Benefits of Pregnant Women Massage

Pregnancy can trigger various unpleasant complaints for pregnant women. Massage for pregnant women can be done as a way to relieve discomfort and make pregnant women feel relaxed.

When a woman is pregnant, there will be some pressure that can be felt especially in the abdominal, neck, back and shoulder muscles. Not only that, the increasing body weight, made many pregnant women complain of pain in the lower back and posture changes because the position of the pelvis progresses forward.

Based on scientific evidence

In general, research shows the benefits of massage for people in general, including relieving pain and the possibility of improving the performance of the immune system. Other studies have found the possibility of massage to help reduce back pain, headaches, reduce stress, and help relaxation.

Meanwhile, studies aimed specifically at finding out the benefits of massage for pregnant women are still very limited. However, a study says that pregnant woman's massage may have a variety of positive benefits including reducing tension and stress hormone levels, alleviating back and leg pain, improving mood while increasing happiness, and making sleep better.

It's just that, when you want to massage, pregnant women should pay attention to gestational age first. For pregnant women who are still experiencing nausea and vomiting, you should avoid this treatment first.

It is recommended that the pregnancy massage begin after 12 weeks' gestation or enter the second trimester. Then, avoid re-massage the pregnant woman when the gestational age is getting closer to the time of delivery, which is 32 weeks and above.

Appropriate Massaging Techniques
Generally the massage for pregnant women will last approximately one hour. Some spas or special massage places for pregnant women have special chairs or beds. Because, massage for pregnant women will usually be done in various positions, such as sitting, half lying down, or lying to the side.

Massagers of pregnant women are usually trained to understand which parts of the body often feel uncomfortable. However, if pregnant women feel uncomfortable or feel certain body parts need extra massage, it is advisable to immediately notify the masseuse.

There are various types of massage for pregnant women, such as traditional massage that presses deep into the muscles, or Swedish massage with sufficiently long pressure towards the active muscles and joints. In addition, a pregnant massage technique that is also commonly found is Shiatsu, with emphasis and massage on the acupressure point to stimulate natural energy.

These various techniques are intended to improve the body condition of pregnant women, such as preventing blood clots in the legs due to increased blood flow experienced by pregnant women. Some massagers will only touch the abdomen very lightly or not at all.

Although classified as safe, there are a number of things to remember when massage for pregnant women:

• Pregnant women need to immediately notify the masseuse if they feel pain or discomfort. Extra pillows may help the position of pregnant women to be more comfortable.
• Pay attention to essential oils or aromatherapy used during massage. Choose according to taste and ask again about the safety of essential oils used.
• As much as possible avoid treatments that utilize heat, such as saunas, hot tubs, or steam baths. If you still want to, make sure the water temperature or room is not more than 32 degrees Celsius to avoid overheating.

Pay attention to gestational age before massage for pregnant women. Then, choose a location and a competent and experienced masseuse. If you have a special medical condition during pregnancy, you should first consult your obstetrician.