The rules for getting a massage during pregnancy are very clear. Provided you have your doctor’s approval and the pregnancy is progressing the way it should, there is nothing wrong with getting a massage at any time.
That being said, most massage therapists won’t give a pregnant woman a massage until her second trimester. This is to make sure the situation is as safe as possible, and safety is of utmost important when you’re pregnant.
Massages Can Help with Symptoms
Massages can help manage the symptoms of pregnancy, which usually include a sore back, inability to sleep well, and difficulty in relaxing.
A massage chair does many of the same things as a regular table massage, and some of their many advantages include:
- Even though you experience vibrations, they do not affect your belly, so they are safe.
- The rollers and nodes inside of the chair can be adjusted to hit specific parts of your body, eliminating pain in those body parts.
- Massage chairs are especially good for leg and back pain, which are two of the main areas of pain in pregnant women.
So, if you’ve ever wondered if it’s safe to use a massage chair whilst pregnant, the answer is “yes,” as long as it’s acceptable to your doctor and you have no medical conditions that might prohibit it.
In fact, using a massage chair regularly when you’re pregnant can be very beneficial because it provides a lot of relief for both the physical and emotional conditions that may be driving you crazy during the pregnancy.
Are There Any Precautions You Should Take?
If you’re pregnant and you’re interested in using a massage chair, there are still a few things to keep in mind before you rush out and buy one of these chairs.
After all, there’s no such thing as being too safe when you’re pregnant, so before you use your first massage chair, always remember the following things:
- Never spend more than 15 to 20 minutes in the chair, no matter how much you’d like to stay longer.
- Stop immediately if you start experiencing any type of pain, headache, dizziness, or anything else you’ve never experienced before.
- Just to be on the safe side, do not use a massage chair in your first trimester.
- During the third trimester, do not squeeze into the chair. If you’re too big to use it, don’t use it.
This being said, massage chairs are great for pregnant women who are healthy, out of their first trimester, and whose doctors have no special medical concerns about their pregnancy.
In fact, using a massage chair produces tons of advantages for pregnant women, one of which is the fact that you can strengthen some of the muscles you’ll be using during childbirth, which can make labor and delivery a little easier for you.
What About a Back Massager?
There are numerous types of massagers on the market, and many of them are specifically made for a certain part of your body.
For instance, there are many handheld massagers made for massaging your back, and if you’re pregnant, you might be wondering if these are acceptable to use.
Back massagers come in many different types, and below are the some of the most common types:
- Massage ball rollers (these usually come in a set of two)
- Hand-held back massagers
- Deep-tissue “percussion” massagers
Just like back massagers that are safe for pregnancy, there are also massagers that should be avoided when you’re pregnant, and these include:
- Massagers with any type of heat pads
- Electric back massagers with heat
If you have any questions or concerns about using any type of massaging device, it’s best to go ahead and ask your doctor just to be on the safe side.
Again, too much of a “good thing” can be dangerous, so never use a massager or sit in a massage chair for more than 15 to 20 minutes at a time. Here is one of our articles where we talk about massage chair time limit.
General advice is to keep these massages to a minimum, and always check with your doctor if you have any concerns whatsoever.
Conclusion
Pregnancy always brings on new challenges, and this includes a host of physical complications that can make you miserable. Fortunately, massage chairs can help with a lot of these discomforts, and it can produce relief much faster than you think.
One of the biggest advantages of these chairs is that all you have to do is sit in them and the chair itself does the rest. Unlike an appointment with a massage therapist, massage chairs do not require any disrobing or uncomfortable positions. You simply sit in them and relax, and since they are made with several types of rollers and discs in them, it is always simple to find the one that is just right for you.
