Is massage for pregnant women safe or not? & bull; hello healthy

When pregnant, the body can feel stiff, achy, and uncomfortable. You may want a massage to help you relax and feel less tense. However, actually, is it okay to do pregnancy massage on pregnant women? Check out the explanation in this article first!

Is it okay to massage pregnant women?

During pregnancy, there are usually complaints that are felt by pregnant women.

When the body is adapting, it feels like doing a pregnancy massage can help cope with the changes that occur.

Including to relieve discomfort when you should not take pain relievers.

Quoted from Health Direct, massage during pregnancy or prenatal can be done. This is to reduce stress, swelling of the feet and hands, to relieve muscle pain.

In fact, doing pregnancy massage can be done at any time in each trimester of pregnancy.

However, quoted from the American Pregnancy Association, most massage facilities refuse to massage young pregnant women or in the first trimester of pregnancy.

This is done to avoid the risk of miscarriage. Therefore, massage of pregnant women should be done in the second or third trimester.

Also keep in mind, pregnant women whose pregnancies are at risk or have not received permission from an obstetrician should not do massage first.

The reason is, there is not enough research that can prove massage during pregnancy is completely safe and risk-free.

Likewise, if you have a health condition like the one below, you should first consult your doctor:

High blood pressure or hypertension.
High-risk pregnancy complications.
Experiencing pre-eclampsia while pregnant.
Experiencing swelling that is quite severe.
Experiencing unusual or severe headaches.

What are the benefits of massage for pregnant women?

Actually, there are not many supporting studies that prove the benefits of massage in pregnant women for health.

However, so far the benefits that can be felt when pregnant women are listed are as follows:

Reduces stress and anxiety levels.
Relax tense muscles.
Increase blood flow.
Repair the lymphatic or lymph system.
Helps to sleep better.

Apart from the benefits mentioned above, there are also other benefits of massage during pregnancy.

One of them is to help increase levels of endorphins, oxytocin, serotonin and dopamine which affect the level of happiness.

Pregnancy massage is classified as effective for helping with pain and enhancing the emotional experience of childbirth.

Unlike the usual pregnancy massage, there is also a perineal massage which is a preparation for normal delivery.

Safe massage guide for pregnant women

If you have consulted with a doctor, the next thing you need to make sure is to choose a massage place that has been certified.

This is done so that you are treated by a professional masseuse and avoid injury and complications.

A certified therapist or masseuse knows about safe positions and massage points during pregnancy.

Swedish massage is the recommended method of massage during pregnancy because it can relieve discomfort due to hormonal changes.

This massage method aims to relax muscle tension and increase blood circulation through light pressure on the muscles.

Preparation for massage in pregnant women

Before starting the massage, the therapist will ask you about your habits and lifestyle during pregnancy.

Then, you will be asked to lie down on a massage table that has been specially designed.

If needed, you can also use a special pillow to make it more comfortable.

When massaging, the therapist will use a special cream or oil to make the massage feel soft.

Safe massage position during pregnancy

Of course, the therapist also needs to know what positions are safe when doing massage on pregnant women. This is because the size of the stomach is different from ordinary people.

The recommended positions for pregnancy massage are sitting, lying on your side, or half lying down.

When massaging, there are also therapists who avoid the stomach area because it is more sensitive. Although, there is also no evidence whether massaging the pregnant belly is a dangerous thing.

In the third trimester, you are also not advised to lie on your back for too long.

This is because the uterus can put pressure on the spine and major blood vessels so that blood flow to the baby is reduced.

Are there any types of massage for pregnant women that should be avoided?

There are several types of massage currently available for pregnant women. If you want to do massage during pregnancy, you should avoid traditional massage.

This is because in traditional massage (massage), the therapist will press firmly with the tip of the thumb.

This kind of pressure is more at risk of causing pain or the transfer of the blood clot to a part of the body that requires proper blood flow.

Also, be careful if you want to do reflexology. Usually the pressure applied will focus on the legs.

The reason is, several points on the ankles and calves can trigger contractions.

Even though your gestational age is close to your due date, consult your doctor before doing it.