PREGNANCY BELLY MASSAGE
- 4 May 2018
If you can’t keep your hands off your growing baby bump, there is a good reason to be doing that. In 2015, researchers at Dundee University in Scotland found that babies respond powerfully to belly touches. So keep rubbing that beautiful bump, as I cannot think of a better way for you to connect with your baby.
• Reduces physical and emotional tension
• Helps you and your baby bond
• Reduces stress and anxiety
• Improves your bowel movement, hence helps relief constipation
• Strengthens the muscle tissue of the abdomen
• Improves the elasticity of skin, hence reduces the possibility of getting stretch marks
• Improves circulation and can therefore stimulate the flow of blood to this area
• Helps you sleep better
Making pregnancy belly massage a ritual allows for physical, emotional, and spiritual comfort for you and your baby. Incorporate this Pregnancy Belly Massage Ritual into your daily routine for best benefits.
4. Place your hands on the belly, breath deeply. Send loving energy to your baby. You can also choose an affirmation and repeat it 3 times.
5. Massage your belly in circular motion (clockwise direction) to lubricate the skin.
6. Massage your belly in small circular motion (clockwise direction) with your right or left hand, giving particular attention to upper and lower abdomen.
7. Begin at the sides of your bump and slowly move your hands into the middle. Gradually move your hands down towards your pubic bone, then along each side of your groin and back up to each side.
7a. Repeat this, but this time move your hands up to your breasts, along the top and back down to the sides.
7b. Begin at the sides of your bump and slowly move your hands through lower abdomen, then all the way up your towards your heart and over upper abdomen, back to the sides.
8. Massage right side of your belly with the palms of your hands starting from upper abdomen towards your hip. It will help flash down the fluids towards your lymph nodes. It is a great stroke especially in third trimester if there is any fluid retention that you can notice especially at the end of the day in your swollen ankles and wrists.
9. Repeat the above on the opposite side. Your hands are nice and flat with your fingertips together.
10. Now move to “thumb over thumb” technique. Gently massage your belly with your thumbs.
11. Place your hands on the belly and breath deeply.
Pregnancy Belly Massage can take you somewhere between 10-20 minutes. You can repeat each stroke for as long as it feels comfortable.
Pregnancy belly massage is best done in the morning or early in the evening. Avoid belly massage soon after food, in cases of indigestion, fever or cold. Take care while changing the position of the body. When done quickly it can create cramps or pain in the body.