If you’re recently pregnant–congratulations! This is an exciting, but probably also a fairly daunting time. At Pilates Klinik we offer a variety of stress reducing activities and therapies, and many women find that getting a pregnancy massage can be great for the body, but also for mental health, too.
Benefits for the body
Nobody can completely bypass the aches and pains associated with pregnancy, but through massage you can certainly alleviate muscular pain as your body continues to change.
Massage during pregnancy can also help to reduce swelling in joints by stimulating the body’s soft tissues and helping it process waste fluids such as lactic acid.
Your heart and cardiovascular system put in a lot more work during pregnancy, so the occasional prenatal massage is a great way to aid circulation and prevent leg cramps.
Benefits for the mind
Studies indicate that massage therapy performed during pregnancy can reduce anxiety and decrease symptoms of depression. Chemically speaking, massage increases levels of serotonin and dopamine while decreasing production of the stress hormones norepinephrine and cortisol.
A better state of mind supports the body’s own natural resources in promoting repair to those key areas which work so hard during pregnancy. This can also support improved sleep quality, allowing you to recover better after each day–a vital component of mental health.
Massage technique
Obviously we always want our clients to be comfortable during their massage, so we will ask you to lie on your side rather than on your front or back, fully supported with cushioning for comfort.
The massage begins with a focus on the back, abdominal muscles and legs– the areas that carry most of the weight of the pregnancy. Each massage also targets tension in the neck and shoulders, helping to mitigate hormonal or tension headaches.
Our fully qualified massage therapists will also specifically target the sore spots you might develop during pregnancy such as sciatic nerve pain. Just let them know if there’s any area you want them to focus on.
Whether a full-hour treatment or a half-hour stress reliever, each session ends with a nurturing face massage to help promote a restful state of mind.
If you have any questions about our pregnancy massage services, please get in touch with our friendly team on 020 7377 1819 or visit our pregnancy massage page.
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