Massage after childbirth: getting in shape

You have a baby. You are incredibly happy. But pregnancy and childbirth took a lot of physical and mental strength from you, since pregnancy requires special dedication from the body. To restore vitality, you need not only the attention of loved ones, but also attention to your own body. Massage after childbirth will help improve overall well-being, speed up the recovery of muscle tissue, and also prevent the onset of postpartum depression.

According to many experts, you need to start performing massage after childbirth 2-3 weeks after birth.

The effect of massage on the body

Massage helps increase the elasticity of muscle tissue, stimulates muscle function, accelerating recovery after physical activity. Even if you performed a massage for 3 minutes, muscle function will be restored much faster than if you rested for 20 minutes. During the postpartum period, massage helps restore the tone of the muscles of the anterior abdominal wall, relax other muscle groups and relieve fatigue.

Massage also has a positive effect on joints. Blood circulation improves, the ligaments of the joints are strengthened. During pregnancy and childbirth, the joints of the spine are subject to the greatest strain and stress, hence back pain. The massage will have a special effect on the joints of the spinal column and will help cope with any pain that may arise.

An important role is played here by the effect on the subcutaneous fat layer. The problem of excess weight is familiar to almost every young mother. Massage increases metabolic processes in the body, which leads to the removal of fat located in adipose tissue and the elimination of cellulite. Anti-cellulite massage after childbirth will normalize your figure and silhouette.

Massage also has a positive effect on the condition of the skin. What results can be achieved:

1. cleansing of keratinized scales of the epidermis;
2. improving the function of sweat and sebaceous glands;
3. improvement of lymph and blood circulation of the skin;
4. elimination of venous stagnation;
5. increased skin and muscle tone;
6. improved skin nutrition.

After childbirth, abdominal massage, massage of the buttocks, thighs, and chest are especially important, since the skin in these areas is subject to the greatest stretching during pregnancy. Thanks to massage, the skin becomes firmer, more elastic, and smoother.

Childbirth is stressful for the body and nervous system. The skin contains a huge number of nerve endings; the nervous system is the first to perceive the effect of massage. By changing the strength and nature of the effect on the skin, you can reduce or increase nervous excitability. As a rule, massage calms a woman’s nervous system after childbirth.

Contraindications:

1. blood diseases
2. purulent processes
3. heat
4. skin diseases
5. allergic diseases
6. diseases of the abdominal organs
7. mental illness
8. acute heart failure
9. bowel dysfunction

Getting your body in order after childbirth

Massage techniques

Now let’s look at what techniques you need to use to perform a massage.

Stroking

Any massage should begin with stroking. This technique will relax and calm the body as much as possible. Movements are performed in a slow, calm rhythm. Muscles relax, the nervous system calms down, metabolic processes in the skin increase, which contributes to its tone. Strokes can be of the following types:

1. straight
2. zigzag
3. longitudinal
4. wavy
5. superficial
6. deeper

Trituration

Stroking is followed by another technique - rubbing. It is used to massage joints, muscles, and ligaments. This technique helps eliminate swelling, improve blood supply and lymphatic drainage, and relieve pain.

Kneading

This technique is one of the main ones. It affects more deeply than other techniques. Helps increase the contractility of the muscular system and increase the mobility of the ligamentous apparatus. Metabolism improves, muscle tension is completely relieved, metabolic products are removed from tissues.

Striking techniques

Impact techniques include:

1. pat
2. effleurage
3. chopping
4. sawing

This group of techniques is widely used in therapeutic massage. The techniques help to increase the excitability of the nervous system and the flow of arterial blood to the massaged area.

Vibration techniques

As a rule, a massage session ends with vibration techniques. The effect on the nervous system will depend on the duration and intensity of the treatments. Vibration techniques relieve pain and restore processes in tissues.

Techniques can be superficial or deeper

Massage technique

As a rule, women perform massage to lose weight and improve overall well-being. On average, one course consists of 10-15 procedures. The duration of the first session is 30-40 minutes, subsequent ones - 45-60 minutes.

Particular attention is paid to the abdominal area. Abdominal massage after childbirth is performed as follows:

1. the woman lies on her back, her legs are slightly bent at the knees, her arms lie freely along her body;
2. First, circular stroking of the abdomen is performed clockwise. This helps improve intestinal motility;
3. then move on to stroking the oblique abdominal muscles: from the lower ribs to the pelvic bones;
4. then the rectus abdominis muscle is stroked: with the palms, the rectus muscles are lightly stroked in both directions;
5. if there are large fat deposits in the abdominal area, a technique is performed - “rolling”: we stroke the stomach with both hands, press the edge of the left hand on the abdomen, and knead the fold with the right;
6. then sawing is done. Hands are folded with ribs together and the surface of the abdomen is rubbed;
7. You need to finish the massage with light stroking with your fingertips.

After the massage, the woman should take the most comfortable position for her and rest for 15-20 minutes.

It is worth taking into account that massage treatments can give not only beauty and health to the body, but also improve the overall emotional state and create physical and spiritual comfort.