Massage, birth options and informed choices …
Pregnancy has come a long way in prenatal nurturing and that can make the birth experience a much more comfortable one. With the many changes your body goes through as the baby grows, massage can relax and improve muscle and joint function to ease discomfort from fast body changes. As always, massage will also improve circulation, nervous system function and lymphatic flow. Not the least of massage effects, enhanced emotional and mental wellbeing improves everything from your sleep to your daily energy levels and outlook. What do studies show and how safe is massage during pregnancy?
Numerous clinical studies have long shown that massage actually reduces some hormones related to increased stress levels. Research at employment locations where studies were conducted showed improved health levels that resulted in less absenteeism and increased efficiency levels. In my experience of over 15 years, mothers-to-be from early pregnancy to their ninth month when body changes are especially tiring, also experience increased wellbeing. In addition, babies love Reiki, often noticed through their increased movement during a Reiki-Massage session. Reiki is an energy balance addition that can enhance relaxation naturally according to your system’s needs. It can be incorporated into any massage session if it’s part of the therapist’s skill set.
How safe is massage during pregnancy? Registered massage therapists of Ontario are well-trained to work safely with both medical and other conditions. They have acquired skill levels for massage at any month of pregnancy to ensure proper care and safety.
Additional Options for Easy Birthing
Beyond massage, you can research the many benefits of having a doula present to provide tips and focused attention just for you and baby. A doula can help ease birthing concerns, especially for first-time mothers or anyone who had a difficult first birth. Hypnotherapy is also reported to provide excellent pain management with techniques to help nullify the negative concepts we may hold around the experience of birthing. Some doulas have additionally trained with this technique or other natural methods.
The first step to change fears of birthing is to acknowledge that giving birth does not have to be the grinding experience the media so often dramatizes in television shows. That picture naturally tends to set the stage a new mother expects to face, complete with gut-wrenching screams. Seeking assistance to help reprogram nervous expectations is the easiest method to bypass fears that may result in a loss of focus or move you into screaming that can only tighten muscles to the point where you are functioning against the flow. It is with this in mind that a doula, who can be present during hospital care with your physician, may provide guidance on breathing techniques and other natural methods to help make a positive difference for you and your baby.
Other options to consider? Essential oils offer a natural and safer method to chemical-use in your home for an array of health-enhancing uses. Few are suitable to babies but guidance in selections can provide other safe applications for you and your home. In the therapy fields, there are many natural means to influence your wellbeing that range from acupuncture and bodywork therapies to exercise, inner body cleansing prior to and after pregnancies as well as safe use of herbs, best with guidance from knowledgeable practitioners. Organic food choices are very important for the development of a strong immune system in baby’s early years, especially with the increased acceptance of genetically engineered produce through use of virus and bacterium in today’s mainstream food supply. With knowledge of natural options, you can make healthier choices for you and your family’s optimum wellbeing.
Here’s to one of the most rewarding events in your life!
