Recover From Vaginal Childbirth With Abdominal Massage
Photo by Benjamin Wedemeyer on Unsplash
Abdominal Massage is a powerful self-care technique that supports full body recovery and healing after a vaginal delivery.
What’s different about your body?
After delivering vaginally, your body has gone through dramatic changes and needs time to heal postpartum. Your uterus has expanded, taking over your entire abdomen and now must shrink back down into its original position on the pelvic floor.
During pregnancy, your digestive tract is pushed up and out of the way to adjust as the uterus expands and descends. The digestive tract descends the moment your baby is born to your umbilicus (belly button) resting on top of your uterus.
It, too, needs to return to its normal position to function optimally. During the initial days and weeks postpartum, as it is returning to normal, you may feel constipated, bloated, and uncomfortable. All of this is normal.
What is abdominal massage?
Abdominal massage is one of the best things you can do to help these organs return to homeostasis and get your digestive and reproductive systems functioning at their best.
Abdominal massage is the act of gently massaging the entire abdomen and pelvic region with the goal of stimulating blood flow that supports healing and optimal functioning of the digestive and reproductive organs as well as muscles, ligaments and the lymphatic system.
It is often used to address challenges related to fertility, postpartum recovery, and many digestive issues.
How does abdominal massage support recovery?
Adequate blood flow and circulation are essential to healing, and that’s what abdominal massage does best. It increases blood flow (and all the nutrients that are carried by your blood) that help your digestive and reproductive organs to return to normal.
When blood moves freely in the body it improves and supports the healing response. It’s easy to perform yourself and feels really good.
The position of the uterus is important. It functions best when it is central in the pelvic floor. Not tilting one way or another, and not too high or low in the pelvis. Abdominal massage strokes help to guide your uterus back into its position on the pelvic floor.
The massage also stimulates small contractions that release oxytocin that signals the uterus to completely empty after the birth. The strokes from your pubic bone up to your umbilicus (or belly button) and from your sides to umbilicus support the uterus to settle in a good position for good uterine health.
How to do abdominal massage at home
This massage can be performed in bed, on the couch, reclined on a chair or even on the floor – anywhere you feel comfortable. We recommend it as an evening practice as it can be deeply relaxing. If you prefer to watch our how-to, visit our YouTube Page.
Beginning: Place both of your hands on your belly. Spread a moisturizer around your belly to nourish the skin and help smooth the movements of your hands during the massage. Our Love Butter Belly Balm is our favorite, for its organic, entirely plant-based ingredients that deeply nourish the skin without leaving a greasy feeling.
Big Circular Strokes: Using both hands, gently make large clockwise circles around your belly. We always use clockwise motions because this aligns with the directional flow of the digestive organs in the abdomen. You may feel these organs relax as you perform the massage.
Small Circular Strokes: Next, using your fingers, gently make small circles around your belly button, while, again, moving in a clockwise motion.
Upward Lifting Strokes: Starting from your pubic bone, with both hands, make gentle upward lifting strokes towards your belly button.
Downward Pulling Strokes: Starting from your sternum where your rib cage meets, with both hands, make gentle downward pulling strokes towards your belly button. This is the opposite motion of the previous stroke.
Diagonal Pulling Strokes: Make these same motions with both hands but from diagonal directions from the sides of your rib cage towards your belly button and up from your hip bones towards your belly button. If your belly was a clock with your ribs up at 12 o’clock, then your hands would begin at 1:30, 4:30, 7:30 and 10:30 all moving towards the center.
Horizontal Pulling Strokes: Now make these same pulling strokes with both hands from the sides of your belly towards the middle (3:00 and 9:00).
Repeat: Complete the strokes as many times as you would like, focusing on the ones that feel the best. If you are doing the massage in a gentle and loving manner, you will experience the benefits.
Additional information
Everything feels loose and empty those first few days after birth so keep the strokes gentle and light. A good oil or Love Butter will help your hands to glide effortlessly, while nourishing your skin. You should not feel uncomfortable when you do abdominal massage. If you do, use a lighter, gentler touch.
If you can’t perform abdominal massage because you are too sore, that’s okay! Rest your hands on your abdomen and breath into it relaxing your abdomen and your body. Soon the pain will decrease, and you can perform the massage. Support yourself in any way that you can, love yourself and your body.
It takes time for everything to work to the level it did before pregnancy, but with a little self-care you can make the healing and recovery process a more complete one.
If someone you know is pregnant, have them check out our posts on the benefits of Abdominal/Belly Massage during pregnancy.