The popularity of postpartum massages is increasing. Postpartum massage is a popular way to start your healing process after having a child.
Many new mothers feel forgotten after giving birth as all attention is focused on the baby. You have just experienced a physical and emotional trauma, plus nine months of pregnancy aches and discomforts. Now you must try to return to your normal life with the addition of a new baby.
A postpartum masseuse can help with a variety of benefits including reducing stress, improving sleep and helping you feel calmer and more in control following the birth of your baby.
What is a Postpartum Massage?
A postpartum massage helps the body recover after childbirth. Massage can relax your muscles, encourage drainage of lymphatic fluid or help with the emotional aspect of giving birth.
What are the benefits of a POSTPARTUM MASSAGE?
The benefits of postpartum massage for new mothers are numerous.
Sleep Improvement
It’s no secret that having a baby can affect your sleep. But your hormones after giving birth are also often mixed up, making it hard to relax and get some rest. A study from 2012 found that massages improve sleep for new mothers.
Stress Reduction
You may feel stressed because your life has been changed in a big way. A study found that massage therapy can help reduce cortisol and increase dopamine (the happy hormones in the body) while increasing serotonin.
Analgesic
Massage can help to relieve pain by relaxing the body. You might be able to find relief from pain and soreness if you have tension or tightness in your body.
Breastfeeding Aid
According to a study, breast massage can be an effective method for reducing pain and other issues related to lactation in mothers. Postnatal massages that include the breast can help prevent new mothers from giving up breastfeeding due to pain or problems with lactation.
Reduced swelling
Massage after delivery can improve circulation and lymphatic drainage, as well as reduce swelling in the body of a mother.
Emotional wellbeing
Postpartum massage does not cure postnatal depressive disorder, but it helps regulate hormones, and this can have a positive impact on your mood. After accumulating estrogen in the body during pregnancy, the levels can drop. This is similar to mood swings seen by postmenopausal women. This large hormonal shift may be lessened by regulating cortisol and increasing serotonin and dopamine.
Dean adds, “a postnatal massage is not just beneficial on an emotional level but also on a physiological one.” Body, mind and spirit are all nurtured to help the mother be her best self. A regular postnatal massage will help to reduce discomfort, and it can also make a woman feel more relaxed during the intense period of her mothering journey.
Is Postpartum Massage Safe?
It is beneficial and safe to have a postpartum massage, but it’s best that you consult with your doctor if you had a c-section or a difficult birth.
Dean urges mothers who have undergone a C-section to discuss what they want from their postpartum massage. She says that after c-sections, she recommends starting a self scar massage three weeks later, as long as there is no sign of infection, the incision heals well and has not developed scabs. Massage is always beneficial to a c-section wound. It promotes healing and flexibility. From six to ten weeks after a c section, a woman can receive a massage of her entire body, which includes the abdomen. I also treat some women lying on their backs and don’t touch the scar at all.
You should tell your massage therapist if you have received an epidural and are looking to get a massage shortly after giving birth. The epidural site may be still sore, and it’s best not to massage the area.
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