Many women suffer from
aches and pains, stiffness and tension during pregnancy.
A gentle pregnancy massage can often help to relieve
those problems such as backache, insomnia, edema, headaches
and many other complaints.
Although some schools of thought suggest avoiding
massage during the first trimester, others suggest
a gentle massage throughout the pregnancy is very
beneficial. However when you are massaging a pregnant
woman, you must be very gentle, particularly on the
abdomen and lower back. Massage helps to improve the
blood flow and relax the muscles. This can be particularly
useful around the neck and shoulders, or a full body
massage really helps a person to relax.
If you are the one giving a pregnancy massage, first
warm the hands and then warm a small amount of massage
oil by rubbing your hands together. Keep the supply
of oil close by. Learn and use some simple strokes.
If you have ever done massage before, then experiment
with what strokes you enjoy. You don’t need
to be an expert for your partner to enjoy the massage.
There are even massage tools which can be used, some
as simple as a tennis or squash ball being rolled
on the back.
Music can be used either in the background or as
a main focus during relaxation. Let your partner choose
her favorite relaxation music to be played during
a pregnancy massage. She may then be able to have
the same music during labor and she will automatically
associate this music with the soothing and relaxing
massage and it will help her to relax during the labor
experience.
The pregnant mother-to-be should lie down on the
floor, couch or bed making sure she is comfortable
and warm. She should let her body go heavy while sinking
into the support. She should let her legs roll out
if she is on her back. If it is later in the pregnancy,
she should lie on her side checking that her legs
are resting comfortably. She should enjoy the feeling
of the weight being off her legs.
This is when you can start to massage her feet and
legs and then move on to the calves. The blood will
start to flow back into her legs and feet. As she
rests, she will feel the energy coming back while
the massage continues and as she gently breathes in
and out.
She should then let her arms and head and upper back
go heavy. The massage now moves to the neck and shoulders
so that the tightness and tension leave her body.
The blood flow improves from her neck down her arms
to her fingertips and the arms start to feel heavy.
All the time the massage continues, she should continue
to gently breathe in and out while feeling the energy
returning to her body.
Apart from the pregnancy massage, it is important
to practice relaxation techniques during pregnancy
and these are some simple ways to relax:
• Sit comfortably and let the shoulders drop
down.
• Stretch the fingers out and rest back into
the chair.
• Take a slow deep breathe in and then focus
on a long steady breathe out. Try to empty the as
much as possible.
• Then breathe normally but each time, focus
on breathing tension out of the body while exhaling.
• Stay here for as many minutes as possible.
Every minute gives a pregnant woman a feeling of the
luxury of a little time to herself.
If a woman is pregnant for the first time, then this
relaxing technique should be practices often so that
it becomes a habit to use the same technique after
the baby is born.
