Thrive
Massage Therapy
Prenatal Pregnancy Massage
Your pregnancy massage will address the muscular strains and imbalances you will feel. Common pregnancy-related conditions can be improved, enabling you to have a more pain-free, enjoyable pregnancy.
The pregnancy massage also focuses on calming your mind and body.
Pregnancy can cause discomfort! It compresses your lower back, weakens your core, and places a lot of pressure on your legs and feet. Plus, the weight of your growing baby can cause leg muscles to tense and swell. This inflames nearby nerves and can lead to sciatic nerve pain. Sciatic pain during pregnancy can be caused by a tight buttock muscle – a pregnancy massage can help to relax this muscle and relieve the pain caused by the pinched nerve.
Applying mild pressure to your muscle groups helps reduce swelling by stimulating blood flow throughout your body relieving muscular discomforts, stiffness, tension and cramps.
Postural changes also cause muscular imbalance caused by postural changes – a prenatal massage can help the lumbar region to regain balance and relieve discomfort.
Prenatal massage has been shown to ease pain and reduce anxiety in the first stage of labour. It can help you to cope with contractions by making them feel less intense and more manageable which, in turn, can reduce labour time and pain relief required.
At your initial session, you will also be taught a gentle self-care massage which is very empowering for the mother to be. It allows you to actively participate and take steps to keep the uterus more balanced, thereby assisting your baby in assuming optimal fetal positioning. It is deeply relaxing and helps to connect you to your baby. You will know you have done what you can to physically prepare for a smoother birth.
Studies suggest that mums-to-be who get a weekly pre-natal massage have lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol and higher levels of the feel-good hormones serotonin and dopamine.
As well as feeling relaxed, there are many benefits to having a pregnancy massage, such as:
Constipation – regular abdominal massage will encourage your bowels to move.
Headaches and sinus pain – massage of the face, neck and shoulders can help to alleviate sinus pressure and headaches caused by tension.
Swelling / oedema – extra pressure your uterus places on your legs can lead to swelling in your feet and ankles. Massage can improve circulation and lymph flow to the affected areas, helping to reduce swelling.