So you're expecting a baby! Congratulations. Now, the question is: how are you going to take care of yourself while pregnant?
If you've never had a massage before, there's no better time than now. Massages can help alleviate pain and tension in your body during pregnancy. As your body changes throughout the nine months, it needs more attention than ever before. When you get a massage from someone who knows what they're doing (like an experienced prenatal massage therapist), they'll be able to target your specific needs—both emotionally and physically—to make sure that both you and baby are happy and healthy for this new chapter in your life together!
Pregnancy can be a stressful time for a mom-to-be. The sudden weight gain, the soreness of growing a human and the changes to the body can all be overwhelming. Stress can make you feel tired, irritable and overwhelmed. It can cause you to feel anxious, worried or depressed. Stress also affects your physical health by raising blood pressure and cholesterol levels; it may also increase your risk for diabetes and heart disease in later life if left untreated. Stress also impacts mental health by increasing anxiety disorders such as postpartum depression or panic attacks.
Prenatal massage can help to reduce stress and alleviate physical symptoms like back pain and swelling in your feet, legs and hands as well as improve circulation of blood flow to your lower extremities. Massage can also be beneficial for relieving headaches or heartburn during pregnancy. It's been shown that prenatal massages can help with insomnia by reducing stress levels, which may lead to better sleep quality at night time.
There are many different types of relaxation techniques, including meditation, guided imagery and yoga. Relaxation techniques can help reduce tension in the body, which may help alleviate pain during labor and delivery.
One example is breathing exercises: Inhale through your nose for four counts; hold for seven counts; exhale slowly for eight counts. Repeat this cycle 10 times or more until you feel relaxed.
Another good one is progressive muscle relaxation: Starting with your feet, contract each muscle group (like toes) tightly for five seconds then release; continue doing this up your legs until reaching your face where you'll tense all facial muscles at once before relaxing them completely--this might make you look funny but it works! When finished with this exercise take deep breaths while focusing on how good they feel going in and out of your lungs.
Getting regular massages helps reduce the amount of stress that comes with pregnancy.
Stress is known to increase blood pressure, decrease immune function, slow down digestion and increase muscle tension. In addition to helping reduce these symptoms of pregnancy-related stress, massage also increases blood flow throughout the body which helps keep tissues healthy for both mom and baby. So if you're feeling overwhelmed by all that's happening with your body during this time period but still want to do something proactive about it--a massage might just do the trick!
So, should you get a massage while you're pregnant? Yes! If you can't get to a massage therapist or just don't have time for regular sessions, try doing some self-massage with your partner or spouse. You can also ask them to give you a foot massage every once in awhile--this can help reduce swelling in your lower extremities and make them feel better overall.
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