Massages for the Mother-to-Be | Calling All Busy Women | Your Spring Check-up

Massages for the Mother-to-Be

Mother Massage, pregnancy, prenatal, maternity are terms given to a special bodywork for the Mother-to-be. Pregnancy is an excellent time to share the benefits of Massage. Regular massage therapy sessions can make the difference between a low-stress pregnancy or one accompanied by aches and pains. Stress can have the same debilitating effect on the growing fetus as it does on us. Massage provides unseen, unfelt benefits for reducing stress. Pregnancy involves stresses to the body that are felt at no other time in a woman's life.

Consider the observable stress on the body of a pregnant woman. Her head protracts, shoulders depress, the lumbar spine curves with the strain of the increasing weight of her belly, the hip joints rotate and she appears to waddle, knees widen, ankles evert, joints swell, and arches drop. These observable stresses are joined by hormonal, circulatory, musculo-skeletal, and physiological changes.

Benefits of Maternity Massage:

Reducing muscle discomfort. Effleurage and petrissage can reduce the typical "armoring" we all experience as a result of day-to-day stress. Despite the help of the hormone Relaxin (only provided by nature to pregnant women), muscles tighten and knots develop. The strokes are different; they are broader, hands are more flat, and you never experience an elbow down the back during pregnancy.

Aids Circulation. Massage has been known to keep blood pressure under control, increase oxygen and nutrients to t

Diminish fatigue. Brought on by clogged waste elimination and lymphatic systems, massage can provide more energy.

Balance hormones. Massage can reduce the stress hormones, especially cortisol, and raise the relaxation hormones, relieve anxiety and depression.

Lessen headaches. Massage alleviates headaches, sinus discomforts, and decrease water retention through accupressure and lymphatic drainage.

Increase flexibility. Massage complemens the relaxation hormones. Nature’s hormones help tendons and ligaments get ready for childbirth, but massage can provide the myofascial stretches to reduce tightness and prevent muscle cramps.

Enhance sleep. Massage's soothing effect can lower tension and promote deep, restful sleep.

Provide emotional support and well-being. A woman's changing body can be one of the most challenging parts of pregnancy. To your therapist, your body is a wonder to behold. The non-verbal communication of touch therapy can be vital. During a time of tremendous change and uncertainty, mothers-to-be need nurturing, and touch with caring and good intention can be invaluable.

Ease postpartum stress. Massage doesn't stop at easing lowback pain. Falling into depression when it's all over is very common. It can range from the "blues" to post-traumatic stress. It is extremely important to keep a sense of self and take care of stress by retaining the services of the "support staff."

Massage during pregnancy can be performed during all three trimesters. In this country, it is more common to have it during the last two, due to the risk of miscarriage in the first trimester. Side-lying position is most accepted. Draping is of utmost concern.

As the woman gets closer to full term, sessions can be more frequent. Keeping a journal can be very valuable. There are contraindications to massage during pregnancy, and these can be discussed with the doctor and therapist.

Every woman I have spoken to who had massage during pregnancy, was glad she did. And every woman who did not, wished she had.

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Calling All Busy Women: Take Time for Yourself This Spring

By Michael Taylor, UPMC Health Plan

The good news is May has finally arrived. The bad news is your lawn needs work, your garden’s a mess, and your kids need to get to soccer on time.

Spring is a great time to get outside and enjoy the activities that make warmweather months so enjoyable, but it’s important to not overlook your own health needs during these busy times. To fully enjoy the season, you also need to take care of yourself.

Mother’s Day marks the start of National Women’s Health Week, which runs May 13-19. National Women’s Health Week celebrates the extraordinary progress in women’s health, while calling attention to certain women’s health issues and encouraging women to get regular check-ups.

To mark the occasion, UPMC Health Plan is recommending some simple steps to start your spring on a healthy note:

• Walking on a nice day is an easy and fun way to exercise. To learn more about how walking can improve your health, visit upmchealthplan.com and click on “America On the Move.” By taking 2,000 more steps a day and cutting 100 to 220 calories out of your daily diet, you can halt weight gain.
• Working in the garden can be a great exercise for building bone density because of the bending and lifting involved. By caring for your garden on a regular basis, you might also be doing yourself a favor by reducing the risk of osteoporosis.
• Making appointments for routine exams and screenings well in advance will help you stay on schedule. These include screenings for blood pressure, cholesterol level, diabetes, and cancers of the skin, cervix, breast, and colon.
• You can easily monitor your serving sizes and how much you should eat each day by visiting UPMC Health Plan’s special online “Go, Slow, Whoa” program at upmchealthplan.com. Click on “Health and Wellness” and “Go, Slow, Whoa.”

The first day of National Women’s Health Week – May 13 – is also the date of the annual Komen Pittsburgh Race for the Cure. This event, held at Schenley Park, in Oakland, attracts thousands of participants from the tri-state area. The Pittsburgh race is among the top 10 Komen races around the country and is the signature fundraising event for the Pittsburgh Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

The 6th Annual Venture Outdoors Festival is set for Saturday, May 19, at Pittsburgh's North Shore Riverfront Park. The festival offers a climbing wall, mountain biking, canoeing, kayaking, inline skating, and other activities, as well as exhibitors on a wide range of outdoor activities and healthy living.

So, in between your busy springtime schedule, remember to celebrate this season of renewal by taking time for yourself.

Michael Taylor is Executive Director of Marketing & Communications for UPMC Health Plan.
For more information, visit upmchealthplan.com.

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Your Spring Check Up

By Robert W. Ford, M.D.

Spring is here! It’s time to check your lawnmower, spread appropriate granules and solutions on your shrubs and trees and get your property in shape for the spring. Along with a good start on your yard, don’t forget to think about yourself. And since it’s May and the month that honors mothers, all you mothers and women, May is a good time to take care of your health too.

According to the Annual Health Rankings from the United Health Foundation, Americans’ over-all health improved only 0.3 percent in 2006. That doesn’t add up to much of an improvement considering all of the “exercise” and “healthy eating” endeavors that Americans “say” they are incorporating into their daily lives.

Principles of Geriatric Medicine, 5th Edition, found at UPMC Passavant Hospital’s library, lists two admonitions that we must follow for good health and a long life: Avoidance Behaviors and Preventative Actions.

Avoidance Behaviors mean avoid these to live a long life:

• Tobacco
• Substance abuse – alcohol, illicit drugs, medications
• Ultraviolet A&B Rays (unprotected exposure to the sun)
• Noise pollution
• Chronic fatigue
• Obesity (a Body Mass Index (BMI) equal or greater than 30)

Preventative Actions mean things to strive for:

• Good nutrition, reduction of unhealthy “fats” in the diet
• Physical activity and fitness (at least 30 minutes daily)
• Social interaction
• Challenging mental activities
• Periodic health screenings with appropriate compliance and follow up
• Blood pressure screening and control
• Diabetic screening and control
• Immunizations appropriate for age and travel needs.

How are you doing so far? Let me add some of my “X Factors:” that I’ve found lead to a healthy life.

Work to:

• Cultivate a variety of interests
• Continue an active life of service to others
• Court happiness and dwell on the positive
• Invest in your spouse, family and friends n Incorporate a spiritual component into your life.

Your spring checkup is now complete. By observing the above points, you should be able to add some quality years to your life. Happy Mother’s Day, and I hope we will all live long enough to see the Pirates win another pennant!

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