The hour Molly Will spends getting a massage each month is just about the best 60 minutes of the expectant mother’s month.
“It’s nice to have (my husband) rub my back at the end of the day,” but getting a professional massage helps alleviate tension and aches, said Will, 29. Her first baby is due March 5.
Will is among other expectant mothers who are taking advantage of a relatively new service offered in north central Wisconsin.
Aspirus Women’s Health began offering pregnancy massages this winter. The Wellness Spa in Stevens Point has offered it during the last four years.
Among the myriad of benefits, massage can help reduce stress and anxiety, said Vicki Ellias, a certified massage therapist at Aspirus Women’s Health.
According to the American Pregnancy Association in Irving, Texas, massage during pregnancy also could help reduce stress hormones and swelling, lessen pain in the back and joints, ease headaches and improve sleep.
Given those benefits, adding massage for expectant mothers just made sense, said Sheri Holmes, who manages Aspirus Women’s Health.
As the pregnancy progresses, a mother’s center of balance shifts forward and she adjusts her posture accordingly, but the change can trigger muscle and joint discomfort.
Massage also could help prepare the body for labor.
“It can help you realize where you hold your tension, and you can practice letting it go,” Ellias said. “The more relaxed and in control you are, the better labor goes.”
Special precautions, such as having the expectant mother lie on her side to avoid straining the abdomen, are key during a massage, said Ellias, who went through special training for pregnancy massage. Massage might not be appropriate for women with high-risk pregnancies, so talking with a doctor is key.
Megan Kirk, a coordinator at Wellness Spa, said women should avoid hot stone massages and other heat treatments as a precaution.
Will, a pharmaceutical sales representative, said regular massages help her.
“It’s the only time you truly get comfortable,” she said.