Oh mama! Those aches and pains of your growing baby can be exhausting! I feel you! During my first pregnancy, I had a few prenatal massages, but with my son, I was in the spa two times a month up until the very end! Afraid to try? Let's check out the benefits.
Massage therapy during pregnancy is a wonderful complementary choice for prenatal care. It is a healthy way to reduce stress and promote overall wellness. Massage relieves many of the normal discomforts experienced during pregnancy, such as backaches, stiff neck, leg cramps, headaches and edema (or swelling).
In addition, massage for pregnant women reduces stress on weight-bearing joints, encourages blood and lymph circulation, helps to relax nervous tension -- which aids in better sleep -- and can help relieve depression or anxiety caused by hormonal changes. In addition, the serotonin, endorphins and dopamine released by your body in response to massage provide an extra helping of those natural chemicals.
While a massage can't promise that your newborn will sleep through the night, it can provide you with a better night's sleep both during pregnancy and afterwards. Regular massage therapy not only helps diminish anxiety and discomfort but boosts relaxation as well. This ultimately can lead to improved sleep patterns.
Babies sleeping through the night is a WHOLE other topic!
Photo: Amy Maddox Photography