Melbourne is the capital city of Victoria and the second-most populous city in Australia. About 1.54 children were born per average woman in the period of 2019-2020, in the Australian state of Victoria. You will be surprised to know that the rate of giving birth by caesarean section has continued to rise from 32% in 2009 to 37% in 2019. Reason- Expectant mothers are not taking antenatal care like pregnancy massages. During pregnancy, when your body is undergoing great physical, mental, and emotional changes, getting a massage helps integrate these changes successfully.
Massage is considered healthy and helpful to expectant mothers as it addresses many pregnancy discomforts like stress, muscle aches, and pain and helps improve the overall health of the mom-to-be. But still, only 77% of expectant mothers accessed such beneficial antenatal care in the first trimester of their pregnancy. Pregnancy massage in Melbourne can offer genuine therapeutic benefits to the expecting mother. If you are pregnant and still pondering about whether to take pregnancy massage or not, continue reading! This article will help you understand what pregnancy massage is, how it is different from regular massage, and its benefits.
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What is pregnancy massage, and how it is different?
Pregnancy massage is a type of massage therapy specifically designed for pregnant ladies. It is commonly referred to as prenatal massage or maternity massage. Extra care is provided during the massage to ensure no harm can be caused to the baby. The deep tissue pressure, which is common in other therapeutic massages, will not be used in prenatal massage as it can cause harm to the mother or baby. Furthermore, pregnancy massage differs from regular massage in the following ways:
- The pregnancy massage therapist needs to have detailed knowledge of the mother’s body.
- The intensity of the massage is reduced, keeping the mother’s feedback in mind.
- The body posture of the expectant mother during the massage is different. Typically the soon-to-be-mom is on her side, unlike regular massages in which the person is on his back or front.
Benefits of pregnancy massage
Reduce swelling and backpain
Back pain and swelling are the most common symptoms of pregnancy; almost every woman has to deal with it from the very early stage to delivery and beyond. This is one of the most common reasons pregnant women choose to take pregnancy massage. Massage helps soothe the muscles and improves blood circulation, thus giving you relief from back pain and swelling feet, legs and hands. Massage helps stimulate soft tissues and leaves you feeling more comfortable.
Massage regulates hormone production
For all expectant mothers, it is vital to battle anxiety and depression and stay happy for the child’s well-being. There is no denying that massage therapy promotes the secretion of hormones associated with stress and anxiety reduction. Taking massage helps lower the levels of stress hormones like cortisol and norepinephrine. It increases hormones like serotonin and dopamine, both of which can help prevent depression and anxiety.
Prepare the body for labour and birth
Studies have shown that prenatal massage gives your body the strength it needs for childbirth. It is designed to help expectant mothers have easier delivery as it prepares their bodies for labour and birth. It is also seen that women taking massages regularly during pregnancy have less incidence of post-natal depression when receiving massages, shorter labours and shorter hospital stays. All this is not just because massage helps reduce the stress level but also because it keeps your muscles toned and relaxed before the start of labour.
Reduce baby’s stress hormone
Besides helping expectant mothers, prenatal massage also helps reduce the baby’s stress hormone. Studies have proven that massage plays a crucial role in increasing the baby’s cortisol levels even when they are still in the womb. That’s why it is said that mothers are not the only ones enjoying the benefits of pregnancy massage.
If you are convinced and thinking of going for pregnancy massage in Melbourne, make sure the therapist you choose is an experienced and well-trained professional specialising in prenatal massage techniques. During this stage, you can’t take any risk of selecting a novice.
Author Bio:
Alison Lurie is a farmer of words in the field of creativity. She is an experienced independent content writer with a demonstrated history of working in the writing and editing industry. She is a multi-niche content chef who loves cooking new things.
