Pregnancy massage
Pregnancy, and the first few months following birth, are
times of huge change. It is vitally important for an expectant
mother to nurture her own body, so that she may, in turn, nourish
the life within her. Many women find that regular pregnancy massage
treatments help keep them in optimum health during this special
time. Massage therapist Jo Hogan explains.
In many different cultures the world over, women are routinely
massaged throughout their pregnancies, births, and during their
first few weeks with their new babies. This gentle tradition is
common is such places as Asia, Africa, and the Pacifc Islands, and
is often performed by the midwife or birth attendant as part of
antenatal and postnatal care.
In South Africa, for example, the elder women of
the Nama Hottentot tribe give massage treatments to pregnant women
several times a week to prepare for their pending births. Expectant
mothers in Uganda receive massage regularly in an effort to make
their muscles supple for an easier delivery, and in South America,
warm herbal oils and pastes are massaged into the mother's belly to
encourage the skin to stretch and remain supple. As massage therapy
becomes more commonplace in Western culture, and recognised within
our medical communities, we are beginning to appreciate the many
physical and emotional benefits it has during pregnancy, birth, and
into the postpartum period.
Although it is common knowledge that massage
feels good to receive, modern research studies are showing that
regular massage treatments during pregnancy have a wide range of
benefits for both the mother and her baby. For example,
regular massage treatments may help to negate the effects of stress
on a mother, and therefore on her baby.
Studies on the effect of maternal stress on the
unborn child show that women who experience severe or prolonged
stress, depression, or anxiety during pregnancy are more likely to
have a low birth weight baby or pre-term labour. Research by Dr
Michael Meaney, an expert in maternal health and wellbeing, also
indicates that infants of highly stressed mothers may be more
likely to display anxiety disorders later in life.
In a recent study conducted by the Touch
Research Institute at the University of Miami School of Medicine,
women received regular massage treatments throughout the second
trimester. The study concluded that the massage group reported a
marked decrease in symptoms of stress and anxiety compared to the
control group. "Massage helps women feel more comfortable and less
stressed during pregnancy, and therefore they can expect a better
outcome," said Tiffany Field, PHD, director of Touch Research
Institutes, co-author of the study and advisor to the Johnson &
Johnson Pediatric Institute, LLC.
In addition, the study reported that massage
also alleviated aches, pains, and swelling for the mother, improved
her sleep, and eased depression.
Massage during
birth
As pregnancy massage is common practice among most traditional
cultures, so too is the touching and caressing of a woman during
her labour. In Malaysia, the navel is massaged with coconut oil,
said to help the baby descend. In Japan, acupressure or shiatsu
points are pressed to encourage an easy and quick delivery. A
traditional Jamaican midwife has a whole repertoire of massage
techniques for the different stages of labour, including rubbing
the abdomen with leaves to help position the baby, and lightly
massaging the whole body with olive oil to ease the intense
contractions.
Recent studies have also shown that women who
receive massage during labour reported a decrease in depressed
mood, anxiety and pain. In addition, the massaged mothers had
significantly shorter labours, a shorter hospital stay, and less
postpartum depression.
In our Western culture, men are now assuming a
more active role in the birth room and learning simple massage
techniques can be a wonderful way for fathers to support their
partners during labour with calm, reassuring touch.
Postnatal massage: Mothering the mother
Following the birth of her baby, a mother not only has to recover,
but also care for her dependent newborn, 24/7. It's not surprising
that this special yet challenging time is honoured by many cultures
with body care rituals that help to support and nurture the new
mother.
In Malaysia, a specially trained masseur
comes every day for 30 days to massage the mother, covering her
belly with warm herbal pastes to tone the uterus, before binding
her abdomen to help strengthen the muscles and internal organs. In
Java, the new mother's body is massaged all over with rice-flower
paste, and a mudpack with added herbs is applied to her
forehead.
References
* Dunham, Carroll. MamaToto: A Celebration of Birth. Penguin,
1991.
* Field, T, et al. "Labour pain is reduced by massage." Journal of
Psychosomatic Obstetrics and Gynaecology 18.4 (1997): 286-91.
* Field, T. "Massage therapy effects on depressed pregnant women."
Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics and Gynaecology 25.2 (June
2004): 115-22.
* Field, T. "Pregnant women benefit from massage therapy." Journal
of Psychosomatic Obstetrics and Gynaecology 20.1 (March 1999):
31-8.
Jo Hogan is the owner of Bella Mama, an Auckland-based massage
company that specialises in working with pregnant and post-natal
women and their families. Bella Mama provides massage treatments,
pre- and postnatal yoga classes, as well as tuition in labour
massage and baby massage. To contact Bella Mama, phone (09) 477
3767 or visit http://bellamama.co.nz
As seen in OHbaby!
magazine Issue 7: 2009
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