Childbirth is a long and tiring process for women. That’s why new mothers often ask for a massage to relieve fatigue. However, the question is, can mothers do massage after giving birth?
Is this relaxation method safe or even dangerous? Check out the following information, come on!
Maintaining the balance of hormones in the body
Besides triggering the production of endorphins, postpartum massage can also increase the production of the hormones oxytocin and prolactin.
These hormones play an important role in increasing the production of breast milk (breast milk).
The use of essential oils during massage can also help maintain mood balance and stimulate the production of happy hormones, such as dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine.
Reducing swelling in the body
Swelling of the feet and hands is usually experienced by mothers since the second trimester of pregnancy.
This is because during pregnancy, body fluids increase by 50 percent. In fact, this condition can get worse in the third trimester.
Unfortunately, the swelling doesn’t decrease immediately after giving birth because fluid still accumulates in a number of parts of the body.
Massage after giving birth can help improve blood and lymph circulation. As a result, the fluid that accumulates in the feet and hands can be distributed evenly to the other members of the body.
In addition, the hormonal balance produced through the massage process can help absorb fluids so that swelling will decrease.
Speed up the post-cesarean recovery process
Maybe you think postpartum massage is only for women who give birth in a normal way.
In fact, this activity also offers benefits for women who give birth by caesarean section.
In fact, massage is believed to help speed up the body’s recovery process after a caesarean section.
This is because gentle pressure on certain points of the body can increase blood flow so that the healing process is faster.
Even so, make sure you wait until the surgical wound heals before getting a massage, usually about a month.
To make the time more precise, you should first ask your doctor if your body is ready.
Things to consider before massage
Although the benefits of massage after childbirth seem very promising, here are some things you should pay attention to.
The massage is performed by a certified and experienced therapist.
Make sure the caesarean section scar is dry and healed before the massage.
Avoid massaging the area around the scar on the stomach to prevent infection or fever. Instead, just aim at your feet, head, arms, and back which are also prone to aches after giving birth.
In addition, which is no less important, make sure your little one is still within your reach during the massage.
Ask the help of parents or other family members to care for your little one until you finish the massage.