Okay so it’s been far too long since my last blog, where does the time go? During the past several years that I have been at Becoming Mom, I have grown as therapist to see more clearly the needs of mothers and mothers to be. I would like to share some ideas that I have formed from my work with the pregnant mothers in this community.
Comfort Tips
Every woman is different, just as every pregnancy, and every baby. With that being said, we see a lot of things every woman, pregnancy, and baby have in common. For instance every woman has difficulty getting comfortable in bed, and we can help. Every pregnancy adds stresses to the woman’s body, with added aches and pains, and we can help. Every baby needs a healthy, loving, and happy mother, and we can help. Sometimes we just don’t feel good, and neither do our babies. Here are some tips from your therapist:
Do you have a headache?
Soak your feet in hot water and put a cold towel behind your neck, while you drink a cup of red raspberry leaf tea (spearmint tea for nausea). 70% of headaches are from tension in the neck. And, when you come in for a massage tell your therapist.
Are you getting cramps in your legs?
We carry books that can show you proper stretches for each trimester of your pregnancy. Also, a banana and a glass of milk before bed with your stretches should help. Your therapist can do long strokes on your legs, to move extra fluid out and improve circulation.
Is it hard to get comfortable in bed?
Your Therapist at Becoming Mom can show you how to set up your bed at home. Sometimes there are sleeping habits that we form that can cause us muscle problems, and your therapist can help you to correct them by showing you the proper way to lay.
Are you having fears or anxiety about delivery?
Massage can help prepare a woman’s body for the ultimate task, delivery. It can also lower your anxiety. Remember to do your stretches. Flexibility makes delivery less painful as well.
Are you suffering from postpartum blues?
You are not sleeping, and everything is out of whack, and not completely back in place yet. Massage helps to speed recovery, balance hormones, and calm your nerves.
There are many reasons to visit Becoming Mom. I want to share an experience that was really cool, and you’ll see one reason why.
A mother came in with her new baby girl on a Tuesday, our “baby friendly” day! She had the precious one in the pumpkin seat and was getting a postpartum massage. I noticed very soon that the little one was going to make it difficult for mom to relax. As a therapist, I take my responsibility for the client to relax seriously. So I suggested we include her baby in the massage. I simply set her up on her side and tucked the baby in next to her. Unfortunately that was not enough for baby to relax.
One of the skills acquired over time as a therapist is making people comfortable, and babies are people too (very intelligent ones). So I also took responsibility for the baby’s comfort. By resting mom’s hand on her baby’s belly, and show her how to give her the attention she demanded first, we were then able to start on a very relaxing massage for mom… that she desperately needed. It’s important to take good care of yourself, and then you’ll teach your precious ones to do the same. What a great experience! If your baby has a hard time relaxing, as prenatal therapists we can show you how to massage your baby. Let love grow, and please share. I look forward to seeing you at Becoming Mom!
Katie
