Pampering Your Body, Mind and Spirit: The Pregnancy Massage

Even the most stressful events don't have to get your pregnancy down. Try these tips to reduce stress during pregnancy.

Cell phones ringing; beepers calling; traffic, long commutes, work deadlines and housework piled sky high. It's called stress, and it's a fact of modern living that studies show can affect our health in myriad ways. Add pregnancy into the mix and the health stakes can rise even higher -- for mother and baby.

The good news: Even the most stressful events don't have to get your pregnancy down. While we often can't change what's going on in our world, we can change our reaction to it -- and in doing so, short-circuit many of life's negative situations.

For many women, the ultimate way to reduce stress and really relax is a full body massage. This is even more true during pregnancy, when a massage can not only soothe your jangled nerves but also help ease some of your body aches and pains, as well as reduce swelling in hands and feet and even improve the quality of your sleep.

In studies conducted at Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami, just 20 minutes of massage twice weekly for five weeks improved moods and sleep patterns during pregnancy while reducing anxiety and back pain. Doctors also recorded lower levels of stress hormones in the urine of pregnant women who received regular massages. What's more, the benefits of massage can even extend clear into labor and delivery: Studies show women who received regular massages during pregnancy had lower rates of premature birth, fewer obstetrical problems, and their babies had a lower rate of postnatal complications!

While having a professional massage is great way to experience all of the benefits, don't overlook the power of "partner massage" to offer you great benefits during pregnancy as well. In fact, childbirth experts say that when Dad massages Mom during pregnancy, both partners become more relaxed and more involved with the baby -- a great way to begin bonding before your child is even born!

If either you or your partner feels a little hesitant or even afraid to attempt a pregnancy massage, many hospitals and birthing centers now offer classes where your first rubdown is conducted under the watchful eye of a certified instructor. If, however, you both feel comfortable enough to give it a go on your own, nurse/midwife Margaret Fawcett offers the following simple massage techniques for you to try. One important warning: Don't get a massage during your first trimester. There is some concern that it may increase the risk of miscarriage. Instead, begin your massages in the second trimester, when pregnancy is in full swing and you are most likely to appreciate the benefits!