Childbirth is a challenging process and it can mentally and physically drain you. Plus, post-delivery, you may also experience a lot of afterbirth aches and pains all over your body, mostly because your body is trying to get back to its pre-pregnancy state. Nevertheless, the first few months of postpartum can be difficult for you, and you need to pay more attention to yourself to speed up your recovery.
So indulge in a little self-care sesh during this time and get a relaxing postpartum massage to ease your body pain and promote healthy blood circulation to reduce inflammation. A soothing massage can also enhance your overall health and hasten your postpartum recovery. Curious to know more about the benefits of postpartum massage, and the best products to use for postpartum massage? We have got you covered with all the details.
What Is A Postpartum Massage?
A postpartum massage is a complete body massage given to new mums to soothe and relax their mind and body, and also alleviate any soreness or pain caused post-delivery. A good massage can also help support the emotional, physical, and mental well-being of the mum and quicken recovery.
You may opt for a postpartum massage after six to eight weeks after your delivery. By this time, your body may have made a complete recovery, and in case you had a cesarean, your incisions would have healed. However, it’s always wise to consult your doctor before scheduling an appointment with a massage therapist.
5 Benefits Of Postpartum Massage
We’ve listed some of the common benefits that postpartum massage therapy offers you post-delivery:
- It reduces swelling: Your blood volume increases by 50% during pregnancy. But these body fluids need to be balanced during the postpartum period. A massage helps improve blood circulation and stimulate lymphatic drainage to eliminate these fluids and toxins from your body.
- It relieves body pain: Afterbirth pains, especially in your lower back, hips, and abdomen may hinder your day-to-day activities. Postpartum massage can help relax these sore muscles and ease your pain.
- It helps unclog ducts: A gentle massage therapy can remove the hardened lumps and open the blocked ducts in your breast, thus lowering the risk of mastitis (a condition that causes inflammation in your breast tissues).
- It promotes better sleep: Good-quality sleep during postpartum is essential as it aids your recovery and enhances your overall health. Massage therapy can ease your fatigue and provide relaxation, thus helping you sleep better.
- Improves your emotional well-being post-delivery: After delivery, you may experience common postpartum blues, such as depression and anxiety, due to hormonal changes. Postpartum massage can help relax you, take your mind off worrisome thoughts, and improve your mood.
Best Postpartum Massage Techniques
Always get massage therapy from professional masseuses who have knowledge about the best postpartum massage techniques. Your massage therapist might consider the following techniques for relaxation.
- Acupressure: This massage therapy involves applying pressure to the different pressure points in your body to soothe pains and discomforts.
- Swedish massage: AKA the Classic massage, this therapy is a combination of long strokes with shaking, kneading, and tapping movements. It is a relaxing and refreshing massage that improves your mood and overall well-being.
- Herbal baths: This constitutes a part of postpartum massage where water infused with different spices, herbs, and roots is used. This bath is given after the massage and helps treat inflamed veins, and refresh your body.
- Foot reflexology: This massage therapy stimulates the acupressure points on your feet, which are associated with different organs in your body. It can help relieve fatigue, stress, and also postpartum depression.
Who Should Avoid Postpartum Massage?
You should avoid a postpartum massage if:
- Your incisions from a cesarean delivery haven’t healed
- You have skin conditions, such as eczema, rashes, and blisters
- You have high blood pressure or hernia
Best Products To Use For Postpartum Massage
Make sure to use non-allergenic products while getting a postpartum massage. The following products from The Moms Co. are a perfect fit for your skin and ensure a soothing and relaxing massage session by easing your pain.
Natural Pain Relief Oil
The natural pain relief oil from The Moms Co. is formulated with a blend of medicinal oils, such as mustard oil, turmeric oil, mahua oil, and seabuckthorn oil, which reduce pain and inflammation in your body, relax stiff muscles, and aid in wound healing. You can use this oil post-delivery to enhance your muscle strength and alleviate common afterbirth pains.
Natural Stretch Oil
During pregnancy and post-childbirth, you may notice a lot of stretch marks all over your body, especially around your thighs, breasts, and buttocks. To reduce the visibility of these stretch marks, you can use a natural stretch oil to smoothen your skin and aid skin repair. The natural stretch oil from The Moms Co. is blended with a combination of seven powerful oils, such as coconut oil, jojoba oil, almond oil, olive oil, and more that stimulate collagen production to reduce stretch marks, combat dryness, and improve skin elasticity and tautness.
Natural Body Lotion
The Moms Co.’s natural body lotion is especially suitable for those with dry skin. The body lotion is formulated with nourishing ingredients like shea butter, honey, rosehip oil, and jojoba oil that deeply moisturise your skin, enhance collagen production, and soothe irritation caused by skin conditions like eczema. The lotion also imparts a soothing fragrance that’s beneficial in calming your nerves and reducing anxiety.
While you care for your newborn, don’t forget to indulge in a little TLC sesh yourself, and get a relaxing postpartum massage from an experienced therapist. Apart from soothing your nerves, it can help alleviate your sore muscles and pain, and also promote better sleep and mood. However, make sure to get a go-ahead from your doctor before scheduling your massage appointment, and use the toxin-free products that we’ve mentioned to protect your skin.
Also read:
Common postpartum pains and ways to deal with them: Check out this post as we’ve listed the common aches and pains that you may experience post-delivery, and effective tips to soothe them.
Best sleeping positions after a c-section: In this post, we have listed the best sleeping positions after a cesarean that are comfortable and easy on your incisions.
Featured image: Freepik.com
