Massage and Pregnancy - Prenatal Massage At Midtown Chiropractic

Therapeutic massage has been used for centuries to improve overall health, reduce stress, and relieve muscle tension. Modern research is proving that prenatal massage therapy can be a very instrumental ingredient in women’s prenatal care.

Studies have shown that a baby in utero can sense the mother’s tension by her increased heart rate; when the mother is relaxed, the baby is also relaxed. Regular prenatal massage can reduce the level of cortisol, a stress hormone, and  increase the level of serotonin.  These changes in hormone levels can be linked to fewer complications during birth and fewer instances of newborn complications, such as low birth weight.

Edema, or swelling of the joints, during pregnancy, is often caused by reduced circulation and increased pressure on the major blood vessels by the heavy uterus. Massage helps to stimulate soft tissues to reduce collection of fluids in swollen joints, which also improves the removal of tissue waste, carried by the body’s lymph system.

Sciatic nerve pain is experienced by many women in late pregnancy as the uterus rests on muscles of the pelvic floor and lower back. The pressure of the uterus spreads tension to the muscles of the upper and lower leg and on nearby nerves. Massage therapy alleviates the tension on nearby muscles and corresponding weight-bearing joints. Many women have experienced significant reduction in sciatic nerve pain during pregnancy through regular massage.

Swedish Massage is the recommended prenatal massage method during pregnancy because it addresses many common discomforts associated with the skeletal and circulatory changes brought on by hormone shifts during pregnancy. Its aim is to relax muscle tension, relieve weight-bearing joints, and improve lymphatic and blood circulation through mild pressure applied to the muscle groups of the body.

Women can begin massage therapy at any point in their pregnancy – during the first, second, or third trimester.

Reference:
http://americanpregnancy.org/pregnancyhealth/prenatalmassage.html