Instructions: Plucking massage during pregnancy
Your skin has to endure a lot during pregnancy. The connective tissue expands significantly around the stomach and breasts in particular and can tear in some places under the top layer of skin. This is how stretch marks are formed. Even if genetic predisposition plays a major role in whether and how severely stretch marks form on you, there are things you can do to arm your skin for the stress. The plucking massage helps you to prevent stretch marks.
Why a plucking massage?
During pregnancy , many women develop reddish or purple stripes, the so-called stretch marks . On parts of the body, such as the chest and abdomen, where the connective tissue stretches particularly strongly, fine tears appear in the subcutaneous tissue, the tissue immediately below the top layer of skin. At these points, blood vessels shimmer through the now thinner skin and appear as the characteristic stretch marks.
A plucking massage can help prevent and reduce stretch marks. The connective tissue is better supplied with blood and elastic through the massage and the skin is supplied with an extra portion of moisture. It makes sense to make or buy a massage oil for the massage. In contrast to creams, oils do not penetrate the skin as quickly and are easier to spread and massage in.
Instructions for the plucking massage
- At the beginning you warm up the massage oil slightly in your hands and spread it on your stomach. Always stroke in the direction of the belly button.
- During the plucking massage, you take small rolls of skin with your thumb and forefinger and carefully pluck them upwards as if you were gently pinching yourself.
- The further the pregnancy has progressed, the smaller the skin rolls that you take between your fingers.
- Always massage from the outside of the abdomen in the direction of the navel. Work on your entire stomach bit by bit. You should only skip the area near the pubic bone so as not to irritate the uterus. The massage should be comfortable for you and not painful.
- After the massage, simply lie down and relax a little.
When and how often do a plucking massage?
In order for the plucking massage to have an effect, you should start the massage in the third month at the latest. About a month before the delivery, you stop plucking and just gently massage in the oil. Most pregnant women perform the plucking massage two to three times a week, but of course you can also treat yourself to a massage more often. After that, relax a little.
Be careful if you have a tendency to premature labor!
However, if you are prone to premature contractions , you better ask your doctor if you can do the plucking massage.