Prenatal Massage
The Benefits of Prenatal Massage Therapy
Therapeutic massage has been used for centuries to improve overall health, reduce stress, and relieve muscle tension. Research shows prenatal massage therapy can help reduce anxiety, decrease symptoms of depression, relieve muscle aches and joint pains, and improve labor outcomes and newborn health. Prenatal massage therapy addresses different needs through varying techniques, one of which is called Swedish Massage.
What You Need to Know About Prenatal Massage Therapy
Swedish Massage aims to relax muscle tension and improve lymphatic and blood circulation through mild pressure applied to the muscle groups of the body. Swedish Massage is the recommended massage method during pregnancy because it addresses many common discomforts associated with the skeletal and circulatory changes brought on by hormone shifts.
A distinction should be made between therapeutic prenatal massage and perineal massage, the latter referring to the practice of manually stretching the tissues surrounding the birth canal to help reduce the risk of episiotomy or trauma associated with childbirth.