Pregnancy and Massage

As I was surfing the Internet I spotted a nice site called “Moms New Beginning”. It presented a nice electronic business card with the profile of the torso of a pregnant young lady. As I checked out the blog it made me start to think of the advantages of massage for mothers to be.

In the pregnancy class I took from a wonderful teacher and massage therapist; Val Guin (Who also offers many other wonderful modalities of massage training). One of the first things she brought to the forefront of my attention was the fact that, “There is no other time in a woman’s life where the body transforms itself so profoundly.” She began to display visuals showing the structural changes the female body must go through in its effort to maintain its balance. Her lecture did also explain, how the lifelong relationships between muscles, bones, viscera, tendons and ligaments are transformed during the course of pregnancy. I soon began to see the possibilities massage could offer in not only helping to keep good connections between the constantly transforming body of the mother-to-be and her changing mindset but, also to the miraculous new life that was growing inside of her.

It is well known that massage is a wonderful first remedy in helping to alleviate stress. Bodywork can be a valuable tool in the pregnant woman’s support system. Many of the aches and pains suffered during pregnancy are simply brushed aside as things simply to be expected along the course of the experience. Low back aches, sore necks and shoulders, swollen feet and hands, shortness of breath, stretch marks, etcetera are all things that can detract from the total experience. A massage therapist can assist with massage; education, exercises and information they may be able to share; which will probably help reduce some of these common complaints.

Some therapists have support systems that allow a pregnant client to actually lie face down in a prone position. Others will lye the client on her side and bolster her side, neck and head with pillows also using pillows for strategic support when sitting with the back down on the table.

It is however important to see a doctor and keep that doctor apprised as to what your wishes are. Find out if there are any complications, issues or something in your history you should know that might possibly contraindicate massage. Many therapists will not perform massage on a prenatal client until the second trimester to give the new life, time to make a strong healthy connection to the mother’s body. Make sure you are feeling relatively good and your state of mind is looking forward to receiving the work.

Know that you have choices as to what work you wish to have done and what work you may feel you are not yet ready for. It is all about being supported in your wishes and desires in the experience of your pregnancy.

Now that you have been introduced to the modality of: "pre-natal/pregnancy massage", go out there and find a qualified practitioner in your area and experience the benefits of massage along with your new child. Let me know how the experience went for you. Enjoy!

Namasté,
Jonz