Massage for Pregnant Women
Massage is very beneficial for pregnant women and their unborn babies. Giving a massage to pregnant women can not only help to relax their nerves but also relieve body aches and improve their sleep quality. So how do you massage a pregnant woman?
Steps/Methods
1. Relaxing the Knees
The pregnant woman can sit comfortably with her arms supporting her body from behind. The partner gently holds the wife's knee with the right hand and the ankle with the left hand. In this position, the partner repeatedly flexes and extends the wife's knee in the direction of joint movement.
2. Relaxing the Neck
The pregnant woman can lie comfortably on her back. The partner gently supports the wife's neck with both hands. In this position, the partner lifts and slowly lowers the wife's neck repeatedly.
3. Relaxing the Legs
The pregnant woman can lie comfortably on her back. The partner gently holds the wife's knee with the left hand and the ankle with the right hand. In this position, the partner performs circular movements on the knee joint.
4. Relaxing the Wrists
The pregnant woman can sit comfortably. The partner gently holds the wife's right wrist with the left hand. In this position, the partner gently holds the wife's right wrist joint with the right hand and moves it up and down repeatedly to relax the wife's wrist. Then switch to the left wrist joint.
5. Relaxing the Ankles
The pregnant woman can sit comfortably with her right leg extended forward. The partner gently holds the wife's ankle with the right hand and lightly holds the toes with the left hand, moving them back and forth to relax the muscles. Then switch to the other side and perform the same movement.
6. Relaxing the Elbows
The pregnant woman can sit comfortably. The partner supports the wife's right elbow joint with the left hand and gently holds the wife's wrist with the right hand. In this position, the partner gently bends and extends the wife's right elbow in the normal direction of movement. Then perform the relaxation movement on the left side.
In addition, there are some acupoints that pregnant women should not massage.
Hegu Acupoint
Hegu is located in the tiger's mouth on the back of the hand, between the first and second metacarpal bones. It is used to treat toothaches, wrist and arm pain, facial paralysis, colds, and fevers. Pregnant women should use it with caution.
Location: On the back of the hand, between the first and second metacarpal bones, at the midpoint of the radial side of the second metacarpal bone.
Method: Open the thumb and forefinger, place the joint of the other hand's thumb horizontally on the tiger's mouth, at the midpoint of the line connecting the tiger's mouth and the junction of the first and second metacarpal bones; close the thumb and forefinger, and locate the acupoint at the highest point of the muscle.
Function: Calm pain, activate meridians, clear heat, and release the surface.
Sanyinjiao Acupoint
Sanyinjiao is one of the ten main acupoints. It is widely used in treating women's conditions, such as irregular periods, excessive or insufficient menstruation, premenstrual syndrome, and menopausal syndrome. It is also the meeting point of the Spleen, Kidney, and Liver meridians, so it has a wide range of applications, including tonifying the Spleen, nourishing the Blood, and regulating the Liver and Kidneys. It also has a calming effect and can help with sleep.
Method: Three inches above the inner ankle bone, about four finger-widths, at the back edge of the tibia bone.
Indications: Weak Spleen and Stomach, indigestion, abdominal distension, diarrhea, irregular menstruation, excessive or insufficient menstruation, uterine prolapse, difficult labor, postpartum dizziness, ineffective lochia, nocturnal emission, impotence, pain in the middle of the penis, edema, difficult urination, enuresis, knee and foot pain, beriberi, insomnia, eczema, urticaria, neurodermatitis, hypertension, etc.
Quepen Acupoint
Quepen is an acupoint located in the center of the clavicle, about four inches from the midline. It is used to treat cough, asthma, sore throat, pain in the Quepen acupoint, and scrofula.
Method: Located in the center of the suprasternal fossa, four inches from the midline. There is the sternocleidomastoid muscle on top, the sternocleidomastoid artery on top, and the medial branch of the supraclavicular nerve at the deep level, right at the upper part of the clavicle.
Indications: Weak Spleen and Stomach, indigestion, abdominal distension, diarrhea, irregular menstruation, excessive or insufficient menstruation, uterine prolapse, difficult labor, postpartum dizziness, ineffective lochia, nocturnal emission, impotence, pain in the middle of the penis, edema, difficult urination, enuresis, knee and foot pain, beriberi, insomnia, eczema, urticaria, neurodermatitis, hypertension, etc.
Kunlun Acupoint
Kunlun is used to describe the upward movement of the water and dampness of the Bladder meridian. It is the intersection of the Bladder meridian's water and the heat of the Foot Shaoyang and Foot Yangming meridians. The acupoint is located in the back of the foot, between the outer ankle and the Achilles tendon.
Location: On the back of the foot, between the outer ankle and the Achilles tendon, in the depression.
Function: Disperse heat and transform dampness.
Jianjing Acupoint
Jianjing is located at the highest point of the shoulder. It is the point where the Gallbladder meridian's water flows into the Earth meridian. The acupoint is used to treat shoulder and neck pain, headache, dizziness, eye fatigue, tinnitus, high blood pressure, and stiff neck.
Location: Three midpoints on the line connecting Dazhui and the highest point of the shoulder.
Indications: Shoulder pain, headache, heaviness in the head and lightness in the feet, eye fatigue, tinnitus, high blood pressure, stiff neck, etc.
Pregnant women with back pain should not massage blindly as it may cause miscarriage.
During pregnancy, it is easy for pregnant women to experience lower back pain. Some pregnant women try to relieve fatigue by getting a massage. Traditional Chinese medicine reminds that pregnant women should be cautious about massage to avoid discomfort.
This is because the distribution of acupoints in the body is complex, and the massage industry currently has varying levels of practitioners and different massage techniques. If massage is not done carefully, it may harm the health of pregnant women and even cause miscarriage and other serious consequences.
In addition, as the due date approaches, the pregnant woman's body center of gravity is more likely to bear the weight of the belly. To prevent and relieve lower back pain, it is also important to avoid carrying heavy objects, avoid maintaining one position for a long time, avoid exposing the lower back to cold, and pay attention to keeping warm. It is best to sleep on a firm mattress and wear lightweight, low-heeled, soft shoes. If lower back pain continues and cannot be relieved, it is best to see a doctor.
Things to Consider When Massaging Pregnant Women
During pregnancy, when you feel uncomfortable, you can do gentle self-massage or ask your partner to massage you. For example, when you feel back fatigue, you can massage the sides of your spine; when you feel leg fatigue, you can massage your calf muscles; when you have a headache, you can massage your entire head and temples. However, it is important to pay extra attention to the massage technique during pregnancy.
1. It is generally not recommended to massage the shoulders, as stimulating the acupoints in the shoulders may cause uterine contractions and increase the risk of miscarriage. However, if the shoulders are sore, gently kneading the muscles near the shoulders and scapula is acceptable.
2. When massaging the soles of the feet during pregnancy, special attention should be paid to avoiding pain that may cause tension in the body and accelerated contractions of the uterus. Therefore, when doing self-massage, avoid using heavy pressure to stimulate the reflex zones, and instead use gentle fingertip sliding and pressing to massage the reflex zones and veins of the feet to reduce swelling.
3. Whether massaging oneself or having someone else do it, it is important to use gentle rubbing techniques. If you feel pain, stop immediately and do not force yourself to endure the pain, as this can have negative effects.
