Massage during pregnancy

During pregnancy, your body will change. As your baby grows, your belly becomes bigger and rounder, causing the skin to stretch. You are beautiful the way you are, with a new life growing and developing inside you. During this special time, take time out to regularly pamper your body with an extra dose of mindful self-care – your body is doing extraordinary things right now!

Mums-to-be need time and calm to adjust to the changes taking place inside their body. After particularly exhausting days, a gentle massage provides relief to the body and soul. Take a deep breath, exhale, and listen to yourself: “What is good for me now?” Find a moment during your daily routine to take a break from work, household chores, prenatal check-ups and future plans to create an oasis of comfort. Massaging your belly is calming and relaxing.

For expectant parents, gentle human touch is a wonderful way to bond with their baby, making their presence even more tangible. A bonding massage helps strengthen the connection between you and your baby. During this special moment, your baby will feel the tender motions. A loving massage of your belly every morning or evening is a beautiful pregnancy ritual that helps you connect with your baby and strengthen the mother-child relationship. Your baby may become completely calm or actively respond to the massage. Both reactions are perfectly normal. When you are pregnant, regular self-massage can support your well-being and health and help you connect with your baby and your body

Rituals provide a sense of safety and security. Special moments that regularly occur help connect, reassure and build trust – this also applies to you and your baby. Rituals are like small, fixed points in everyday life. Partner massages are an opportunity for sharing physical contact and tenderness and are a marvellous way to express intimacy. Especially during pregnancy, they are an excellent way to find comfort and relaxation together. A loving partner massage is a beautiful ritual – try to make it an at-home routine on the weekend or after a busy day. This way, you can spend time together as a family even before your baby is born. Listen inside yourself: “Where would a massage feel good today?” It could be in your lower back or legs.

Depending on your preferences, massage oil or body butter are great products for a relaxing massage, appealing to the senses with essential oils. All Weleda oils and lotions are generally suitable for skin care during pregnancy. We particularly recommend our Stretch Mark Massage Oil and Stretch Mark Body Butter, both specially formulated for skin care and massage during pregnancy.
It’s best to decide intuitively according to your needs which skincare product appeals to you at the moment. Using a circular motion, massage your abdomen in a clockwise direction. Pregnancy also places strain on your breasts, thighs and buttocks. Gentle care and massage of those areas will help relax muscles and relieve tension.
 

Weleda Stretch Mark Body Butter and Stretch Mark Oil are designed to prevent stretch marks through regular massage and are also suitable for gentle belly massages.

1. Gently massage around the naval area in a clockwise direction, using ever-increasing circular motions. Then stroke down towards the left thigh. Repeat three times.
2. Massage each breast with gentle, spiralling motions, circling the breast in the direction of the nipple with each movement. Do not massage the nipple itself. Repeat three times.
3. Start at the knees. Using your fingertips, gently stroke your thighs toward your upper body. Then move back down towards the knees, shifting the pressure to the heels of your hands. Repeat three to five times.
4. Stand in a relaxed position. Place your flat hands on either side of the lumbar spine near the sacrum (tail bone). Stroke down the buttocks with the heel of your hand, similar to the thigh massage. Then massage back up with your spread fingertips. Repeat three to five times.