Massage for the Childbearing Year
by Elizabeth McNerney, RMT
Pregnancy is a time of major physiological, psychological, spiritual and social change. The process, from conception to giving birth, is one of the most transformative events in a woman’s life. During pregnancy, a woman needs to feel healthy and nurtured so that she is prepared to meet the physical and emotional changes that accompany giving birth and caring for her newborn. Pregnancy Massage is an essential way to help a woman navigate, with the grace and dignity that bringing a new life into this world asks, through these changes.
Physiological and Psychological Changes Each Trimester
1st Trimester: The uterus grows to1/3 larger than normal and about ½ way up to the umbilicus. Breasts swell. Nausea and vomiting may be present and concerns about the well-being of the growing baby preoccupy a woman’s mind.
2cnd Trimester: The uterus reaches the umbilicus. Structural stress starts to be noticed on a woman’s pelvis, back and pectoral girdle. Skin stretches, muscles may cramp and uterine ligament strain may occur. Varicose veins and hemorrhoids can develop. May have marital or financial concerns.
3rd Trimester: Uterus reaches the ribcage. Woman may experience difficulty in breathing and ambulating, pain may be present in the symphysis pubis; sacroiliac joint may get out of alignment; feet may swell and pregnancy-induced carpel tunnel syndrome may be present. Edema is normal in the ankles and legs. Braxton-Hicks contractions may start. A woman may worry or feel stressed about the labor and delivery, health of the baby and her ability to parent.
Massage Therapy During Pregnancy Helps To Assuage The Changes at Each Trimester
• Reduce Swelling
• Alleviate Neck and Back Pain
• Provide Tranquil Relaxation
• Relieve Stress on Weight-bearing joints
• Provide Emotional support through Nurturing touch
• Relieve Muscle Spasms, Cramps and Myofascial Pain
• Increase Blood and Lymph Circulation
• Improve Outcomes of Labor
• Teach Nurturing Touch for you to Use on Your Baby
Important Benefits of Pregnancy Massage
A woman who receives massage therapy during her pregnancy feels more emotionally balanced, and completely ready to deliver her baby. She also experiences a heightened sense of body awareness which enables her to detect the subtle and dramatic changes that occur at each trimester. This awareness gives a woman a powerful sense of control which is very comforting during this time of such great transformation. To be nurtured and cared for during a woman’s childbearing year is the greatest gift that she can give herself and her growing fetus.
Elizabeth McNerney is Certified in Pregnancy and Postpartum Massage. In her assessment and treatments, she draws from her education in Neuromuscular Therapy, Core Synchronism (Level 1), Thai Massage, Sports Massage and her vast clinical experience having worked at a physical therapy clinic for seven of the 13 years that she has been a massage therapist . Her practice is located at GreenSquare Center for the Healing Arts at 6789 N. Green Bay Avenue 414-405-5858.
