Being pregnant isn't easy at all, and you need all the support you can get. During the pregnancy, a mother goes through a lot of stress - both physical and mental. She also has to go through back pain, cramps, and other types of body pains while carrying a baby inside her. If you are pregnant, you need to relax your mind and body continuously.
Introduction
You can't let the stress go beyond a point as it might even hurt your baby. One of the things that you can take help from is a massage chair. However, you'll find many articles on the internet claiming that it's not wise for a pregnant woman to use a massage chair. In this article, we'll tell you whether it is safe to use massage chairs during pregnancy or not.
Is it Safe To Use A Massage Chair During Pregnancy?
During pregnancy, you need to be in the best mental state. Any stress and tension can affect the baby growing inside you. You need to relax and get in terms with the things happening to your body. In order to do so, a massage chair can be beneficial to you. It is absolutely safe to use a massage chair during pregnancy. Many gynecologists even advocate the use of massage chairs and massage therapy during pregnancy. Of course, there are some limitations to it, which we'll discuss in the latter part of this article.
Also Read: Can Massage Chairs Be Harmful?
Some people claim that the vibrations produced by massage chairs can be dangerous for the fetus and result in early labor. However, there is no medical or scientific proof of this claim.
The vibration caused by a massage chair during a mild intensity session is not powerful enough to harm anything. But please remember that you should only use the lower intensity and speed settings during pregnancy.
During the second and third trimesters of pregnancy, lower back and leg pain is normal. The back pain usually gets caused because of sleeping on the back. It puts too much pressure on the spine and also affects blood circulation.
The restricted blood circulation also results in swelling and pain in the legs. A massage chair is impeccably helpful during this period. In a reclined position, your massage chair can provide you gentle and therapeutic back massage with the help of massage rollers.
Your legs will be taken care of by the airbags, which will give them air-compression therapy.
Massage chairs can even be used as a supplementary bed for pregnant women. Sleeping on a regular flatbed might put pressure on your back and give rise to lower back pain.
However, you can easily sleep on a massage chair as it puts stress and weight away from your back. Also, a high-quality massage chair will be cozier than your regular bed. Its cushioning will help you sleep well.
Also Read: Can You Sleep In A Massage Chair?
A massage chair is not harmful to use during pregnancy if certain things are taken care of. You need to be careful about some of the things we will discuss in the following section.
There are not difficult things that you won't be able to manage. In fact, if you manage to do the following things, a massage chair can be exceedingly beneficial for you and your child.
DON'Ts Of Using A Massage Chair During Pregnancy
1. Don't use a massage chair during the first trimester
During the first trimester, your body keeps transforming, and it is the riskiest period of pregnancy. The chances of miscarriage are very high in the first trimester of pregnancy if proper care is not taken. Massage therapy also increases blood circulation, which is not a good thing in the initial days of pregnancy. So, DO NOT use a massage chair during the first trimester.
2. Don't use heat therapy during the pregnancy
Almost all the massage chairs either have heating pads or heated rollers to provide heat therapy along with massage. However, heat therapy should be avoided entirely during the pregnancy period. Heat therapy might result in a rise in the mother's core body temperature. Prolonged exposure to heating pads can also result in congenital disabilities. Therefore, DO NOT use the heating pads or heated rollers in a massage chair during your pregnancy,
3. Don't use a massage chair if you've experienced miscarriage or pre-term labor previously
If you have experienced a miscarriage or pre-term labor previously, it is better to avoid using a massage chair in your pregnancy. If you want to use it, make sure that you first consult with your doctor about it. If the doctor gives the go-ahead, you can use your massage chair.
4. Don't sit for high intensity and high-speed massage sessions
During pregnancy, you should keep your massage rollers' intensity and speed settings at the minimum level. A mid-intensity massage session is of absolutely no risk and even benefits the mother with her stress and lower back pain. If your massage chair gives vibration therapy, keep it to the minimum level too.
5. Don't extend your massage session more than 20 minutes
15 to 20 minutes of mild pressure massage is more than enough during pregnancy. Please don't use the massage chair for more than 20 minutes, no matter how tempting it gets.
Final Thoughts
It is entirely safe to use a massage chair during pregnancy if you take care of the things mentioned in this article. Use it only after the first trimester, and don't use your massage chair's heating pads. Also, a massage chair might trigger some pressure points. In order to avoid any risk, always keep the massage intensity to its lowest level.
During pregnancy, using a massage chair can help you relax and sleep better. Good quality sleep is vital for the mother as well as the baby growing inside. During the second and third trimesters, you can even sleep in a massage chair.
If you have any queries regarding massage chairs, please get in touch with us at (833) 627-7245. You can also get your questions answered by using the live chat option.
