Pregnancy Massage Therapy
Benefits of Pregnancy Massage
- Relieves muscle spasms, cramps associated with the stress of extra weight bearing and physical changes that occur during pregnancy.
- Reduces stress and teaches the mother to relax.
- Gestation processed enhanced through increasing blood circulation, lymph circulation, reducing edema, increasing cellular respiration.
- Provides emotional support and physical nurturing; this may be passed on to the baby
- Assists in reducing the stress in the weight bearing joints and musculoskeletal structures.
- Helps maximize breathing capacity which is needed during labor and delivery.
Stages of Pregnancy:
First: 14 weeks from the 1st day of last period
Baby: from egg to 3 ” long, fully developed body, arms, legs, nails, ears
Mother: uterus grows; heartbeat heard at day 26; increase in nausea and vomiting possible; at 10 weeks relaxin begins affecting joints – minimal structural changes occur; fatigue; increased blood volume and increased heart rate; metabolic changes; increase in frequency of urination; constipation; anemia; headaches and dizziness possibly due to hormonal changes.
Massage: Risk of miscarriage the highest; no abdominal massage; do massage to assist circulation; no reflex massage; no passive ROM if nauseated
Treatment plan: focus on postural alignment; pelvic, diaphragm, rib cage, low back.
teach relaxation techniques and deep breathing exercises, kegel exercises, pelvic clock exercises
Second: 14-28 weeks
Baby: grows to 11″ and 1 1/2 lbs. fingerprints, eyebrows and eyelashes form; 16 weeks sensitive to light; 24 weeks hearing develops; 29 weeks opens eyes and looks to light source.
Mother: Structural changes: stress on low back upper back, pectorals; rib cage flares out at base and elevates; diaphragm elevates at rib attachments; breathing is mostly costal; abdominal breathing difficult; linea alba separates; center of gravity changes to adapt to extra weight held in front.
Varicose veins and muscle cramping occur. Skin stretches. Breasts swollen and tender.
Massage: Decreased risk of miscarriage; deep tissue ok on areas of chronic stress; joints less stable due to relaxin especially SI joint, symphysis pubis and hips.
Treatment plan: Focus on increasing breathing capacity, releasing abdominal attachments at lower rib cage; releasing intercostals. Watch for sciatica, low back and upper back problems related with changes in center of gravity. Continue to teach relaxation and connection to breathing. Open up pelvic floor by working on adductors, hamstrings and rotators later in this stage.
Third: 28-40 weeks
Baby: 14-16 ” and 2 1/2 -3 lbs: at start; grows to 5-9 lbs. and 20″ in length; 29 weeks lungs developed; 32 weeks brain development, eyes track movement, sleep patterns develop.
Mother: Shortness of breath, difficulty breathing as uterus grows to rib cage; diaphragm rises 1 1/2 ” upward; Difficult to move and walk; hemorrhoids, varicose veins, heartburn, hiatal hernias, frequent urination, constipation, trouble sleeping, edema in ankles and legs, carpal tunnel, stress to heart
Massage: same as in 2nd trimester
Treatment plan: Decrease stress to postural muscles – adductors, legs, hips, low back. Decrease edema. Increase relaxation.