Prenatal Massage
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bringing comfort and relief to moms to be Prenatal massage is therapeutic bodywork that focuses on the special needs of the mother-to-be as her body goes through the dramatic changes of pregnancy. It enhances the function of muscles and joints, improves circulation and general body tone, and relieves mental and physical fatigue. The gentle, noninvasive approach of paternal mssage can ease discomfort associated with pregnancy, help the mother-to-be prepare for labor and give her nurturing emotional support.
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Most techniques concentrate primarily on a technique referred to as Effleurage. Effleurage is a Swedish massage technique that, in translation, literally means to "touch lightly." This technique allows the me to use gentle, gliding strokes to soothe large areas of the body or specific problem areas without applying too much pressure. For areas such as the shoulders, hip and legs, I can use will use the deep effleurage method, employing slightly more pressure in order to stretch and broaden the muscle tissue. This is therapy is both soothing as well as allowing the therapist to warm and ready the muscles if deeper massage techniques are required.
Benefits of Prenatal Massage
Numerous studies including one from the University of Miami School of Medicine have identified the benefits of Prenatal Massage as follows; "lowered anxiety, decreased back & leg pain, improved sleep, decreased levels of the stress hormone norepinephrine, increased levels of serotonin and dopamine, decreased levels of cortisol (a stress indicator common in depressed pregnant patients), and an overall improvement in mood."