As you pregnancy progresses,
you may start to feel some aches and pains and this
is when the benefits of a regular pregnancy massage
to make you feel good are really felt.
When you are carrying a baby, your center of gravity
changes and this puts a lot of strain on the back,
the neck, the abdominal muscles and the shoulders.
Pregnancy also relaxes your ligaments making your
pelvic joints less stable. It changes your posture
and pulls your pelvis forward. It is no wonder that
with all these changes, plus the extra weight you
are carrying, you start to suffer from an aching lower
back.
A father-to-be often feels unsure of what he can
do to help his pregnant partner during the months
leading up to the birth of their baby, apart from
helping out with the household chores. Learning to
give his wife or partner a pregnancy massage, helps
the father-to-be feel he is part of the whole process,
brings the two closer together as a couple as well
as helping them both to bond with their unborn baby.
These are some of the ways in which a pregnancy massage
can help you by:
• Eliminating waste products through the lymphatic
and circulatory systems thereby helping to combat
fatigue and increase energy levels.
• Easing the load on the heart and keeping the
blood pressure in check.
• Alleviating cramping, tightening, stiffness,
tension and those knots in the muscles.
• Carrying away the lactic acid and other cellular
waste products that can build up and cause muscle
fatigue.
• Relieving depression or anxiety caused by
the hormonal changes which occur in pregnancy.
• Relieving many discomforts such as backaches,
stiff neck, leg cramps, headaches, edema and sore
or swollen ankles or feet. Back pain is extremely
common in pregnancy but it can be relieved by massage
to the whole of the back area, the neck, legs and
feet and by gentle stroking of the abdomen.
• Increasing the blood circulation which means
greater vitality and less fatigue for you and better
nourishment for your baby
• Stimulating glandular secretions thereby stabilizing
hormone levels.
• Relaxing tense muscles and toning loose muscles
as well as increasing muscular flexibility. Such flexibility
can be most helpful during the last three months as
well as during labor.
• Soothing and relaxing nervous tension so that
you sleep more soundly. For women who develop problems
sleeping, the soothing effects of massage can help
relax and calm. Some pregnant women claim that lightly
massaging the abdomen can even help to send the foetus
to sleep. The medical profession agrees that a mother
who is relaxed will have an easier pregnancy and possibly
an easier labor as well.
Apart from the physical benefits of a pregnancy massage,
there are emotional benefits too. When the father-to-be
learns to give a pregnancy massage, he is touching
his wife or partner’s emotions and state of
mind. It is an expression of love and caring with
the additional advantage of bringing two people closer
together.
