More than mere pampering, although there is certainly nothing wrong in making yourself feel good while pregnant, massage during pregnancy has a wide range of physiological, emotional and psychological benefits.
A recent study on the effects of maternal stress on the developing fetus indicated that fetal heart rates of stressed pregnant women stayed higher longer (Wadhwa, 1999). This suggests a heightened reaction to stress, which has been linked to retarded fetal development, and higher risks of heart disease and diabetes later in life. The study concluded that techniques that promote calmness in the mother, including prenatal massage therapy, calmed the babies and fostered a healthier in-utero environment. In other words, the in-utero development of your baby is directly affected by how stressed or relaxed you feel. Massage therapy safely and comfortably nurtures this tranquil state.
In addition, pregnancy causes dramatic changes and shifts in your center of gravity. This can result in such common ailments as pressure and compression in weight-bearing joints, stiffness in your muscles and swelling in your extremities. You may become more aware of these symptoms as your baby continues to grow. Massage therapy can help alleviate many of these aches and pains by reducing waste products in soft tissues and encouraging lymphatic drainage in your hands and feet.
Massage therapy can also relieve common discomforts of pregnancy such as backaches, carpal-tunnel syndrome, deQuervains syndrome, leg cramps and shakes, headaches, heartburn, fatigue, hemorrhoids, nasal congestion, sciatica and shortness of breath. Since stress can limit vital blood flow to the uterus as much as 65%, regular massage will also prepare you for labor by reducing stress and make your pelvis more supple.
Partner labor support massage has been proven to reduce the duration of labor by 25, the need for epidural anesthesia by 85% (this is not a misprint), the use of pitocin by 61%, C-section rates by 58% and forceps delivery by 70% (Jefferon Davis Hospital, Houston, TX,1993). Such is the power of touch!