Ah, Massage! The lovely idea of taking a break: relaxing, unwinding, and letting all of the tension and stress of the day, the week, or the month just melt away. It’s a grand idea, right? Most of us won’t need any other reason to get a massage, but if you’re on the fence to pamper yourself during pregnancy, here are a few reasons why you should book that massage session now.
- Massage is known for helping one to de-stress, so it’s no surprise that massage helps to decrease stress levels. But did you know that it can also improve your mood? Because it has a positive effect on all of our “happy” hormones (like endorphins, dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin), massage can help to reduce anxiety and feelings of depression.
- Massage therapy can reduce the risk of pregnancy complications. It has also been shown to decrease the risk of preterm labor, low birth weight, as well as lower cortisol levels.
- Experiencing growing pains and pregnancy discomforts – especially at your back, hips, and legs? Massage brings relief! It can also reduce swelling, joint pain, sciatic nerve pain, and headaches.
- The reduction in pain and the increase in kinesthetic awareness (how you sense your body) that massage creates can help you prepare for labor and birth. In fact, studies have shown that pregnant mothers who received massage therapy during pregnancy and labor experienced less pain, less need for medications, and shorter labors. Who doesn’t want that?!?
- And last, but certainly not least, getting a massage regularly during pregnancy can train you for beneficial self-care habits to create as a mother. Only a mother knows the enormous amounts of love and craziness that we will experience during our journey through motherhood (for the rest of our lives). Having a good routine in place to help us wind down and restore our energy can only better our overall well being (and keep us sane).
So take the next few minutes to schedule your next massage, and the next one too, since you want to create a habit. Just as a side note – when seeking out a massage therapist, find someone who is certified in pregnancy massage. This will ensure that you get the luxury treatment that you so much deserve.
If you want to check out the research articles, click here
