for all of these symptoms, and it will also help to keep your stress levels low. Your practitioner will have special pillows and a larger table to make sure you’re comfortable and secure throughout your massage. Postnatal Massage Benefits Postnatal massage can offer some incredible benefits after delivery as well. Your body goes through so much during pregnancy and childbirth, and postpartum massage is a great way to support your body and help it get back to normal after your baby is born. It can support proper bladder and digestive function and help get your pelvic floor back into shape. It’s also excellent for coping with the stress and possible depression that often accompany the hormonal changes after pregnancy. As you can clearly see, prenatal massage can be incredibly helpful throughout every stage of pregnancy and beyond. It’s a non-invasive and safe way to support your mind and body and encourage a comfortable pregnancy and childbirth.
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8/18/2021 10:27:12 am
After a morning full of taking pictures, hiking, exploring the lava tube and attempting yoga poses in precarious locations, Erika sat down on the slick rock and said she wanted to just sit for a minute. She reminded me of the importance of just sitting and taking in the view. No hiking, no pictures, no expectations. Just enjoying the moment. Those moments are not pictured and I'm happy that they aren't. We need more of those.
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8/27/2021 10:06:05 am
Just finished my first marathon. Was warned to expect chaffing. Bought Skin Glide. Applied it to nipples armpits and further south. Result: my nipples and further south feel like they are on fire!! Armpits seem fine. Very disappointed in this product!!!!!!
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8/29/2021 05:10:57 am
Being trendy and fashionable is just your own wish, no one can force you to do it and it is your own decision that how much and what type of fashion you are preferring according to place and requirement. Though this time of the 21st century in India mostly people are affected by the glamorous world and style of fashion still they have not forgotten our traditions and culture which is the priority and symbol of our country.
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9/14/2021 11:20:37 am
I really appreciate your work. I am very impressed by this post. I would like to suggest you that please keep sharing such type of info. Thanks.
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9/15/2021 10:02:08 am
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9/16/2021 08:43:10 am
After reading your article I was amazed. I know that you explain it very well. And I hope that other readers will also experience how I feel after reading your article.
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9/18/2021 05:08:42 am
So, take that walk, make that cup of tea or spend an hour or two binge watching Bridgerton. Find what you may need to give yourself that boost so that you can keep moving forward - and don’t judge yourself for the needing of it. Living doesn’t start when we feel happy and free...this is it right now - so make the most of it. : )
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9/24/2021 01:02:43 am
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2/16/2022 10:12:45 pm
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3/2/2022 05:51:43 am
I really appreciate your work. I am very impressed by this post. I would like to suggest you that please keep sharing such type of info. Thanks.
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