Massage therapy to prepare for labor
***Prepare your body & mind***
Labor and birth is a powerful force that is transformative and unpredictable. Nurturing and supportive touch can alleviate fears and empower you to go into labor with trust in your own body’s wisdom. Massage itself will not induce labor but will help prepare the body and mind to encourage the birthing process. Specific massage techniques, acupressure points, breathing, affirmations, and visualizations are used in labor preparation massage to get you ready for your labor experience.
Massage has been shown to:
Decrease emotional tension that delays labor
Release muscles to create length and space vital to the birthing process
Increase trust in your own body wisdom
Decrease fear surrounding labor and birth
***Photo by Jessica Swan, MSM, LM, CPM
Photo taken at Puget Sound Birth Center (Kirkland, WA)