Having massage therapy, acupuncture, physiotherapy and chiropractic care during your pre and post-natal time period is a natural choice that offers so many benefits to new parents and parents-to-be. Imagine relieving your body of any aches, pains and alignment issues during pregnancy and beyond; increasing your comfort levels and truly allowing you to enjoy the transformation your body is going through. As your baby (and abdomen) grows, rapid weight gain causes a shift in your center of gravity; your posture changes as the curve of your lower back increases and your knees rotate outwards. These changes put extra strain on the muscles of the hips and lower back. As a result, pain tends to develop in the muscles of the neck and back and in the load-bearing joints in the hips.
At Equilibrium, our RMT’s have training in prenatal and post-natal massage. As the pregnancy progresses, we get our pregnant patients extra comfy in a side lying posture, supported by pillows. We don’t use a pregnancy pillow system that allows moms-to-be to lay on their stomach because much of the literature by the leading pregnancy massage therapy experts caution against it, as it may cause too much stress on the ligaments that support the extra weight of the baby in pregnancy. This stress on ligaments can lead to problems post pregnancy and beyond.
Prenatal Massage Benefits:
- alleviates muscle tension, cramps and spasms in the legs, hips, lower back, rib cage and neck areas
- improved blood and lymph circulation, which can reduce swelling especially in the lower body
- helps prevent possibilities of compensations (ie. poor posture due to expanding belly)
- relaxation and stress reduction, which benefits both the parent and the growing baby
Postnatal Massage Benefits:
- alleviates muscular tension and fatigue
- improves circulation due to changes in postures as a new parent
- helps to balance hormones and reduce postpartum emotional challenges
- aids in correcting posture
At Equilibrium, we offer services such as massage therapy, acupuncture, chiropractic and physiotherapy to help make your pregnancy and delivery process as smooth as possible. Equilibrium can help pregnant/birthing parents deal with pre- and post-natal pains as their bodies experience the effects of pregnancy and childbirth and we can help in addressing any problems that may arise during this time.
You don’t need to suffer before or after delivery. Contact us Today at our Victoria, BC clinic to schedule an appointment, and we’ll create a plan to help you along your pregnancy journey. By including therapy in your prenatal and postnatal care, you can be better prepared for one of the biggest challenges in life: delivering and caring for a baby.