Any woman will confirm that the figure after childbirth is far from ideal. But do not panic and sign up for expensive corrective procedures. To cope with a problematic stomach, hips and buttocks massage will help at home. Today we will talk about when to start doing abdominal massage after childbirth and what methods to choose in order to get the maximum effect in a short time.
Timing for massage
There is no clear answer to the question of when to start adjusting the figure after childbirth. One group of doctors says that you should not start the massage immediately after childbirth, it is better to wait a couple of months, waiting until the condition of the internal organs returns to normal and the woman’s emotional background is stabilized. Other experts insist that recovery procedures can be started within 2 weeks, but in this case, the movements should be careful and easy.
It is very important to capture the early postpartum period, because it is at this time that the highest level of hormonal secretion is observed. It, in turn, makes the metabolism jump to a high level, and thereby cause an acceleration of tissue regeneration. Therefore, recovery procedures will have a special physiotherapeutic effect due to the excellent plasticity of the female body during this period.
Effect on the body
Daily self-care procedures for the stomach are recognized as a panacea for stretch marks, cellulite and fatty deposits. The effect will be noticeable after 2-4 days: visually the skin will become more healthy, young and toned.
Massage combines many seemingly incompatible benefits, including:
- Increasing the elasticity of muscle fibers;
- Increased muscle performance;
- Recovery of muscle tone of the abdominal wall;
- Improving the blood supply to the joints;
- Increased metabolic rate;
- Purification of the epidermis from dead cells and foreign particles;
- Elimination of venous stasis;
- The skin becomes elastic, improves resistance to cuts, bruises, burns;
- Decreased nervous excitability;
- Removing fatigue from most muscle groups;
- General relaxation of the body;
- Normalization of sleep patterns.
It is worth noting that massage is especially useful for mothers who suffer from back pain, are depressed, depressed, and also in the presence of excess weight.
Contraindications
The general rules for the massage state that it is not recommended to conduct sessions in the presence of inflammatory processes, skin and fungal diseases, temperature, fever, skin allergies, kidney and gall bladder diseases, hernia, menstruation, and pregnancy.
As for postpartum procedures, of course, you need to follow the above rules, but you also need to pay attention to specific factors that may become a limitation for the procedure after delivery.
These contraindications include:
- Bleeding and blood diseases;
- Postpartum increased fragility of nails and hair;
- Thrombosis, varicose veins;
- ARI;
- Failures in the intestines;
- Failures in the work of internal organs (heart, lungs and so on) in connection with a previous pregnancy and childbirth;
- An overly excited psychological state.
We recommend that you consult a doctor in order to find out when it will be possible for you to do massage after childbirth.
Rules and techniques of massage
Like most recovery procedures, massage should be carried out an hour or two after eating, when the stomach is empty. Exposure to the skin immediately after a shower can exacerbate the problem of sagging – wet skin is very stretched.
The techniques of anti-cellulite massage after childbirth vary depending on the “magnitude” of the problem and the specific characteristics of the body.
The main techniques include:
- Stroking: it is made clockwise with one or two hands, starting from a light touch and ending with stronger warming presses;
- Rubbing: massaging tissues with a palm;
- Kneading: in a circular motion with the fingers of the hands, the stomach and hips are kneaded, with increased attention to the area near the navel;
- Sawing, striking, chopping and patting: these methods contribute to the flow of blood to a selected area of the skin;
- Vibration: performed with two hands with medium pressure, this technique contributes to the normalization of body functions.
Postpartum massage is performed lying on your back with your legs slightly bent at the knees.
The optimal scheme for a 15-minute massage is as follows:
- Stroking clockwise – 2 min;
- Kneading, starting from the bottom in the direction of the ribs – 2 min;
- Stroking from the sides to the navel – 2 minutes;
- Rolling – stroking the abdomen, while the left hand presses on the stomach, and the right shifts the fat folds to the side – 3 minutes;
- Sawing (rubbing the abdomen with ribs of the palms) – 2 min;
- Grips (hands folded in a fist, move down the stomach from top to bottom) –2 min;
- Stroking and light massaging – 2 min.
When restoring a figure at home, remember that the main thing is regularity and consistency. According to the reviews of mothers, the fastest and best results are achieved by a complex consisting of massage, gymnastics, balanced nutrition and a contrast shower.
