The time after giving birth is one of exhilaration, joy and fatigue.
Massage therapy can provide women with the alleviation of musculoskeletal complaints as well as emotional support and nurturing during a critical life transition.
Though the postpartum period is considered to be the first 6 weeks after giving birth, many experts consider the mother's body to take as much as one year to return to "normal" after giving birth.
One thing you can do for yourself to aid in healing and relief is to have a postpartum massage.
Going through labor can be very taxing on the mother's body.
Depending on how you choose to give birth, you will have soreness from the childbirth.
If you choose a natural childbirth, you may experience sore muscles after having an active labor from movement such as squatting, lunging and walking.
Having a medicated birth will also be taxing on your muscles.
Some women choose pain medication during labor, which numbs them from the waist down.
In this case, the nurses aid in holding the mother's legs during the birth.
Often, the mother's muscles are stretched beyond their comfort zone, as the mother is unable to feel her muscle's limit during the birth.
In either case, the mother's "workout" during labor is equivalent to running a marathon.
Postpartum massage helps to address these issues and more.
Regardless of how you give birth, you will still have remnants of discomforts relating to the pregnancy.
Your body changes gradually over the 9 months that you are pregnant.
Postpartum massage can help to return your body back to its pre-pregnancy state.
Postpartum massage also aids in realigning the pelvis to its original position.
The pelvis tilts forward significantly during pregnancy.
Your muscles may adjust to this new position after being in that place for 9 months.
Postpartum massage helps to loosen the muscles surrounding the pelvis and realign the pelvis and your posture post-pregnancy.
Many women do not realize how physically taxing it is to be a new mother.
Holding the baby, looking down at the baby often and the feeding positions can cause tension in the upper back between the shoulder blades, the neck and the shoulders.
Therapeutic massage can provide relief from this discomfort.
Lastly, the emotional aspect of having an hour to oneself is very important too in new motherhood.
As a mother of a newborn, you spend a lot of time giving and it is important to remember to give to yourself and nurture yourself as well.
Find a licensed massage therapist who is trained and certified in postpartum massage.
Your therapist should be able to address your specific situation and needs and help you to feel comfortable during the postpartum period.
Here is what some Atlanta moms are saying about postpartum massage: "As a new mother I now have a painful back, so I saw my postpartum massage therapist and after the first massage I am already feeling some relief.
I know that seeing her regularly again will really sort my back out.
" "I saw my massage therapist for a postpartum massage.
I had been suffering from upper back pain, rounded shoulders, and a recurrent stuff neck from nursing, carrying my baby, and other daily activities.
Only a few minutes into the massage, the knots started loosening, and I continued to have improvement well after the massage.
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