Depression and anxiety during pregnancy may be associated with a higher fetal activity index and premature births. In this sense, since some studies have shown that prenatal massage is able to lower cortisol levels, which are associated with lower anxiety and stress levels, and to fight depression. Talk to a massage therapist in Mobile, AL today.
In turn, there was a reduction in fetal activity and the rate of premature births in women suffering from depression and who received prenatal massages. The benefits are not limited to the mother: babies born to women who had received prenatal massages also had lower cortisol levels.
Although prenatal massages have numerous benefits and pose virtually no health risk, there are certain cases in which they are contraindicated:
In multiple or high-risk pregnancies
For pregnant women with hypertension or with heart or clotting problems
In the presence of vaginal bleeding or placental abruption
In case of vomiting, fever or diarrhea
For all these reasons, before deciding to undergo a prenatal massage, we must:
Consult the doctor asking him if the massage is advisable in our specific case and which type of massage is the most recommended and in which areas.
Always use a massage therapist who specializes in this type of massage. Only a specialist can know how to best perform the massage, in which areas, with what pressure and in what posture.
WHAT IS INFANT MASSAGE
The massage, from the first days of life, promotes numerous benefits, both for the child and for the family. Attention, massage is not a therapy, it is not a way of healing, massage is a new language that enters the family to communicate care and love.
Over the years, numerous scientific studies and the experience of many parents around the world have gradually confirmed the positive effects of massage on the development and maturation of the child on a physical, psychological and emotional level.
THE POSITIVE EFFECTS OF INFANT MASSAGE
In particular, the massage facilitates in the child the knowledge of his body scheme , to know its boundaries, helps him to coordinate movements and stimulates myelination, the connections between the cells of the brain.
The nervous, circulatory, digestive, immune and respiratory systems are therefore stimulated in particular.
A second benefit of massage is relaxation.
The rhythmic movement of the hands and the rituality of the gestures facilitate the acquisition of the sleep-wake rhythm and help the child to release excessive tension.
During the massage, the production of certain hormones that induce calm and connection (endorphins, oxytocin and prolactin) increases and the levels of stress-related hormones (ACTH, cortisol and norepinephrine) are lowered.