Pregnancy is one of the most delicate stages of a woman's life. Proper diet, exercise, and relaxation are essential during this phase. Of course, a good way to provide complete relaxation is a nice and soothing massage therapy that is best for both the mother and the baby.

Reflexology

Reflexology is known as the "alternative medicine" because of its healing powers without the use of processed and commercialized products. This massage therapy is very useful for internal problems and is considered the least messy therapy since there is no need to use lubricants such as oils and lotions. Deep tissue massage is almost the same with reflexology due to the techniques used. See how both massage therapies work and their benefits.

There is always the misconception that any massage therapy is contraindicated throughout pregnancy. However, it is advised to avoid intense types of massage therapies after the first trimester. In this case, reflexology is one of the safest and most recommended due to its benefits.

• Improves circulation- reflexology stimulates the nerve endings that promotes blood circulation throughout the organs. The more oxygen is distributed throughout the body, the more nutrients are given to the baby. Thus, reflexology is beneficial especially to the baby.
• Relieves back pain- Back aches, headaches, and other kinds of pain can be relieved by reflexology. The signals from the extremities are sent to the painful parts and are suppressed.
• Detoxification-  As mentioned, reflexology sends signals to other body organs, thus hitting the lymphatic system that helps in eliminating toxins in the body.

Deep Tissue massage

There are ups and downs in using deep tissue massage during pregnancy. But the only way to make sure that the procedure is safe is that you should look for well-trained and licensed therapists. Deep tissue massage is best in easing back pain, swelling, cramps and other kinds of muscle pain through touch. The pressure points indicate the week muscles and are the ones that should be focused on, since strength is needed during delivery.  However, abuse of deep tissue massage may worsen the symptoms of pregnancy such as nausea and dizziness, or may even lead to worst cases such as miscarriage or early labor. Thus, therapists should avoid some extremely delicate points during deep tissue massage.

Reflexology and Deep Tissue Massage have almost the same effect during pregnancy, but before undergoing any procedure, consult your OB-GYNE to prevent unwanted conditions and results.