From time to time, the blog is taken over by experts or other bloggers who have an important message they want to share with MammaShops readers.
This time, we warmly welcome guest blogger Anette Krogh, who advocates for pregnancy massage, which provides pregnant women and mothers with more energy and well-being before and after childbirth.
Anette is a certified Nordlys massage therapist with additional training in massage for pregnant women and new mothers (so we can certainly categorize her as an expert), she has 3 children and is based in Mårslet close to Aarhus.
If you are curious or think that pregnancy massage might be something for you, your friend, or partner, you can read Anette's guest post below to learn more.
Pregnancy massage is wonderful and beneficial
When you are pregnant, you are in the midst of a wonderful time.
There is great joy in knowing that the little one is growing in your belly. There are probably also expectations and thoughts about what it will be like when the baby is born, and you will start to get to know him or her. And perhaps you occasionally have concerns about how everything is going “inside” with the baby?
And then there is the matter of your own body.
In the beginning, many experience nausea and fatigue, and later on, everything becomes a bit cumbersome due to that large belly, which puts a strain on the body. And it is typically here that I meet the pregnant women who come to me for massage and to be relieved.
I, Anette Krogh, am a Nordlys massage therapist with additional training in massage for pregnant women and new mothers. And my experience is that pregnancy massage can help you with many of the discomforts that arise:
- Soreness and pain in the lower back and back often occur due to increased weight and changed posture and can be relieved with pregnancy massage
- The gluteal muscles can be sore. This is related to the fact that the joints become looser due to hormones in the body. This is good and necessary to prepare the body for childbirth, but the gluteal muscles can become overworked to stabilize the pelvis and can become very sore. Massage helps
- Swelling in the feet, legs, and hands is a problem for some, and massage can also relieve this
In other words, pregnancy massage is specially developed for the needs of the pregnant body.
You can both receive treatment for specific issues in your body and enjoy a wonderful experience of well-being and calm. This reduces stress, lowers blood pressure, and makes it easier to rest and get a good night's sleep. “That was really nice” is usually the first thing women say when they get up from the massage table.
All people are different, and so are pregnant women. The problem you experience may not be the same as your friend's and vice versa. Therefore, I tailor every massage to the individual's needs and wishes. All massages are full-body massages, so we cover everything.
Pregnancy massage leads to a positive and deep connection to your body and your own inner calm. And it is my experience that a good body connection and good contact with one's inner calm can make it easier to go through childbirth.
Once the baby has arrived in the world, and the childbirth is well behind you, there are other tasks awaiting you as a mother.
Having a child is probably the greatest gift in life, but it is also a task that you have to manage continuously. Fortunately, most people have help and someone to share the responsibility with. But your body still has to endure a lot: breastfeeding or feeding the little one, lifting and carrying, and interrupted nights of sleep.
This is the reason why I also offer a special postpartum massage. The postpartum massage is also a full-body massage, but special emphasis is placed on the massage of the back, neck, shoulders, and arms, because those areas are particularly strained when you have a little one to take care of.
“Pregnancy is not an illness” you have probably heard. That is also true, but the body is working extra hard to create a new, wonderful, and completely unique little human being in just 9 months, and that requires a lot from the woman. The same goes for childbirth and the first time with the little one. It is important that you take care of yourself and remember to ask for help. Both for all the practical matters and for a chat about all the emotions that naturally arise during the amazing time when your little child comes into the world. It IS significant.
Receiving massage during pregnancy and after childbirth is one of the many good things you can do for yourself. And it also benefits your child and the whole family. A mother who has a little more energy can better be there for others; so it’s a win-win.
P.S. Occasionally, there is a caring husband, friend, or mother who approaches to give a gift certificate for a massage to a woman who is expecting or has just given birth. I think it’s wonderful when a father, a friend, or a family member ensures caring treatment for the new mother.
Best regards
Anette Krogh / www.anette-krogh.dk
