a vital part of your health care
Bellies, Breastfeeding and Babies:
How Massage Therapy can help if you're pregnant, breastfeeding or have a new born
Before I had children I could only talk about the challenges of pregnancy, breastfeeding and/or having a newborn. Now I can feel those challenges with every fibre of my being; hence the impetus for me writing this article.
In pregnancy your body goes through obvious physical changes. The way we respond to these changes vary greatly. The benefits of massage therapy can address a myriad of physical manifestations. Not only can we do hands on work but we can suggest coping mechanisms for sleep positions and exercises to perform at home to ease some of the ongoing challenges.
Massage can help with the emotional and psychological challenges a woman may feel. Having quiet time to have a massage will connect you with your body and hopefully can bring some questions to the forefront that you can address with your labour coach, partner, midwife or obstetrician.
Massage can help during labour as well. Be it your partner, Doula, or your nurse, massage helps. You'll know at the time of labour what feels good. Ask your massage therapist what positions might be good and then teach them to your labour support team.
Once your baby is born, massage therapy can help with your recovery and help with avoidance of blocked milk ducts and offer tips for comfort measures with breastfeeding.
As far as the baby goes, massage can help with the newborns digestion, stretching out those little limbs and anything physical that may present. It is realistic for parents to learn a little baby massage they can do anytime at home. It's nice to have that as part of the baby's bedtime routine or post-nap time. And it's really wonderful for more bonding.
This just scratches the surface as to what massage can do in these particular instances, so please ask your therapist and we can give you more information.
Vitality Treatment Centre
302-1842 Oak Bay Avenue • Victoria, BC, Canada V8R 1C2
Phone: 250.370.1020 • info@vitalitytreatment.ca
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