Postnatal Recovery Treatment

Postnatal massage aids childbirth recovery with healing touch

A Postnatal Recovery Treatment is more than a massage.   A treatment corrects the things that can be put right after childbirth, sooth any ongoing discomforts into easier manageability, and help you return to optimal comfort. There is a lot going on with the new challenges of mothering for your first baby or the next baby, and treatment makes an effective difference in restoring your sense of self and touching base with your newly felt post-pregnant body.

What is a Postnatal Recovery Treatment?

• Corrections and massage relief on the lower back, hips and pelvic areas after any labour and childbirth; specially if it was arduous, prolonged or traumatic vaginal or caesarean birth
• Focused on supporting a woman’s recovery, ensuring she feels internally comfortable and intact after childbirth.
• A combination of various massage techniques focussing on her areas of need. Such as:
• Gentle uterine massage and how to do it herself to encourage good uterine recovery
• Gentle breast massage to guard against any future engorgement and mastitis
• Corrections and massage relief on the lower back, hips and pelvic areas after any labour and childbirth; specially if it was arduous, prolonged or traumatic vaginal or caesarean birth
• Post-epidural sites also need tender attention
• Upper back, shoulders and neck strain from gazing endlessly at your newborn baby, especially while breastfeeding or bottle-feeding
• Recommended first treatment is 1.5 hours. That provides sufficient time to attend to your whole physical recovery. You can bring baby along and mostly that works! If not, we will still make it work for you and baby. Better still, as an existing client, your baby can have a taste of their first complimentary BABY BOWEN to gently help its recovery and entry into the world!

Postpartum and Postnatal Questions?

Postpartum vs postnatal

The terms ‘postpartum period’ and ‘postnatal period’ are often used interchangeably but sometimes separately, when ‘postpartum’ refers to issues pertaining to the mother and “postnatal” refers to those concerning the baby. It’s fair to say that most people understand what the terms mean which is generally the first 6-8 weeks after the birth of the baby pertaining to both mother and baby.

What does Perinatal mean?

For further clarification – Perinatal is the period of time when you become pregnant and up to a year after giving birth. You might also have heard of the following terms:

• Antenatal or prenatal meaning ‘before birth’
• Postnatal or postpartum meaning ‘after birth’

Again, there’s no right or wrong word to describe the period of time around pregnancy and after birth. You might hear your doctor or midwife use any of these terms.

How soon postpartum can you get a massage?

It all depends on how you feel. Did the labour and birth go well? Are you able to have baby minded while you have a massage? Perhaps a home visit is possible? Some hospitals even offer in-hospital postpartum massage services for mums in the days following their birth! A 2016 study found that a back massage one day after delivery significantly reduced anxiety in new mothers.

Is it safe to get massages after a caesarean section?

Yes, it is. 2 weeks at the earliest, but generally considered best practice to wait until 4-6 weeks post birth. This gives your scar tissue time to settle and heal.

C-Section Massage

Studies show Soft Tissue Mobilization Techniques (massage) have great benefits including:

• Encourages healing of the scar, superficially and deep to incision.
• Desensitizes the area.
• Reduces pain
• Reduces adhesions and scar tissue

It’s important to treat your c-section scar to keep it mobile and soft. During a treatment the practitioner will show you how to mobilise the tissue to improve its recovery over time.  Understandably, it can be difficult for a woman to want to do it if the c-section was unplanned and traumatic in any way. Sensitivity and patience are necessary to give you the confidence and self-compassion to touch your scar and make it better.

Sometimes, it is helpful to see a professional to move your recovery forward.

Claire is a counsellor and psychotherapist and specialises in pregnancy and postnatal services. Book an introductory chat to find out more

Is Postnatal massage necessary?

Massaging can help to redistribute water within the body and encourage the draining and circulation of excess fluids. For mums seeking an increase in their breast milk supply, massage can be a great way to increase circulation and the necessary hormones to increase milk production.

How to do Postnatal massage yourself?

• Step 1 – Lying down on your back on your bed is a comfortable place to start. Bend your legs so your feet are flat and about hip width apart. This is called the Construction Rest Posture (CRP) and will stabilise your lower back almost immediately, inducing a sense of calm and relaxation. It will concave your belly and make it more comfortable to work on.
• Step 2 – Use two hands (slightly overlapping each other) and move your palms over your abdomen in a clockwise direction using small, circular kneading strokes. The uterus should harden and contract with this treatment and the massage should be applied every four hours until the discharge is pale, for about 2-3 weeks.
• Step 3 – Remain in this position as long as possible. Ideally for 15 minutes. This will allow your upper back (kyphotic curve) and lower back (lordotic curve) to reset and your parasympathetic system to induce more calm and endorphins.
  Just what you need at the end of a long baby day!

Does massage help postpartum belly?

Yes. Decreases swelling and reduces ‘jelly belly’!

During pregnancy your body fluids typically increase by about 50%. After pregnancy, a postpartum massage can help increase circulation and lymphatic drainage so that the body can effectively process excess fluid and restore balance.

What products do we use for Postnatal Recovery Treatment?

• Light, absorbent and nutritious oils are best to massage all of our clients and particularly so, when massaging both pregnant and postpartum women; for whatever they put on their skin will be absorbed into their bloodstream and to some extent, into breastmilk, which is why quality of product is most important. For these reasons, we choose organic and cold-pressed oils that are highly nutritious for your skin.
• In addition, we may use essential oils depending on your recovery so far and the age of your baby.  The use of essential oils intensifies a treatment and we are mindful of the correct oils to use and proper dosage for both pregnancy and postnatally.

Contra-indicated (not recommended) for Postnatal Recovery Treatment?

• If you are unsure for any reason about having a postnatal massage (e.g. post a caesarean birth) , please discuss it with your practitioner or doctor to ensure a massage will aid your health and wellbeing.
• A woman’s body is still soft and vulnerable to injury in the immediate period after birth, but by about 10 days or 2 weeks post, it’s a good time to begin some gentle massage at home or at our clinic.

Breastfeeding

Establishing breastfeeding is a major process in your life as a new mother. You can expect to be breastfeeding about 6 – 8 times in any 24 hour period, everyday for a while. Unfortunately it is easy to develop early problems in attaching your baby to the breast. Postural tension in the upper back, shoulders and neck are common areas of discomfort. Massage and Craniosacral therapy help to unwind that tension and more. We will give you post-treatment exercises and tips to keep your back stretched, strong and supported and in good shape.

Problems re breastfeeding

• Your posture and baby’s in ‘bringing baby to the breast’ – it should be upright as opposed to stooped over the baby or side-lying when baby is big enough is often the most comfortable for both of you.
• Not getting breast tissue (nipple and as much of the aureola as possible) into baby’s mouth will cause baby to graze on the nipple causing pain and inefficient draining of the breast as baby is not attached properly.
• Adequate elevation of baby on your lap with a pillow or similar, so baby can be effectively brought to the breast for your greater postural comfort and ease of feeding. Oftentimes when baby is cranky (especially if baby is crying and you both get a bit frantic!) you can forget to support yourself adequately. This is particularly important when baby is small, as in a newborn. An older baby (from about 5 months on) depending on size, will generally sit quite comfortably in your lap and not require any elevation to the breast anymore.
• The lymphatic system is very busy during breastfeeding, transporting various fluids around a woman’s body, and more so in establishing early breastfeeding (the first 2 -6 weeks post-birth), and at times of stressful overload, massage is particularly useful in assisting the load of the lymphatic system

I hope this information will give you sufficient understanding of a Postnatal Massage and the benefits you can expect to receive; and the confidence to make an appointment to support your health and wellbeing, during this busy, rewarding and challenging time of growth.

Postnatal Specialised Recovery

We can recommend Eleanor Lee-Bognar who is at The Healing Practice on Monday afternoons

When you are ready to get back into physical fitness, it’s important that your needs are compatible with the right kind of fitness and instruction. You might be advised to see a Women’s health physio or a specialist in post-birth exercise.

Reasons to join a specialist post-birth exercise and fitness group:

•  If you have had any kind of birth or afterbirth difficulty, a small group is going to work for you best.
• Correct and safe approach to exercising.
• Small group participation means the trainer is available to you.
• More fun in small groups.

Read more about Kylee Todd and her particular style of postnatal specialised recovery. Or ring her on: 0406 975 934

The Healing Practice
7 Albert St
Forest Lodge (Glebe)
NSW 2037.
By appointment only.