Massage is a vastly under-used tool for fostering a healthy pregnancy, which can benefit pregnant women and their developing foetuses enormously when performed correctly by a qualified practitioner. Massage can decrease stress and improve relaxation, improve lymph drainage, benefit muscle tone and elasticity and have a balancing effect on glands, all of which are of huge benefit during pregnancy.¹

Massage has been used through the ages by pregnant women and their partners, friends and midwives, to relieve pain and tension - back rubbing I believe it’s commonly called! But it’s important to remember also that it can be used to stimulate miscarriage - as Connie Cox writes "as beneficial as a maternity massage may be, it is critical for massage therapists to learn how to properly massage pregnant women... If prenatal massage is done improperly, the potential for miscarriage is very real" (p. 31). And she adds, in some countries it is used for exactly that purpose, as a birth control measure.

According to Cox, there are three main ways maternity massage can benefit pregnant women, and the most important of all is in "over all relaxation and stress reduction". As she points out muscle tension and stress decrease the nutrient absorption and toxin elimination necessary for healthy cells. Clearly when those cells are in the process of developing into a baby, it is essential that they receive adequate nutrients and are able to eliminate toxins. Research has also shown, Cox tells us, that

During pregnancy of course, a woman may easily be under more stress than usual (and as we know, in our current culture, plenty of stress is almost par for the course on good days!) - her body is changing, but very often her other stressors, such as the conflicting demands of other children and job pressures, do not change but remain constant. She may also be experiencing anxiety, especially if it is her first pregnancy, or trying to fit more commitments into her life (such as prenatal classes).

Maternity massage can provide an opportunity to experience deep relaxation, and allow outside stresses to slip away for a period, thereby allowing the cells to receive the nutrients they need and rid themselves of harmful toxins. At the same time, relaxation can reduce fatigue, a common complaint during pregnancy, and morning sickness. According to Cox, most doctors now agree that the nausea or morning sickness common in the first trimester is solely a reflection of the woman’s stress level.

Massage also impacts the lymph drainage system, and this is especially important during pregnancy as excessive toxins and hormones need to be efficiently eliminated. Also during the later months of pregnancy the growing uterus inhibits lymph drainage from the legs. Toxaemia can be caused by the toxins remaining in tissues and cells, and varicose veins are caused by the accumulation of wastes in the veins. Regular massage helps stimulate the lymph system and prevents the dangerous build of wastes and lymph fluid from occurring.

The many other benefits of massage during pregnancy are too numerous to list in this short article. However it is important to realise that to maximise the benefits of massage and minimise any possible hazards, the massage must be tailored to each stage of the pregnancy, and must not interfere with the necessary hormonal changes that are occurring.

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1 Connie Cox, "Maternity Massage, A sensitive studied approach" Massage and Bodywork, Spring 1995, pp. 31-37

 

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