Massage chair during pregnancy: what should you know?

The massage chair is a perfect alternative for moms who frequently need a massage session at home! This device allows you to benefit from relaxing mechanical manipulations without making any effort and while saving the cost of a masseuse. Pregnant women who are tired and need to relax as much as possible often wonder if they can also use a massage chair.

Can they enjoy a relaxing session or do they have to wait before relaxing in the chair in co-sleeping with baby ? Here is more information. 

Massage therapy: what are its benefits for pregnant women?

As everyone knows, pregnancy is synonymous with fatigue, stress and various kinds of discomfort for most women. It is the physical and hormonal changes that are at the origin of these problems. They then need a good massage to get rid of the daily worries they have to endure. According to research done by professionals, massage has several benefits for women during pregnancy. It reduces pressure and prevents cramps as well as back and leg pain.

It also decreases the pain at the time of delivery and the duration of the delivery. Massaging on a massage chair from time to time is also an effective method to prevent the risk of premature birth. However, the duration of use of the chair should not exceed that recommended by health professionals. As no specific study has yet been carried out on this subject, the ideal is to limit the session to a maximum of 15 minutes per day. 

When to use a massage chair during pregnancy?  

Although the massage chair is not contraindicated for pregnant women, they should always be careful when using it. For example, during a first full-term pregnancy, a pregnant woman should not use a massage chair to relax. The equipment may have undesirable effects on her and her baby. This is also the case for a high-risk pregnancy. This could be a pregnancy with a threat of early birth, a malformation problem, a particular health problem, etc.

If the woman has a history of early childbirth or pre-eclampsia. Women suffering from swelling, inflammation or severe headaches should also avoid using a massage chair. The same applies to those suffering from pain. lumbar low or pulling. 

Potential dangers of using a massage chair for a pregnant woman

The use of a massage chair is not unanimously accepted by medical professionals. Some even prohibit the use of this device for various reasons. Here are some of them:

The heating principle of the massage chair

Although the heating element of the massage chair provides a real pleasure for the pregnant woman, this element can increase her body temperature and thus endanger the fetus. It should be noted that the baby requires a particular temperature to develop well inside the mother's uterus. In the case where an external factor brings more heat, it can have harmful effects on him. Temperature increases are capable of disrupting the heart rate of the fetus. 

Pressure points stimulated by a massage chair

There are health professionals who claim that massage chairs can induce labor and preterm labor. It should be noted, however, that this thesis has not yet been confirmed. Nevertheless, it is conceivable by taking a good look at the functioning of a massage chair. It has the same characteristics as pressure point stimulators.

The massage chair during the first three months of gestation

In most cases, professional salons such as spas do not allow massages for women under three months of age. Others offer special sessions for pregnant women. In all cases, the staff who take care of pregnant women must have specific knowledge acquired during training sessions. They know the potentially dangerous areas that should not be massaged.

From this point of view, the use of massage chair is therefore not recommended for women who are less than three months pregnant. Since these devices work automatically, they cannot avoid dangerous areas. It is therefore more rational to go beyond this first phase of pregnancy before giving yourself a good massage with a massage chair.  

Summary of the use of a massage chair during pregnancy

The use of a massage chair during pregnancy is not prohibited. However, it is important to know all the information you need to know before using it. It is also necessary to seek professional advice. This will help to reduce or even avoid various complications.

In addition to the risks for the mother, there are also risks for the fetus. However, nothing says that a massage session is forbidden to pregnant women. They can then be massaged by professionals and avoid using a massage chair if there are threats.

Instead of this equipment, there are other alternatives they can consider such as yoga, chiropractic therapies, traditional massage and many others. 

In most cases, people who get massages also use massage oils or essential oils to maximize relaxation. However, this practice is prohibited for pregnant women. Whether they use a professional or a massage machine, they must not use any essential oils.

As these products are highly concentrated in active ingredients and therefore very powerful, they can have negative effects on the health of mothers and their unborn babies. Mothers must therefore be content with simple creams or light massage oils such as coconut oil instead of essential oils. 

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