The Benefits of a Prenatal or Postpartum (New Mommy) Massage

Are you an expecting mother or a mom who recently had a baby? Have you considered getting a prenatal or a postpartum massage but are unsure whether you should? Prenatal and postpartum massages offer many benefits and can really help an expecting or new mom find relief from pregnancy soreness.

 

What to Expect with a Prenatal or Postpartum Massage

Pregnancy is a special time, but the physical burden of carrying a baby inside of you can be anything but enjoyable. Your joints hurt, your body aches, and you can’t quite take a deep enough breath. Becoming a mother is a wonderful thing, but it is also physically demanding. A massage might be just what you need to help ease the physical discomforts of being pregnant, or to relieve postpartum soreness and stress.

When a mom comes in for a prenatal or a postpartum massage, she can expect to spend the next 60 or 90 glorious minutes laying on her side on a comfortable massage bed. You will be covered the entire time and can be completely undressed or opt to keep your underwear on. Pregnant moms will be side-lying and have a wedge and huggable pillow to help support her body. Postpartum moms will also be side lying even though they no longer have their baby bump because a face-down position could possibly damage breastfeeding glands.

 

Your Body Will Benefit

For prenatal massages, the therapist will focus on areas of the body that typically manifests stress while avoiding sensitive ones that should not be manipulated during pregnancy.

Your shoulders may be tense and your neck stiff, your back muscles may ache from carrying the baby bump, and your joints may hurt from the extra weight. You might be experiencing uncomfortable muscle cramps and swelling. A prenatal massage therapist can address these issues through massage, helping to improve blood and lymph circulation.

An experienced prenatal massage therapist will avoid parts like your feet, which have sensitive reflexology points. She will also avoid massaging your legs too vigorously. Pregnant women experience circulatory changes that can affect the flow of blood in the legs and it’s important not to use strong pressure on them during this time.

Contrary to what some people may think, there is no belly rubbing during a prenatal massage! Unless a mom specifically requests it, the most belly touching a massage therapist may be to help lift the belly up so that moms have the chance to take a good, deep breath.

For postpartum (new mommy) massages, the massage therapist can again work on places like the feet, as well as more deeply massage tired legs. As long as the doctor has given permission, a new mom can safely get a postpartum message as soon as a week after vaginal delivery, and whenever it is deemed safe after a c-section.

Sometimes a soothing prenatal massage or new mommy massage by an experienced massage therapist is exactly what you need to help relieve the aches and pains of this season of motherhood.

 

Your Mind Will Benefit

One of the most underrated benefits of a prenatal massage is the ability for a pregnant woman to get good, quality rest. Rest is so important to pregnancy wellness. It may not seem like much, but even just getting to completely relax while on the massage bed will do wonders for a mother’s fatigue.

When you near the end of your pregnancy, you’ll feel that your sleep quality has decreased. It becomes impossible to sleep on your back and uncomfortable to sleep in any other position. By the very end of their pregnancy journey, some women can only sleep while sitting up in bed!

The darkened room, comfortable surroundings, and the promise of a peaceful session is enough to reduce a mom’s cortisol levels even before the prenatal massage therapist lays her expert hands on her sore muscles. It’s even been said that a drop in an expecting mom’s cortisol levels can make her baby smarter! True or not, a massage is a great way to get some much-needed quality rest. A rested body contributes to a rested mind.

Sleep becomes even more scarce after the baby comes because of night feedings, constant day feedings, and oftentimes, worry and anxiety about the baby. A postpartum (new mommy) massage not only helps relieve an aching body but as a prenatal massage, it offers the new mom a well-deserved chance to let go and relax.

It’s important for a new mom to enjoy a respite from the demands of her newborn when she can. A new mommy massage might just help clear a tired mom’s head and rejuvenate her spirit.

 

Choose the Motherhood Center for Your Massage

• COVID Safety Precautions – The Motherhood Center has always implemented high standards of hygiene and cleanliness. Our procedures have included sanitizing all surfaces and doorknobs, and any other areas that our clients may come in contact with. We change linens after each client and wash our linens daily. Our massage therapists also wear masks to protect our clients.

 

It should be noted that the nature of prenatal and postpartum massages do not require much face-to-face interaction between the massage therapist and the client. Massage therapists are typically working from behind a mother’s back, which decreases face-to-face time.

 

• Experience and Knowledge – It’s important to find an experienced prenatal massage therapist or experienced postpartum massage therapist who is familiar with prenatal and postpartum massages. These are specialty massages that require knowledge of a mother’s body during these seasons. Since we specialize in prenatal and postpartum services, our massage therapists have the knowledge and experience required to help our clients enjoy a safe and effective massage.

 

• A Generous Experience- A prenatal or postpartum massage at the Motherhood Center is either a glorious full 60 minutes long or an even more glorious full 90 minutes long, depending on your preference. At the Motherhood Center, we make sure our clients get the full allotted time that they have paid for and do not include intake and processing as part of those precious minutes on that massage bed!

 

If you’ve cleared it with your doctor, we would love to see you here at the Motherhood Center for a prenatal or postpartum massage. Book your massage today and enjoy some well-deserved pampering!