We all agree that pregnancy is a wonderful time in a woman's life, but not a restful one! Between all the questions running through our heads and our bodies changing little by little, these 9 months are a real roller coaster.
When the pregnancy is without complications or pathology, a pregnant woman can definitely have a massage (you should still seek medical advice).
Today we explain the simplest massage techniques to try at home during your pregnancy and for your newborn.
Things to know before getting a massage
During pregnancy, a woman undergoes many physical changes and must deal with unpleasant symptoms such as nausea, weight gain, heavy legs and back pain.
To overcome this, massage techniques have been developed by health professionals that will help you overcome all these painful moments.
But be careful with sensitive areas, such as certain reflexology points on the feet, ankles and lower legs! All movements must be mastered beforehand before being practiced on the pregnant woman's body.
On the other hand, only do these exercises if you have already started your 4th months of pregnancy because before this period, the risk of miscarriage is too high.
Know that during a massage, the woman releases the pleasure hormone called oxytocin and thus reduces the stress hormone called cortisol. Your child, feeling your emotions, therefore witnesses these changes and benefits from them.
Massage is a real moment of communication between mother and child, you can involve the father to create even more bonds.
Be careful with essential oils! During pregnancy, it is not recommended to use essential oils because they contain phenol and ketones which are dangerous neurotoxic molecules (see our article on cosmetics ).
We recommend using neutral vegetable oils such as argan oil or sweet almond oil, but check their composition beforehand.
What massages can be easily performed at home?
Back and lumbar massages
As the months go by, as your belly grows and rounds out, your weight gain represents a burden that puts a lot of strain on your back. You may then feel unpleasant tension in your lower back. We recommend a massage to relieve your back and lower back:
Place yourself in a lateral position lying on your left side to avoid pressure on the vena cava. Bring your right knee up towards your chest and make an angle of about 90°; you can use the Hugo cushion , perfect for keeping you in this adapted position. The main interest of this posture is to arch your back. This position will greatly relieve your lower back.
Explain to the masseur that he must have a gentle and slow touch for the massage to be beneficial to you.
The masseur will spread the skin between the shoulder girdle (upper back) and the pelvic girdle (lower back), i.e. the distance between the shoulders and the pelvis. He will perform these movements while avoiding putting too much pressure on it.
He can then move his fist over your back, making circles, in order to relax any tension caused by the weight on your stomach.
The masseur can also massage you with one hand pulling down and one hand pulling up so as to create a gap and relieve tension in the lower back.
Vary the approaches according to your needs: pressure, light touches, etc.
Head massage
There is nothing better to relax than a head massage! The masseur will massage the scalp, moving from the temples to the nape of the neck.
To do this, you can start with a massage of the hands and forearms where the acupuncture points related to the head are located. The cranial massage is mainly characterized by slow and precise movements working the neck in order to relieve the tensions due to the constant use of these muscles, especially during pregnancy.
This massage will promote your sleep, reduce your migraines and your accumulated stress.
You can also practice this massage yourself, if you don't have a masseur at hand.
Abdominal massage
Some women find it uncomfortable to massage tight stomach skin and others find it the opposite!
Massaging your stomach regularly with a fatty oil can also help reduce stretch marks, especially if you have been doing it since the beginning of your pregnancy.
Please note that from the 4th months of pregnancy, your baby senses what is around him, and therefore reacts to your activities. He will feel the caresses and will be stimulated by your gestures, it is an intense and intimate moment between you and your baby.
How to perform this massage?
Use organic vegetable oil to avoid pulling the skin more than it already is. Sit or lie down in a comfortable position to relax as much as possible and enjoy this moment.
We recommend that you first rub the oil into your hands to warm it up and encourage the warm contact of your hands on your stomach.
For the first movement, your hands will make circles always in a clockwise direction. The movements must be slow but carried out in depth.
The second movement involves a single hand, which will work the lower abdomen to relieve tension and contractions. Perform a back and forth motion with light pressure so that your baby has a gentle rocking sensation and becomes familiar with this feeling.
For the third movement, you will position your hands under your chest and form a heart shape with your fingers positioned downwards which will gently descend to rise up on the sides.
The last movement will be done with the thumbs working from the top of the belly to the sides going down. You will make small circles with light pressure. This movement can relieve the various tensions in the belly but also the small ligament pains that you may have in this area.
Can I get a massage during work?
You can, of course, perform all these massages between your contractions, it is even advisable to perform fairly intense massages on acupuncture points (hands, feet and buttocks) to counteract the pain felt from the uterus. The brain will therefore receive two painful information and will secrete twice as much endorphin, the anti-pain hormone.
And what about the baby?
There is no age to start massaging your baby, you just have to remember to never massage before or after a meal so as not to upset his digestive system. The massage should not exceed 10 minutes at the risk of him catching a cold or getting tired.
The first step is not negligible; you must always ask the baby if he agrees to be massaged. Little by little, the child will get used to these phrases and will understand what you are asking him. Accepting his grunts as a sign of refusal is respecting your baby. Stay attentive to his gestures which have meanings and adapt your gestures according to them.
The installation of the baby is very simple, take a cushion or a towel and place it on top. You can also perform the massage on the Margot changing mat filled with natural spelt balls that will be very comfortable for your child. Favor quiet places so that relaxation is effective.
Massage professionals recommend organic vegetable oils to massage your child. Pour a small amount into your hands and warm the oil before applying it to his body. You can begin the massage.
Remember to talk to your child during this intimate moment, it will create an even stronger connection
Start by stroking his skin in a gentle and pleasant way so that your child enjoys it. For a relaxing full body massage, we recommend that you make up and down movements and do not apply pressure to his body. Be careful not to "overstimulate" your child with massages that are too long or abrupt movements.
Do not hesitate to call on professionals for any questions or doubts.