Lower back pain, swollen feet, headaches … people may say you have that pregnancy glow, but the weight gain and hormone changes associated with this stage of life can have you feeling miserable at times.

So what can be done to help alleviate these aches and pains? You’ve heard of pregnancy massage, but wondered, “Can I get a massage if I am pregnant?”

You sure can! We’re here to fill you in on the benefits of prenatal massage, plus we’ll give you a list of important dos and don’ts related to massage therapy during pregnancy.

Can Pregnant Women Get Massages?

100% yes! Pregnant women can and should get massages, as they offer many benefits to your growing body.

Prenatal massages are a great way for moms-to-be to connect with their bodies as they change. So much happens during pregnancy that it can be a bit overwhelming, and having an hour of quiet time and relaxation can make a big difference in your mental state.

Of course, massage during pregnancy can also give you great relief from all the aches and pains that come with carrying a child.

Some people advise pregnant women to avoid massages until after their first trimester, as they have been known to trigger dizziness and morning sickness — pretty much the opposite of relaxing!

However, if you go to a therapist who is experienced with prenatal work (like you’ll find at Sevati Holistic Health and Wellness), you can feel comfortable knowing that it’s safe to get a first-trimester massage if you want one. That’s because we are trained and knowledgeable about how to massage you in a way that is safe and comfortable.

Pregnant Belly — can-i-get-a-massage-if-i-am-pregnant

3 Main Benefits of Prenatal Massage

Besides the fact that it feels great, helps you relax, and gives you some quality self-care time, there are real medical benefits to massage during pregnancy.

#1: Relief From Nerve Pain

In later pregnancy, many women experience sciatic nerve pain. That’s because the uterus rests on the muscles of the lower back and pelvic floor. The growing pressure in the uterus spreads tension to the leg muscles, causing them to swell and put pressure on the surrounding nerves.

Prenatal massage calms these inflamed nerves by releasing the tension in inflamed muscles to allow relief from the associated pain.

#2: Reduction of Swelling

Swelling during pregnancy can be caused by:

The heavy uterus increasing pressure on major blood vessels and reducing circulation
Your body holding more water than usual (which also comes with increased sodium levels)
Your blood volume doubling or even tripling
Hormones softening the walls of the veins, making it harder for them to work properly

When you receive prenatal massage, your soft tissues are stimulated — which helps reduce the collection of fluids in your swollen joints. This also allows your body’s lymphatic system to flush out tissue waste more efficiently.

#3: Hormone Regulation

Your hormones are working overtime during pregnancy to grow your baby and prepare your body for birth. We already mentioned how hormones can affect the circulatory system, but they also work to soften ligaments and joints.

This is great for allowing you to push a baby through your pelvis when it’s being born — but can cause a lot of discomfort in the meantime. Massage and gentle pressure can help with the pain from joint softening that comes with pregnancy.

Pregnancy massage also does a lot to regulate hormones. Research shows that women who received regular prenatal massage showed decreased levels of the stress hormones norepinephrine and cortisol and increased levels of mood-elevating hormones such as serotonin and dopamine.

These hormonal changes not only affect mood regulation but can also lead to:

Improved cardiovascular health
Fewer complications during birth; and
Fewer newborn complications such as low birth weight

Other Benefits of Prenatal Massage

By now it should be evident that prenatal massages aren’t just a special treat every once in a while — they are actually vital to the health and comfort of you and your baby during pregnancy.

Other benefits of prenatal massage include:

Better sleep
Relief from headaches and sinus congestion
Improved oxygen flow to muscles and soft tissues
Improved circulation
Reduced neck and back pain
Relief from leg cramping
Reduced carpal tunnel pain

What Should You Not Massage When Pregnant?

A highly-trained and careful pregnancy massage therapist may be able to safely massage any part of your body, but some experts generally agree that it is safest to avoid massaging a pregnant woman’s belly, legs, and pressure points.

3 Areas to Avoid Massaging During Pregnancy

For some women, these are personal preferences. If you would like the following areas massaged, you can always talk to the experts at Sevati Holistic Health and Wellness about what you like — and they’ll make sure to do it safely.

#1: Your Belly

Pressure on your growing belly could make you uncomfortable. Lightly rubbing lotions or oils (such as a stretch mark cream) onto your belly is just fine, though.

#2: Your Legs

We already discussed how much blood volume increases during pregnancy. This means that blood flow in your legs can slow and make you prone to clots.

Because of this, deep tissue massage on your legs is a no-no, since it could dislodge a clot and send it to your heart, brain, or lungs.

Most pregnancy massage is some form of Swedish massage, which involves gliding over and kneading the skin in a continuous motion. If you’d like your massage therapist to go deeper on some parts of your body, that’s okay — just not the legs.

3: Your Pressure Points

While prenatal massage can be a combination of techniques, you want to avoid any sort of acupressure or reflexology. That’s because many people believe pushing on certain pressure points can cause early labor.

On the other hand, once labor starts, there is evidence that shows massaging these pressure points may decrease the length and pain of the birthing process. So at that point, go to town on those pressure points!

heart hands on pregnant belly — can-you-get-a-massage-when-pregnant

Dos and Don'ts of Getting a Massage While Pregnant

While prenatal massage offers a host of benefits, you still have to be careful when dealing with massage during your pregnancy. Here are some things to make sure of and situations to avoid.

Do Avoid Prenatal Massage if You Have Certain Medical Conditions

You should always check with your doctor before beginning a pregnancy massage regimen. Doctors may advise against massage for women who have:

Spotting
Preeclampsia
High blood pressure
Blood clots or a clotting disorder
Gestational diabetes
Placental issues such as placenta previa; or
Risk of preterm labor

In addition, you should let your massage therapist know if you’ve had these conditions during any of your previous pregnancies, even if you’re fine now.

Don’t Lie Flat on Your Back During a Massage After theh3 Fourth Month of Pregnancy

At Sevati, we do our best to make pregnant women comfortable during their sessions. They can lie face-down until they’re far enough along that it’s no longer enjoyable to do so — although we make our massage tables extra-cozy with special pregnancy pillows that have indentations for your breasts and belly.

When you’re lying face-up, we make sure to elevate your head with pillows or by raising the table. This reduces the pressure that can make pregnant women uncomfortable and cause pressure on organs and blood vessels in the abdomen

After you’re about halfway through pregnancy, we recommend lying on your side (with lots of pillows for support and help rolling over when you need it) for most women.

That’s because lying on your back late in pregnancy can put pressure on your blood vessels from the weight of your baby and uterus. This may:

Restrict blood flow
Cause your blood pressure to drop; and
Decrease circulation to your placenta

Don’t Get a Massage When You Are Pregnant if You’re High-Risk

If you are at a high risk of miscarriage or otherwise have a high-risk pregnancy, you may want to skip the prenatal massages. The benefits may not outweigh the risks in this situation.

Do Get Your Prenatal Massage From a Highly Trained Professional

Light rubs from your partner or a friend during pregnancy are one thing, but if you’re getting a professional massage, make sure your therapist has been properly trained in prenatal techniques and practices.

At Sevati Holistic Health and Wellness, we know:

How to keep you comfortable during your session
Which approaches will help most with your current symptoms
Which essential oils are not recommended for pregnancy massage
And more

When you come to Sevati, you can rest easy knowing you’re in the hands of an expert who knows just how to relieve any pressure and pain you’re experiencing due to your growing body and fluctuating hormones.

Contact Sevati Massage and Wellness Today for Relief From Prenatal Discomfort

We consider Sevati to be an oasis in the heart of downtown Portland. Our Licensed Massage Therapists are highly trained and ready to provide care for all bodies — including pregnant women.

We’d love to give you the chance to relax, recharge, and heal during an hour of prenatal massage in our tranquil, spa-like space.

Contact us today and put your health and wellness at the top of your pregnancy to-do list.

Massage During Pregnancy: What’s The Bottom Line?

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Can Pregnant Women Get Massages?