Pregnancy Massage for the Expectant Mother
One of the Oldest Healing Arts
Noted anthropologist George Englemann, who was scholarly in tribal customs, wrote in 1884, "There is hardly a people, ancient or modern, that do not in some way resort to massage and expression in labor, even if it be a natural and easy one."
Cultural studies indicate that massage therapy has been and still is a prominent part of healthcare for expectant moms in many cultures worldwide. The elder women of the Nama Hottentot tribe of South Africa give massage treatments to the pregnant women of their tribe several times a week to prepare for the upcoming childbirth. Expecting mothers in Uganda receive massage regularly in an effort to make their bones supple for an easier delivery. Traditional sculptures depict Eskimo fathers lovingly supporting their laboring wives by stroking their backs. In certain Irish hospitals laboring women are held and touched by trained massage therapists, doulas or midwives through most of their notably short and uncomplicated labors. As massage therapy becomes more commonplace within Western culture and within our medical communities, pregnancy massage is and will continue to be a growing specialized application.
As a pregnant woman's body undergoes major structural, physiological and emotional changes, massage therapy offers a safe, natural and appropriate form of adjunctive healthcare that supports the well-being of the mother and the fetus. The expectant mom can benefit in many ways from receiving regular massage treatments:
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Massage will prepare her for an easier delivery with it's sedating affect on the nervous system, promoting relaxation and stress relief. This affect will help her to approach her due date with less anxiety. The endorphins released by massage offer the recipient this deep relaxation that is also felt by the baby in utero. Incidentally, all doctors would agree that a relaxed mother will have a happier and healthier pregnancy and possibly an easier childbirth experience.
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Massage will ease her physical discomfort by reducing pain in the lower back, pelvis and hips. Shoulder, neck and back strain due to postural changes can be significantly alleviated.
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Muscle tone can be increased with regular massage. Muscle spasms and knots are released while the flexibility of ligaments, tendons and joints is maximized providing a most appreciated advantage during labor.
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Increased circulation offers an elevation in blood to the entire body, including the placenta. This brings greater nutrition to the tissues and the fetus and enhances waste product removal.
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Edema of the feet, legs and hands is decreased. The lymphatic system will circulate faster and more efficiently, resulting in less swelling and more energy for the pregnant woman.
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Massage stimulates glandular secretions which stabilizes hormonal levels, making their side effects - like morning sickness - less severe.
As there are many physiological and structural benefits of receiving regular pregnancy massage, the emotional experience should not be ignored. Increased body awareness and the radical physical changes can lead to varying perceptions of the pregnant self. Many women welcome these changes and are able to maintain a sense of comfortableness throughout their pregnancy, while others have difficulty preserving a positive self image. A sensitive massage practitioner can make a big difference in the way a woman accepts her body and deals with all of these changes.
A pregnancy massage should only be administered by a therapist who has been certified in the practice and is knowledgeable in the particular techniques used, the areas of the body that must be treated differently, and the times in which the massage should not be administered. Massage is contraindicated in cases of:
- Morning sickness, nausea or vomiting.
- Vaginal bleeding or unusual discharge.
- A noticed decrease in the movement of the baby in the previous 8-10 hours.
- Diarrhea.
- Pain in the abdomen (unlike the pressure felt in the latter months) or anywhere else in the body.
- Proximity to the site of a bruise, varicose vein or scar.
- Disapproval by the doctor or health care provider for any other medical reason.
Massage can be administered throughout all three trimesters for women in both normal and high-risk pregnancies. However, a doctors or health care providers permission may be required.
Women in tribal societies resume their normal everyday activities almost immediately after giving birth. Among the natural methods used to restore strength and decrease postpartum depression in the new mom, the most important and widely accepted tradition is massage. In the postpartum recovery period specialized massage can be utilized to alleviate muscle strain due to labor and delivery, promote structural and postural realignment, ward off fatigue and facilitate a speedy recovery.
In our medically advanced society, massage can be often overlooked as an intricate part of adjunctive healthcare. However, this time honored, tried and true tradition, among the oldest of the healing arts, has been used for thousands of years in almost every culture. We now have the opportunity to implement this bodywork system into our everyday prenatal and postpartum care.
