According to Pushpa Aunty , 90 (or more I don’t remember eh ! ) nerves of a woman’s body are stretched/ strained at the time of labour to push the baby out and each nerve takes it own time to get back to its formal form. Pushpa Aunty comes by 9.00 everyday and I just wait for her to come so that I can hand over Anshika to her 🙂 and have my mee mee time . She takes care of Anshika while I brush my teeth and have my breakfast. I will do another post on the post natal diet I had .
I finish my breakfast by 9.45 and then I look forward to my massage session by 11.30 –11.45 . Oh my I used to love the whole body massage by her. It’s so relaxing and refreshing. Pushpa Aunty takes Dhanwantaram Kuzhambu in a bowl and massages my body with it. It is then followed by turmeric and other herbs application all over the body . I must say the post natal massages were very good in my experience. Lemme list down the benefits of post partum massage one by one.
1. PROVIDES RELAXATION
Post natal or post partum massage helps to relax the whole body of new moms. As the body of a new mom is subjected to enormous strain, sleeplessness and pressure during childbirth , massage with an adequate pressure helps to relax those strained muscles .
2. PROVIDES FLEXIBILITY TO THE MUSCLES AND STRETCHED NERVES
As I mentioned earlier , flexibility of the body is increased and the stretched nerves are soothed with a proper post natal massage
3. INCREASES BLOOD CIRCULATION
You might have noticed how glowy a new mom looks post her baby . Thanks to the good massage which helped her to increase, stimulate the oxygen and blood circulation in her body.
4. BOOSTS UP BREASTMILK PRODUCTION
Post natal massage helps in the production of breast milk as the body release Oxytocin known as “love hormones “. This Oxytocin released triggers and stimulates the milk ejection reflex thereby inducing breast milk production.
In addition to the above, post natal massage increases the lactation hormone known as prolactin
5. INDUCES GOOD SLEEP
The deep sleep you get post a massage can’t be explained in words , but I never got that beauty sleep as the moment I hit the bed after my bath , Anshika used to get up and cry 🙁
6. LIGHTENS STRETCH MARKS
Oh yeah . Post natal massages help to lighten the stretch marks . You should use Ayurvedic oils like ” Nalapamaraadi ” or Almond oil for massaging the tummy area so that stretch marks fade with time.
7. AN EXCELLENT STRESS BUSTER
According to Science, massages flush out the stress causing toxins from the body thereby acting as an excellent stress buster
8. REDUCES WATER WEIGHT
A woman puts on weight during pregnancy. But with regular massages post baby helps to reduce the water weight thereby helping in toning of the whole body. Post natal massages reduces fluid retention by eliminating excess body fluids
9. EXFOLIATES THE SKIN
Post natal massage with a good Ayurvedic / any massage oil helps to exfoliate the skin of a new mom. No wonder why a new momma glows isn’t ?
10. REDUCES STRESS HORMONES
As mentioned above the post partum massages help to reduce the stress hormones known as cortisol produced in the body of a new mom
A common question regarding post natal massage :
- I had a C SECTION . Can I have post natal massages ?
Obviously you can if you have taken the consent of your gyno. The C section stitch should be healed completely or the tummy area should be avoided during massage in case of moms who had a C-section. Please talk to your gyno first for the right time as per your constitution
Hope this article on the benefits of post natal massage was helpful. Please share with me your experience of post partum massage in the comments.
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14 Comments
Hi..Sangeetha
Liked your website it is very good. Loving it.
I had given a birth to a baby girl on 14/02/2017. And had massage from last two weeks but my body is not glowing. And even I didn’t reduced any kgs…one more thing I don’t have sari so am using my dupatta to tie my stomach so it will be beneficial or not pls guide me.
I had a C sec but my doc advised me to start massages after 4 days provided I cover the scar such that oil don’t reach there. Still, I waited 10 days to start. In my place in Kerala, we usually use Nallenna (Sesame Oil) as Ayurvedic doctors there say that’s best for post natal care.. (I think the opinion changes from place to place cause in my in laws place they usually use Kuzhambu to massage)… L used to have a pure coconut oil massage.
However, I think people need to take due care on relaying on some post natal care experts. A friend of mine has a very bad experience with the nanny they hired in Bangalore for giving baby bath. In second first week of birth, the baby was hospitalized for serious health issues since the lady used to squeeze out the breast of the new born which lead to infection in her chest and over all body. Not scaring, but mentioned to say the need to have an eye on what they do if the person is not someone whom we know for sometime… 🙂
Oh god its so scary. Even I dont like the oh-so-traditional things these maalsihwaalis do like massaging with whole strength of theirs resulting in internal injury of babies.
Reading your comment , and I have a shiver that went through my spine. Hope the baby is fine now.. Such a scary experience
Hi Good morning!!
Since I had a C-sec, I had to wait for 15 days to start with my body massage. I used Olive Oil mixed with Nalaparamdi oil (excuse me with the spelling error – I am little bad in Manglish so if u haven’t understood, its a combination of 40 herbs with base as coconut oil – quite popular in our Kerala, I am sure you must have heard about it). I did it for 45 days. It was really soothing and relaxing. You should see my baby’s Baptism pics posted in Facebook, I was really glowing but now all gone 🙁
My masseur was a Marathi lady around 50 years old. She did quite well but not like yours with herbs etc. It was just the Oil massage I got.
Did u have a C-sec or a normal delivery? Where did u get your massages done – Kerala or Mumbai?
Oh yes Oil massage gives us that superb glow !! I had a normal delivery , and I had my massages done in Kerala only
Hi Sangee,
Very Good morning!!!
How was ur Uttrayan festival? I know Mumbai doesn’t speak much about the festival but you never know coz’ if u have a circle of Gujju friends amongst you they would definitely drag you in it. I had a break right from Sunday till yesterday and enjoyed the Kite flying festival thoroughly with Undhiyu and jalebi.
I always wished for a normal delivery but alas it wasn’t blessed because of the greedy Gynac I consulted….. Just for no reason I went through a C-sec. U r one of the lucky fews to feel the labour pain, go through the normal delivery process and get back in shape in a jiffy.
God Bless u many more……
Love to Anshika
Woah Hope you had a blast 🙂 .
Just take your time , you can get into shape too..
Yeah….almost there in shape but I have 4 kgs more to go yaar…!!!
I was mast mast thin before pregnancy, though I can slip inside my old clothes, there are few bulges here and there…..hehehe!!!
If all off this was do it correctly.
Even though I am man, sometimes I am afraid if they really know what they do.
Last time, or maybe last week I got inside one of place so we can do the massage treatment. Not sure, if they are really the truth specialist or not 🙁
Oh… I know we cant trust anyone who comes in for a post natal massage these days .. She should be a really experienced person in this..
First of all must thank you for such a wonderful website…it is indeed a very good work! I am a mother of two wonderful kids the eldest (aahan) 8 yrs and the youngest(aarav) just completed 15 months….so I am always on the hunt for new receipes and other details for aarav…..he is not a fussy eater but still I want to try new dishes so that he gets maximum nutrition.
Well to come to the subject of post natal massage….I will totally agree with u that it is very beneficial..I also had one aunty (she was a trained lady in post natal massage ) who used to come every morning by 7..first she used to massage the baby , then give him bath then I used to feed him and then he used to sleep….then it was my time…my mom used to slightly heat my kuzhambu (I dont remember its name but ya..it was bought from kottakal ayurveda) I must say that it was one of the blessed things I ever got as she did the massage so wonderfully that it helped me to reduce my weight to 3 kgs in one month (I had put on 20 kgs) first the massage was painful as aunty used to put pressure while massaging…..then it was so relaxing….even my skin started glowing….
I must say that if it is possible every new mother should go for a post natal massage
Hi Sonia , welcome to Bumps n Baby and glad that you found the post natal massage so beneficial :):) We have a New Year Giveaway where in you can enter to win toys / games upto 1000 rupees for free here. Please visit this link to know more : https://bumpsnbaby.com/win-toysgames-upto-1000-rupees-new-year-giveaway-bumps-n-baby-yellow-giraffe/
I had a woman come to my home too after delivery, but all she did was coat me in layers of oil (like I was going to be barbequed or something) and then she just made me sit there for around 45 minutes. After that I was supposed to bathe, without using soap or shampoo. I bore it for 2 days, but it made me feel so sick and sticky and yucky and I told her to leave me alone after that!! Her kuzhambu combination was really smelly, which I would have borne with had there been a massage!! Your aunty sounds quite good – looks like you had a relaxing time with her 🙂
Oh so bad … How come that lady didnt give you a proper massage ? Strange that she made you just sit for 45 minutes. Even we could have done that w/o her isnt?