Learning Self-Massage Tachniques

When you're pregnant, you can start to feel like everything is about your baby. But while it is important to keep your little one's care and health in mind, it's also important to take some time and focus on your own health and well-being. A healthy, happy mom makes for a healthy, happy baby. One way to take better care of yourself during pregnancy is by getting pregnancy massages. Keep reading to learn what a pregnancy massage involves, and what its benefits are.

What Does a Pregnancy Massage Involve?

A pregnancy massage generally focuses on the areas of the body that tend to get sore during pregnancy. Your practitioner will likely spend a long time working on your back, which can be under a lot of stress due to the forward pull of your growing belly. They'll also work on your legs and arms. In doing so, they'll help move some of the fluid accumulated in these areas back into circulation. If you've been dealing with swollen ankles during pregnancy, this can be really helpful.

The techniques used in pregnancy massage tend to be gentler than those used in other types of massage. You can expect your therapist to use a lot of long, soothing strokes with light to medium pressure. They may also use other soothing techniques, such as placing warmed stones over your back.

What Are the Benefits of Pregnancy Massage?

Pregnancy massage can reduce your stress levels, so you are better able to sleep. And a good night's sleep makes a huge difference when you are pregnant! 

Pregnancy massage also helps with swelling and inflammation. After a massage, you should feel like your joints are more limber, and you're able to walk and move around with less pain in your legs.

It is also thought that regular massages during pregnancy could make your delivery easier. By working the soreness and tiredness out of the muscles in your back and abdomen, massage can help better prepare those muscles for the task of labor. You may evrn have a shorter labor, have an easier time pushing, and recover faster after giving birth when you've had massages throughout your pregnancy.

If you are pregnant, look for a massage therapy center near you that offers pregnancy massages. Even if you just go for a massage once a month throughout your pregnancy, it will make a big difference in how you feel, and that's one secret to a healthy pregnancy.