Is It Safe to Get a Massage While Pregnant?

If you are expecting, you might be wondering Is it safe to get a massage while pregnant? The good news is yes, IF you follow certain rules. Check them out!

If you are expecting, you might be wondering ‘Is it safe to get a massage while pregnant?’  The answer is a big yes but with a ‘but’.  As with anything you do while pregnant, you want to consult your doctor first.  He may tell you to wait until your second trimester, the reason being that the risk of miscarriage decreases a lot.  Not that a massage will cause a miscarriage, but if you are a high-risk pregnancy, you want to take all the precautions you can.  That being said, being massaged is safe, and here are some things you need to know.

Is It Safe to Get a Massage While Pregnant?

Get the blood flowing:

Getting massaged during pregnancy is great!  No doubt you have lots of aches and pains.  My husband used to rub my feet and legs when I was pregnant, that is until my legs blew up so big he thought they would burst if he touched them!  Massage is great to help blood circulation and ease muscle tension.  Just be careful of your legs.

Your legs:

Your doc will tell you this (because you should consult your doctor before scheduling a relax session with a massage therapist ) but your legs are a holding house for blood clots.  A deep tissue massage could dislodge a blood clot from your legs.  I don’t think I have to tell you that would not be good, for you or baby.  

Prenatal massage therapist:

To be honest, I didn’t even know these people existed! (clearly I did not have the benefit of being massaged while pregnant).  These special massage therapists know all the ins and outs of what is okay and what is not okay for your body while pregnant (at least when it comes to massaging your aching muscles).  She will know all about blood clots and your legs.  She will also know that laying on your side is best, unless she has a special table with the middle cut out for your belly.

Are there benefits?

Yes!  There are always benefits to a massage, and bonus ones too if you are pregnant!  Because massaging increases blood flow.  There is a scientific reason behind it involving the release of lactic acids, and how it flushes waste from your system, but just know this is a good thing for your body.  Back to the increased blood flow, this will help your cervix and pelvic muscles when the time comes too!

I wish I had taken advantage of an actual prenatal massage, I was at the amateur hands of my husband, who didn’t spend nearly enough time on my tired feet and sore back.  The bottom line is that it is safe, if given the a-ok from your doc.  If you are a high-risk pregnancy, he might tell you no, like he will with most things other than laying in bed.  There are reasons, we want you little bun-in-the-oven to be safe and cook long enough!  Plus, there are benefits to postnatal massage, like a quiet 30 minutes (or more) to yourself!

 

Did you get a prenatal massage?  What did you like about it?  Share with us below!

17 thoughts on “Is It Safe to Get a Massage While Pregnant?”

  1. I did not get one but I do wish I had. I never had a massage until last year and it was amazing that would have been great to have during pregnancy by a prenatal expert.

  2. Great article for pregnant ladies out there. Before doing any kind of massage, a doctor consultation must be done first, always.

  3. Isn’t it better to get a massage when you’re pregnant? It helps a lot since you don’t move like you normally do when you are pregnant so your muscles tend to have more pressure.

  4. Robin Rue (@massholemommy)

    I got a few when I was pregnant and they were quite lovely! Of course check with your doctor, but mine said they were safe.

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