During your pregnancy, your body goes through various changes and this can be very stressful to deal with. As your baby grows and he or she places a lot of pressure on your back and belly. To deal with these changes, you want to look into different ways that can help you relax throughout your pregnancy.
Meditation
Meditation is one way to relax both your mind and body, which can be difficult while you are pregnant. With so many things to do, such as doctor visits and gathering supplies for when the baby comes, you want to take some time to reduce your stress level. You can meditate different ways, though you need to find a quiet spot somewhere in your home or in your yard before you start.
The first type of meditation is sometimes referred to as deep belly breathing. With this process, you place your hands around your belly and breathe deeply, so you are only focusing on breath going in and out. As you do this, you may feel the baby move around more, since more oxygen is getting into your system. The idea is to focus on your body, breathing and baby, which may help reduce your stress levels.
Another meditation type is to visualize an image and you then change it in your mind. For example, you visualize a wave getting larger and larger before it hits the beach or you picture a flower opening in your mind. With this type of meditation, you focus all of your energy on the mental picture instead of what is bothering you.
Prenatal Massage
In many cases, meditation may not help with the physical toll of your stress. If this is your situation, then a massage may be a better option for your needs. Many spas offer prenatal massages, which utilize different techniques to help elevate the tension in your muscles and may even help with your mental stress as well.
With this type of massage, you will lay on your side instead of your belly or back. The massage therapist will place a small pillow under your belly to help support it and reduce any pressure laying on your side puts on your muscles. Then the therapist will apply light pressure to points in your back, shoulders and thighs that normally develop knots or tight spots in your muscles.
Prenatal massages are much lighter than a typical deep tissue massage, but they offer the same level of relaxation once they are completed. These massage therapists have been trained to identify the areas of a pregnant woman's body that needs the most attention. As your pregnancy progresses, the therapist may change which areas they focus on, since your body may tense up in different regions as the baby grows.
Relaxing and relieving stress while you are pregnant can be accomplished by utilizing some basic techniques. Meditation and massages help reduce the tension in your body and mind, which may help you relax better throughout the rest of your pregnancy.
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