a massage for mom

ronald and i visited the spa the other day to get a full body massage. Body massages are our favorite indulgence even before we got married. we used to get 3 to 4 sessions a month, lesser when I was pregnant with zoie of course; when i had to content myself with a foot massage. either way, i would never get tired of body massages. I particularly like the Swedish kind because i get to snooze off. i get awaken by thai massage on parts where they need to stretch you out.

anyway, i had thought twice about going for a massage as I had just given birth. figured, 3 months past is enough and decided to go for it. it was ok. felt a little sore around the thighs though. asked the therapist not to apply too much pressure there. guess it does take some time to let those tired muscles (which pushed zoie out) time to heal.

found a great article on the net on postpartum massages. written by Elaine Stillerman, a licensed massage therapist in New York City, who has been specializing in prenatal and postpartum massage since 1980 and has worked with hundreds of expectant women. here is an excerpt:

The Massage Techniques

Women in tribal societies resume normal activities almost immediately after birthing. To get back into shape quickly, these women employ a number of natural techniques, including massage, abdominal binding, herbal treatments, diet, and steaming of the perineal region. All of these methods help the new mother to regain her strength, heal faster, and ease her way in subsequent births.

Massage is a sensuous, relaxing, and loving treatment that has the added bonus of being especially good for you. It is one form of "medicine" most people delight in taking! Massage is a wonderful way to reduce stress and promote general well-being.

While you are pregnant, your body is undergoing stress-producing changes. Massage pleasantly and effectively eliminates many of the adverse effects of stress and the accompanying discomforts. Let's look briefly at some of the physiological changes that occur during a massage and see how they benefit your health and the health of your developing baby:

• Massage will help prepare you for an easier delivery. Self-massage to the perineum (the area between the vagina and anus) promotes flexibility and elasticity. It might actually help you avoid an episiotomy.

• Massage stimulates glandular secretions, stabilizing your hormonal levels and making their side effects less severe.

• Massage to the legs can control varicose veins, and the draining effect of massage facilitates reduction of edema (swelling) of the extremities.

• An increase in general circulation offers a rise of blood to all areas of your body, including the placenta. This brings greater nutrition to the tissues of the body and enhances waste product removal.

• "Lazy" red blood cells lining the vessel walls are reintroduced into circulation, thus increasing the red blood cell count. This is of particular importance to those women with anemia. A rise in the red blood cell count also helps to eliminate fatigue, since more oxygen-carrying hemoglobin is released into the bloodstream.

• The lymphatic system circulates faster and more efficiently. The result is more energy and less fatigue.

• The strain on the muscles of the lower back, abdomen, and shoulders can be greatly reduced through massage. As your pregnancy advances to its final trimester, this relief will be most welcome.

• Muscle tone can increase with regular massage. Muscle spasms and knots are easily released, and muscles, ligaments, tendons, and joints enjoy greater flexibility. This is most advantageous during labor.

• Massage sedates the nervous system, producing much-needed rest and relaxation. In utero, your baby feels the same way. Frazzled nerves are lovingly soothed, and insomnia can be relieved.

Massage accompanies childbirth nearly everywhere in the tribal world. Noted anthropologist George Englemann, who studied tribal customs, wrote in 1884, "There is hardly a people, ancient or modern, that do not in some way resort to massage and expression in labor, even if it be a natural and easy one."² The elder women of the Nama Hottentot tribe of South Africa massage the expectant mothers several times a week in preparation for childbirth. Pregnant women of Uganda receive treatment to make their bones supple for an easy delivery. Women of Kiribati (formerly the Gilbert Islands) receive "shampoos" by expert massage practitioners to train their muscles to bear contractions.

The massage techniques you will be using are derived from Swedish massage, Shiatsu acupressure, and foot reflexology. Mother Massage also includes herbal remedies, nutritional information, and exercises and postures as part of its holistic scope of pregnancy health care.

The Swedish strokes are effleurage, petrissage, friction, tapotement, and the nerve stroke.

to read the whole article, click on this link:

http://www.enotalone.com/article/5646.html

i have yet to know about a spa or a massage parlor meant for pregnant women or new mothers here in the cebu or in the philippines. hopefully, someday i will fulfill one of my dreams and put up one myself. wouldn't that be great? i feel giddy just thinking about it. =)

are you pregnant?

i figured it is best to start with pregnancy because you can't have a baby without getting pregnant in the first place.

i first learned that I was pregnant when I missed my period which is usually the first sign that tells you to be ready because you will soon be carrying another human being inside you. my hubby and i waited for 3 three weeks before we decided to take a pregnancy test. and voila, we discovered that we are pregnant!

a missed period and a positive pregnancy test are generally sure signs telling you that it is time to give your ob-gynecologist a visit and have that first prenatal checkup. there are however other symptoms that you may observe during this period. among these are:

food cravings and altered sense of taste. i remember asking Ronald for strawberries during my first few months of pregnancy. I remember because he just teased me and never got me one. Bad Ronald! =p he reasoned that strawberries are rare in Cebu and he has nowhere to buy them from. as if! other than that, i craved for chocolates and ice cream which is not surprising as i usually get a helping of sweets and a scoop of two once a week. as for the sense of taste, you may find yourself saying "no" to certain foods that you used to love.

swollen breast and darkening of areolas. they say that the circles around your nipples get darker by the day when you are pregnant. supposedly it is to guide the baby when breastfeeding. if this is true or just a myth, i am unsure. what i am sure of is the tender and swollen breasts. you get swollen breast due to a hormonal surge which happens when you are pregnant. some women get swollen breast during periods so this may not be a very reasonable sign of pregnancy.

implantation bleeding or cramping. as the egg is burrowing into your endometrial lining, you might see spotting or stains of pink or brown. this bleeding may occur at the same time of your period. this is the reason why some women may dismiss that they are pregnant but take note that even with a slight bleed, you may still be pregnant.

fatigue. this i got a lot of. i used to miss work a lot because i felt dizzy and faint. fatigue is a surefire symptom that you are pregnant. your body gets high levels of hormone progesterone during this period so you might feel all exhausted and would love to stay in bed all day.

and with fatigue comes morning sickness. and do not be deceived. this is a misnomer. the sickness can occur anytime.

so there you have it, some of the tell-tale signs that you might be staring at your very own bundle of joy come nine months. sure it may sound scary at first and you may think that you are not prepared. but believe me, giving birth is the best fulfillment ever! we are talking about the miracle of life nonetheless! it is however best to know it early so you have time to think things through and of course, prepare for the big day. so goodluck and think positive!