Believe it or not, a foot massage and pregnancy can be a safe combination to help during the later stages of pregnancy.
These massages usually last for about an hour. Some masseurs may use a special pregnancy massage table designed to accommodate a woman’s belly, while others may use pregnancy massage pillows to help her lay on her side by bolstering her position.
Women experience an incredible amount of aches and pains from the changes to their body resulting from pregnancy. In addition to the regular aches and pains that pregnancy causes, the legs and feet can become swollen, which is known as edema. Not only is this an uncomfortable problem, but it also lead to painful leg cramps.
There are few studies out there that have examined pregnancy and foot massage, but the University of Miami School of Medicine found conducted a study that found pregnancy and foot massage had multiple positive effects, such as: decreased levels of the stress hormone norepinephrine, decreased back and leg pain, improved sleep, and lowered levels of anxiety. A similar study found that the combination of pregnancy and foot massage led to an overall improvement in women’s moods, decreased levels of cortisol, and increased levels of serotonin and dopamine.
Some argue that pregnancy and foot massage is actually a bad combination because there are pressure points on the feet connected to the reproductive system that can send a woman into labor prematurely. However, therapists are trained to avoid these points. Not only that, but these points are difficult to stimulate, so there is little to no risk involved.
Pregnancy and foot massage is a safe combination, and can have many benefits for child-bearing children. If you have any questions, feel free to ask in the comments. For more information, read this website.