Prenatal Massage

During pregnancy a woman's body undergoes many changes, some of them stressful and uncomfortable. Massage is a perfect way to reduce stress and promote general well-being.

Pregnancy can have significant impact on your body as it shifts and adjust to the beautiful bundle growing inside of you.

Massage during any stage of pregnancy can:

• greatly reduce stress
• decrease swelling.
• increase the flow of oxygen and blood to your tissues
• relieve depression or anxiety caused by hormonal changes
• relieves many of the normal discomforts during pregnancy, such as backaches, a stiff neck, leg cramps, headaches, edema, and sore, swollen ankles and feet
• relieve tense muscles
• tones loose muscles
• increase muscular flexibility

Benefits for Baby

In 1999, Dr. Tiffany Fields at The Touch Institute at the University of Miami published research results showing that pregnant women who received massage experienced reduced anxiety, improved mood, reduced back pain, and (very precious to the pregnant) increased sleep. The massaged women had fewer complications in labor and fewer premature babies. While research is ongoing in this area, it may be that massage is effective in reducing the stress-related hormone cortisol, which is one indicator of premature infants.

Prenatal massage may go beyond preventing prematurity, however. In his recent writings, Dr. Fredrick Wirth, a neonatologist at Tufts University School of Medicine, believes that maternal stress on the fetus actually changes the way the baby's brain is developed. Studies show that expectant moms with high stress levels have aggressive, emotionally underdeveloped children, whereas moms who actively work to decrease their stress have babies who are easily calmed and children who socialize well with others. Massage therapy is an excellent way to reduce stress and actively practice a deeper level of relaxation.