| Pre- Post Natal |
| Gone are the days of the “massage
parlor” mentality when referring to this wonderful form of healing
arts. Massage is coming into the mainstream. Health experts
are finding through research the many benefits of massage.
The queen of touch research is Tiffany Field, Ph.D. Dr. Field is arguably
responsible for more clinical research on touch and massage therapy
than anyone. She receives a lot of funding for her research, but Johnson
& Johnson’sTM is her largest supporter in helping her establish
the Touch Research Institute of the University of Miami. Dr. Fields
was also consulted for the article, “The Magic of Touch: Massage's
Healing Powers Make It Serious Medicine,” in Life magazine (August
1997). |
| Mommy and Baby |
Through Dr. Field’s research,
studies reveal that massage benefits all people from infants
to the elderly. This article will address the first time
expectant couple and how massage can help them and their baby ease
into the natural process of birth.
Massage helps the expectant mother by easing the load on the heart
and keeping the blood pressure in check, improving the lymphatic
and circulatory systems to help control the onslaught of varicose
veins, and relieving depression or anxiety caused by hormonal changes.
Massage remedies many of the normal discomforts experienced during
pregnancy such as backaches, stiff neck, leg cramps, headaches,
edema, round ligament pain, sciatica, and swollen ankles and feet.
Benefits of massage for the pregnant woman include increased blood
circulation, which provides more oxygen and nutrients to both mother
and fetus.
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This means greater vitality for the mother and
better nourishment for the unborn child. Massage stimulates glandular
secretions which help to stabilize hormone levels. It also soothes
and relaxes the nervous system by releasing endorphins into the mother’s
body. As a result, the mommy-to-be will go to sleep more easily and
more deeply. The overall well-being is improved. |
Massage during pregnancy is
of the utmost importance and very beneficial for the mother and for
the fetus.
Speaking of the fetus, once your baby arrives, he or she will continue
to benefit from regular massage. From the moment of birth, the new
baby needs gentle touches, soothing voices, and a calm environment.
Touch is a powerful sense we are born with and need
until we die. More than food the baby will want the warm touch
of its care givers. In one research study, baby monkeys separated
from their mothers preferred to cling to a wire form with fake fur
instead of eating.
When her daughter was born a month premature Dr. Field found herself
stroking her baby. In 1985, Dr. Field divided a sample of forty healthy
"preemies" in a neonatal intensive care unit
into stimulation and control groups to test the impact of
massage. The results of the massage group were a 47 percent
weight gain, greater responsiveness, and a 6-day earlier discharge
from the hospital at a cost savings ($3,000 per baby, $10,000 in today’s
dollars). Follow-up studies eight months later showed a continued
advantage in weight as well as in mental and motor development. Comparable
results also have appeared in studies with cocaine-exposed and HIV-exposed
newborns. Another group, full-term infants of depressed mothers, experienced
greater daily weight gain, better sleep habits, less fussiness, and
overall behavior improvement. As you can see, massaging your
infant can relieve a multitude of discomforts.
Finally, massaging your infant is a great way to bond with your angel
and a great way for the new father to learn to touch his baby
in a comforting, nurturing, loving way.
Dad can benefit by receiving a massage or by giving the “gift”
of massage to his partner. Daddy-to-be has worries that may be overlooked
such as finances, his performance during labor, and the health of
his future child, just to name a few. Everyone is so busy focusing
on the mother that the expectant partner fades into the background.
Receiving massage can help relieve his stress and help him relax.
The expectant father can also benefit from giving his partner a loving
massage. It will help him feel a part of the pregnancy when he can
touch his partner in a comforting way. Massaging his partner
is a way for him to acknowledge her discomfort and to help her feel
better. It is also a way for him to get used to touching
his pregnant partner’s pregnant body. Some men do not really
touch their partner during the nine months, (sex is one thing, touch
is another), and then they find themselves in the birthing room feeling
very inadequate about their partner’s body and may find themselves
unable to do anything more than rub her back to the point of irritation!
Massaging his partner during the pregnancy helps him to learn that
there are other regions of the body that respond to massage. During
labor, the mother may tire of having counter pressure to her back
but she may enjoy her hands or feet being massaged in between contractions.
As you can see, the benefits of massage are vast, and who needs massage
more than the expectant parents-to-be?
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When receiving massage during
pregnancy, it is important to find a Certified Massage Therapist who
is also certified in pregnancy massage. A therapist certified in working
with pregnant clients has furthered their knowledge of massage by
studying the techniques applied to pregnant women and has studied
in-depth the process of pregnancy, labor, birth, and the postpartum
period. |
There are many factors to be considered before massaging expectant
women and a pregnancy massage therapist will know what to look for.
Massage is a wonderful way for the new family to bond!
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| What can massage really do? |
Physical Level:
Deep relaxation and stress reduction
Relief of muscle tension and stiffness
Reduced muscle spasm and tension
Relief from entrapment of nerves in muscle
Greater joint flexibility and range of motion
Increased ease and efficiency of movement
Promoted deeper and easier breathing
Better circulation of both blood and lymph fluids
Reduced blood pressure
Relief of tension-related or eye-strain headaches
Healthier, better nourished skin
Improved posture
Faster healing from pulled muscles and sprained ligaments
Reduces pain, swelling, and formation of scar tissue following injury
General health maintenance
Mental Level:
Relaxed state of alertness
Reduced mental stress: a calmer mind
Greater ability to monitor stress signals and respond appropriately
Increased capability for clearer thinking
Emotional
Level:
Feeling of well-being
Reduced levels of anxiety
Increased awareness of mind-body connection
Enhanced self image
A sense of being unified and in harmony
 More... |
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