When you’re looking for relief from sore muscles and swollen joints during pregnancy (and trust us, we know that is a common occurrence), look to massage!
Let’s dive right into some of the many benefits of prenatal massage:
1. Reduce Swelling
When your feet, legs, and hands start swelling during pregnancy, it is often caused by reduced circulation and increased pressure on the major blood vessels. Massage can help stimulate the soft tissue, move the extra fluid, and reduce the swelling, leaving you feeling more comfortable.
2. Relieve Lower Back Pain
Pregnancy massage improves lower back pain including sciatic nerve pain by addressing the tight muscles in the affected area. Prenatal massage increases blood flow and helps release the tension that can be brought on naturally by pregnancy.
3. Improve Sleep
Getting good quality sleep becomes harder and harder as your pregnancy progresses. Prenatal massage relaxes the nervous system and releases feel good hormones. This will leave you more relaxed and let you sleep better. That is something we all need!
4. Prepare Your Body for Labor and Birth
Prenatal Massage can help you have an easier delivery, not only because it can reduce your overall stress level but also because of how well it can keep your muscles toned and relaxed in advance of the start of labor. Studies show that women reportedly had shorter hospital stays, shorter labors and less incidence of post-natal depression when receiving massages.
5. Relieve Pain Naturally
Prenatal massage offers a natural, safe, drug-free alternative for pain relief. This is beneficial since the use of medications is limited during pregnancy for the safety of your baby. The increased blood flow to your tissues and the relaxation your body will experience during and after a session can significantly alleviate many of the common discomforts of pregnancy.