Pregnancy Massage

Pregnant women experience a variety of discomforts, aches and pains, not all directly related to pregnancy. Head neck and shoulder aches are common in most people whose work is office/desk based and heavy aching legs and feet are common in people with jobs where they are required to stand for large periods of the working day. However, lower back pain, sciatica, aching legs, feet and ankles and swelling of the extremities are common in pregnancy.

Pregnancy massage can provide many benefits to both mother to be and baby.

It’s a key way of aiding the client to get relief from aches and pains and everyday stresses the pregnancy has on the body. It can aid the mother to coordinate breathing and promote relaxation and have confidence in her own bodies abilities. This in turn promotes bonding and closeness with her baby and helps the therapist to work with and understand the effects the pregnancy has on the body and how they can proactively relieve aches and pains and promote relaxation using various different modalities of massage practice.

A pregnancy massage is a specially adapted gentle and soothing massage tailored specifically for the mother to be and baby. Listed below are some of the benefits that’s massage can provide:

• Reduction of swelling in the extremities
• Alleviation of sciatic pain
• Easing of muscular pain often felt in lower back and neck
• Improvement in ability to relax
• promotion of deeper sleep
• Increases circulation of blood, allowing more more oxygen and nutrients to be supplied to both mother and baby
• Helps release the bodies natural pain killers known as endorphins into the nervous system
• Soothes the nervous system, helping to relieve depression, anxiety and build up of tension
• Supports the mother in preparation for labour and directly after giving birth