Massage Therapy while Pregnant
Is it safe to have massage therapy when you are pregnant?
This question has been answered before, but there still appears to be some confusion out there.
There are massage therapists that specialize in pregnancy massage, but there are also many practitioners who will not massage pregnant ladies out of fear that something terrible is going to happen, yet I believe this is a time for women to be pampered and treated special. You need to stop, think and appreciate just how special and wonderfully women are made, with that tiny little baby well protected in the mothers womb surrounded securely by amniotic fluid; You talk to any mother who has been pregnant with say a 2yo running around, they will tell you how they did dive bombs on their tummy as they sought a cuddle and no harm was done, not that I am suggesting dive bombs on their tummy, but just making a point at how protected that little baby is.
Massage helps greatly with all the tension and pain experienced during pregnancy, caused by the extra weight and the many body changes that take place. Some of the many physical benefits to having a massage whilst pregnant are: reduction in peripheral swelling, soothing of the nervous system, helps to prevent insomnia, muscle cramps along with leg and back pain.
Care must be taken during the first trimester but pregnancy massage is beneficial throughout the whole pregnancy unless the treating Doctor has a reason for them not to be massaged. It has also been found that regular massage throughout the pregnancy shortens labour time, as well as quickening the return to optimal fitness after the birth.
My thoughts are that it would be better to wait until after the first Tri-mester to have a massage because of miscarriages, because they mainly happen in the first Tri-mester. Not that a massage therapy could cause a miscarriage. I do massage women in the early stages of pregnancy but I always share my concerns and make sure that they understand massage does not cause miscarriage and should one occur that it would have happened regardless of the massage.
Pregnant women benefit greatly from massage. It is common for a lot of lower back pain along with sacral ligament problems, as a lot of strain is put on the lower back especially in the later stages of pregnancy. Neck and shoulders is another area that can tighten quite dramatically with the added strain as the breasts become larger. Plus it is an opportunity for them to feel pampered. The way I massage a pregnant woman as they become larger is to start with folded towels under their hip to raise them up a little. From 1 to 3 towels. Then in the later larger stages, lay them on their side with the superior leg supported and massage one side at a time. You need to also be aware that in the later stages when laying on their back that the pressure can cut off the blood supply to their legs, so let them know if they feel tingling down their legs to inform you, then you can do one of two things, either move them onto their side, or raise their right hip using a cushion or folded towels, although in 20 years of massaging I have never experienced this, you need to be aware it can happen.
The other thing I love, and feel is a great privilege for a Masseur, is to massage the unborn baby – they love it. I also encourage the fathers to massage their wives tummy regularly to make contact with their baby and pamper their wife and create a special closeness. By using a nice cream can help prevent unwanted stretch marks. So in conclusion massage during pregnancy is a very positive thing to do.
There is no need to do a special pregnancy massage training course. All Regions Massage School includes this as part of our Whole Body Massage Training Course. We also answer any questions or concerns and encourage our massage therapy students to continue to offer this great massage therapy.
