Pregnancy massage is a catch-all term for any hands-on massage during or after pregnancy. Massage while you're pregnant is also called prenatal massage. Massage in the few months after delivery is called postnatal massage.
A pregnancy massage typically lasts an hour. Some practitioners use a pregnancy massage table. That's a table designed to accommodate a woman's pregnant belly. Others use specially designed pillows called bolsters to position a woman comfortably on her side. This helps especially during the later stages of pregnancy. Lying on your side is often the most comfortable position for pregnancy massage.
Possible Benefits of Pregnancy Massage
There have only been a handful of small studies that focus on massage in pregnancy. And so no definite benefits have been established. But one study at the University of Miami School of Medicine suggests that massage therapy during pregnancy might have multiple positive effects, including:
- Lowered anxiety
- Decreased back and leg pain
- Improved sleep
- Decreased levels of the stress hormone norepinephrine
In another study of pregnancy massage in depressed women, researchers found:
- increased levels of the "feel-good" hormones serotonin and dopamine
- decreased levels of cortisol, an indicator of stress
- an overall improvement in mood
Research has shown that, for the general population, massage has other potential benefits. For instance, it may relieve pain, or it may boost the immune system to fight off viruses and tumors.
