6 Things Your Mum Wished She Had Known About Pregnancy
6 Things Your Mum Wished She Had Known About Pregnancy Massage
A lot has changed in the last 30 years. Researchers are able to tell us more than ever before about the benefits of looking after your body during pregnancy, and the impact that has on your baby’s health too. Specifically, there has been a significant amount of research undertaken in the field of Pregnancy Massage. They tell us how to battle some of the biggest bug bears of pregnancy:
1 Sleep quality doesn’t have to crash and burn
Most women experience a serious downgrade in their quality of sleep as pregnancy progresses, particularly in the third trimester when tossing and turning to get comfortable dominates. Research now shows that massage throughout pregnancy increases the production of serotonin and melatonin. These regulate sleep rhythms, thus producing positive effects on sleep quality. Pregnancy massage is therefore a perfect way to help prepare for baby’s arrival – improving your sleep and energy stores in time for the changes ahead.
2 Combat stress and anxiety head-on
Pregnancy massage reduces the stress hormone cortisol, and at the same time it increases the feel good hormones that improve mood, immunity, vitality and also decrease pain levels. Whilst less stress is better for everyone, it is particularly important for mum and bub, as stress negatively impacts many of the body’s functions. Stress and anxiety also cuff your ability to enjoy yourself, and ultimately your pregnancy. Research tells us there has never been a more important time in your life than during pregnancy to get stress and anxiety under wraps.
3 Say “no” to ballooning feet and hands
Swelling of the feet, and to a lesser extent the hands, is quite common during pregnancy. Many women report having to buy new shoes in the last trimester, and having to remove their wedding rings (sometimes these are even cut off, if swelling isn’t managed!). Pregnancy massage encourages the movement and redistribution of fluid that has pooled in the extremities, reducing associated tightness and pain.
4 Lower Stress Hormones in Baby
Research shows that mothers suffering with depression that received massage throughout their pregnancy had babies with cortisol levels lower than those that didn’t receive massage throughout their pregnancy. For those mums with depression, there’s now hard evidence that they need to take good care of themselves during pregnancy, and pregnancy massage plays a key role.
5 Cramping & tension can be managed
Pregnancy massage relieves muscular tension & reduces motor neuron activity which can help calm leg cramps, for example. Massage also assists with neck and shoulder pain, tension headaches, lower back pain or discomfort. It can keep you moving when you otherwise might be couch bound in pain. Researchers now confirm that there is no reason to suffer when there is a simple solution: massage.
6 Decreased likelihood of premature birth
Expectant mums that received 40 minutes of massage per week for 5 weeks, were less likely to have a premature birth than those that did not receive massage at all. Massage during pregnancy is no longer considered a luxury; researchers herein confirm that it has enduring health benefits, for mum and bub.
When choosing a massage therapist for your pregnancy, make sure your therapist is a qualified Remedial Massage Therapist with the additional certification to practise Pregnancy Massage. It’s also a good idea to enquire about their level of experience with pregnancy massage.
References:
Field, T., Hernandez-Reif, M., Hart, S., Theakston, H., Schanberg, S., Kuhn, C. & Burman, I. (1999). Pregnant women benefit from massage therapy. Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics & Gynecology. Viewed 23/02/2014 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10212885
Field, T. (2010) Pregnancy and Labor Massage. Viewed 25/02/14 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2870995/]
Field, T. & Diego, M. (2008). Cortisol: The Culprit Prenatal Stress Variable. International Journal of Neuroscience. Viewed 25/02/2014 http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00207450701820944?journalCode=nes
Field, T., Hernandez-Reif, M., Diego M., Schanberg, S., & Kuhn, C. (2005). Cortisol Decreases And Serotonin And Dopamine Increase Following Massage Therapy. Viewed 26/02/2014 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/clipboard
