Benefits of Prenatal Massage
– Speeds Labor:
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- Nurturing touch helps speed labor and decreases the need for augmentation of contractions with synthetic oxytocin, and possibly, when using effective stimulating abdominal massage, may increase the strength and/or frequency of contractions.
– Relieves Muscular Discomfort
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- Massage is commonly used to reduce muscular aching and cramps
- Helpful with common leg cramps or low back aches.
– Decreases Use of Pain Medications
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- Touch can increase a woman’s pain perception and threshold therefore decreasing the use of pain medications.
– Decreases Anxiety
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- Touch provides emotional support and reassurance and decreases anxiety and fear, helping a woman to relax and have increased confidence in herself and her process, thereby improving the progression of birth.
MASSAGE TECHNIQUE
- Back massage
– Lumbosacral region
– Technique: Stationary kneeding (slowly & deeply)
2) Abdomen massage
– Usually over the lower half of the abdomen.
– Technique:
- Light finger stroking/ brushing from one ASIS to the other, passing under the bulge & over the pain
- Double handed stroking (with breathing)
3) Leg massage
– Thigh
– Technique:
- Effleurage/ kneeding
4) Perineal massage
- 2nd stage- to encourage stretching of skin & muscle
Stager L. (2010). Nurturing Massage for Pregnancy. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, pp.145, 150-151
– Title: Comparing the effects of ice massage and acupressure on labor pain reduction
– Author: Hajiamin et al., 2012
– Aim:
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- to compare the effects of ice massage, acupressure and placebo in reducing the intensity of labor pain in pregnant women from selected hospitals in Tehran, Iran.
– Method:
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- 90 pregnant women divided into 3 group (ice massage, acupressure, placebo).
- OM: VAS before intervention, immediately 30 min and after 1 h interventio
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– Results:
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- Comparing pain intensity immediately, 30 min and 1 h post-intervention across the three groups showed a significant difference between the groups. At 30 min post-intervention (p< 0.05). A Tukey test showed this difference was related to ice massage
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– Conclusion
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- Both techniques reduced pain during labor. However, ice massage provided more persistent pain relief.
- Due to high levels of pain intensity and increased pain experienced by the women during the active phase of labor, it is suggested that repeating these techniques during the first stage of labor could be an effective, accessible, cost-effective and non-invasive technique to help reduce the intensity of labor pain.
Hajiamin Z., Masoud S.N., Manboubh A.& Matin A.A. (2012). Comparing the effects of ice massage and acupressure on labor pain reduction. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, Vol. 18 (3), 169-172