As any pregnant woman can tell you, a foot massage during pregnancy feels absolutely wonderful. Carrying around all that extra weight puts extra strain on the feet, so it’s nicee to give those feet a little pampering every once in awhile, but why limit the pampering to a just a pregnancy foot massage, when a full-body massage would feel even more wonderful?
Women tend to be a little hesitant about getting a massage during pregnancy, because they are afraid they will harm themselves or the baby. But there are a lot of accommodations that can be made to keep the pregnant patient and her baby healthy and safe. We’ll dispel some common pregnancy massage myths for you below.
- Pregnant Women Can’t Lay Face Down – While it is indeed unsafe for a pregnant woman to lay face down on a flat table or with her belly hanging unsupported, there are a number of pregnancy massage pillows that have been designed to allow the expectant mother to lay face down, leaving room for and supporting their pregnant belly. Pregnancy massages are often commonly done in side-lying or semi-reclining positions.
- Pregnant Women Shouldn’t Get Massaged During the First Trimester – Many people believe that a woman should not get massaged during her first trimester, as it may lead to miscarriage. However, massage does not contribute to the etiologies of miscarriage. Oftentimes, women will not receive massages in their first trimester due to nausea or vomiting, which are common during that time.
- Pregnant Women Should Never Have Their Hands or Ankles Massaged – There are many known acupressure points in these areas that can stimulate uterine activity or encourage labor progress. But it is possible to massage over and around these points without stimulating them. Pregnancy foot massage can, however, be used later on to encourage the labor process.
- Massage Causes Miscarriage – As mentioned before, the potential causes of miscarriage have no connection with receiving massage or bodywork. With the right pregnancy pillow for massage, both mother and baby will be kept comfortable and safe during the procedure. Even abdominal massage will not harm the patient or the child, as it would take a great deal of uncomfortable pressure to dislodge the placenta.
Pregnant women deserve to be pampered more than anyone else, but that pampering should not be limited to just a pregnancy foot massage. Let the weight of not only carrying around baby, but preparing for Baby, both physically and emotionally, be lifted from her shoulders with a relaxing massage. Learn more about this topic here.
