Pregnant women are a niche group that are not involved in wellness, but have a great need for relief of different complaints. In the US, the perinatal or pregnancy massage has been part of the standard program of midwives, massage therapists and physiotherapists since the 1980s and is still enjoying growing popularity. Even in Europe, pregnancy has become something very special and every pregnant woman wants to feel as much as possible during pregnancy. In order to expand the existing practice offer on pregnancy massage, it is important to attend a well-founded further education. Not only to be available to your client as a competent practitioner, but to be able to react properly to contraindications. Many masseurs and even some physiotherapists say they do not massage pregnant women. Of course you have to know and pay attention to certain things, such as how to find the correct position to massage, treatment intensity, oils and products to work with  other  different massage techniques. You also need the experience and training. But pregnancy is a condition, not a disease, and when women are convinced, "I'm fine, I want a massage," then there are few reasons not to do it. When a pregnant woman comes for a massage for the first time, the baby can move a bit more for the first five to ten minutes. The second or third massage, however, soon calms the baby. The mothers say that they have the impression that the baby is sleeping. The babies are doing well during the massage and they also seem to enjoy it. A back massage helps with muscular discomfort and tension, for example, in case of lumbar or back pain and tension in the shoulder area caused by the altered posture. Of course it is never the case that all the pain is gone through the massage, but for example, lumbar pain, shoulder and neck pain or sciatica can be very relieving. In case of water retention you can also work with lymph tapes. These actually offer a around the clock-mini-lymphatic drainage. The tapes adhere to the skin for five to seven days and are a great help. The complaints are not gone, but there is a clear improvement. Women who have venous problems or who are at risk of thrombosis, however, must wear support stockings, for them, the lymph tapes are not suitable.

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For whom is the treatment suitable?

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The expectant mother experiences major physical and emotional changes during pregnancy. The weight gain changes the posture, which often leads to back pain and a heavy joint load on the legs. Pregnancy or prenatal massage is a natural way to relieve the majority of common pregnancy complaints. By gently stretching, pressing and stroking, as well as supportive hand grips, the pregnancy massage for the expectant mother becomes a holistic experience of body, mind and soul and promotes attachment to her baby. The expectant mother can relax and perceive her body differently again. With the pregnancy massage, the complaints in the upper back and in the shoulder neck area and the hip can be alleviated. During the pregnancy massage stress and anxiety can be reduced, the joints relieved and the blood circulation of the lymphatic vessels improved.