Prenatal Massage
Third Trimester Massage
Your third trimester should be the mental preparation period for your postpartum time. Postpartum changes in mood, body and mental state do not go away in six weeks. Most women make the mistake of assuming their bodies will “bounce back” after the first forty days, however, this is the period of time when your body and mind will need the highest level of support in managing your physical and emotional stress levels. Many women also assume that the “pampering” period of being pregnant and receiving massage should end as soon as she stops being pregnant. Please allow me to say this, kindness towards your body should flow from your third to your fourth trimester. Recovering from your birth using therapeutic methods is not a luxury its a basic healthcare regimen for women’s health. Your OB doctor, midwife or doula, chiropractor, physical therapist will not massage your aching muscles for an hour or more. Only a licensed massage therapist has the physical endurance and training to support you in this unique way. That is not to elevate massage therapists above other healthcare providers but to acknowledge their role in supporting maternity. We want and should work together with your healthcare team to give you the best chance of being a successful mother.
Postpartum Depression Prevention
According to a 2021 medical study done in Ethiopia of 461 post natal mothers, scientists discovered the following conclusions
The prevalence of postpartum depression in our study is high and it was an alarming finding which necessitates more attention to be given to maternal mental health problems during the postpartum period.
Frontiers in Public Health 2022, National Library of Medicine, PubMed.
Massage therapy on a regular and consistent bases throughout the third trimester and first six weeks after a baby is born offers the mother the ability to post positive hormones that will help battle postpartum depression. Considering that child neglect and mother related suicide , I would argue that including regular massage into a mother’s healthcare regimen is a crucial form of legitimate care. The following are the hormones that are naturally increased when any person receives massage
- Oxytocin (the bonding hormone)
- Dopamine
- Seratonin
If a new mother is struggling to breastfeed properly, feels overwhelmed by the demands of family members visiting or a husband that wants to renew sexual intimacy massage provides a way for the mother to receive non-sexual touch is a way that promotes healing for her body.
Massage During Labor
The first stage of early labor is when a woman may safely schedule a prenatal massage at a facility away from her home. This stage is divided into two divisions and each one is essential to understand for both therapist and mom-to-be. There are three stages to labor and the early labor phase is the ideal time for mom to schedule a prenatal massage. Once active labor begins the chance of mom giving birth are higher. In early labor, the cervix dilates. When women have called for an induction massage one of our preliminary questions are “how far are you dilated?”. Early labor is a long process that can take hours or days, especially for first time mommas. Births following are usually shorter. It’s important for you to relay to the therapist how many births your body has gone through before you schedule a third trimester massage close to your expected due date. At Lumina, the long process of a first time early labor is the reason we confidently approve third trimester massage appointments. We are also mentally at ease with the experience of birth. We recommend you ask the therapist how comfortable they are working with women close to their due date. Some may not be or work in a facility where this is against their policy. There is no right or wrong. A massage business has the freedom to deny services if they feel uneasy or lack the proper training to support a woman during this stage in her pregnancy. At Lumina, our goal at this stage is to prepare her body for birth as smoothly as possible. Another helpful piece of information is notifying your therapist if your mucus plug has come out. Here are some common and natural activities that are recommended to women to help labor :
- Go for a walk
- Having sex
- Get an acupressure massage for induction
Our stance is that if you can take a walk in your neighborhood and have sex, you can and should also be receiving a professional prenatal induction massage! Once again, the signs to look out for when massage is appropriate (outside of the home) are when contractions are mild and irregular. Once active labor begins, massage will have to take place at the birthing place of choice for mom. The contractions at this point are strong and much closer together. During active labor massage can be helpful to focus your attention as you labor by pressing on certain areas of your body. It can help but stay tuned with how you perceive touch. If touch is comforting and helping then massage is a wonderful and natural addition to your birthing experience. Intense contractions that last approximately one minute long signal the final moments of active labor. Stage two is the delivery of the baby!
Fundal Massage
The delivery of your whole and intact placenta is an important part of the birth experience. You may ask your therapist to massage your abdomen which will help stimulate uterine contractions. Fundal massage should not hurt! Some women have shared stories of nursing staff or doctors aggressively pushing the abdomen. We have also had women sharing their experiences when their fundal massage was firm but not painful. It’s all in the approach of the health care provider and in the state of Florida that includes massage therapists. We encourage you to search for medical professionals in your state that are legally able to provide this service is an effective and compassionate way.
Medical Study
In a medical study published in 2020 by the Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care, Massage Therapy during labor was reported to help pain relief during labor. The study was conducted on forty women between the ages of twenty-two to twenty five years old. The study divided the women into two groups : one with massage during labor and the other under routine care without massage. Here is the conclusion from the study:
Our study proved that back massage was effective in reducing pain during the first stage of labor in primipara mothers in comparison to those who were subjected to routine care.
Exercise
Functional fitness for pregnancy is unique because new born care activities are very different from how your body moves during pregnancy. Once a mother gives birth and is within the rhythm of day-to-day activities of her postpartum world, functional fitness offers a very helpful way for a woman to strengthen the specific muscle groups that she will be doing with specific repetitive motions including breast-feeding, nursing and constantly carrying a child and leaning over continuous times a day in order to change diapers just to name a few. The difference between this and doing cardiovascular work in order to lose weight is a completely different priority and mental approach to fitness. Functional fitness focuses on giving the mother, the ability to carry out her duties and responsibilities with her body without causing in debilitating muscle strain or pain. This is crucial for longevity and sustainable parenting. The more functional fitness makes its way into the fitness world; people are beginning to realize its very practical approach for the preparation of birth and postpartum recovery. Functional fitness is best introduced in the second trimester. Work with your personal trainer, or look at specific videos online that will help you strengthen the muscles needed to raise a child, hold a child and lean over several times in a day. As opposed to a gym, where you’re isolating, specific muscles, you’re focusing more on daily movements in your soon to be mom-life.
Citations
Effectiveness of back massage on pain relief during first stage of labor
