The following is the correct order for postpartum recovery massage

Advance from the distal limbs to the core torso, first relax the superficial muscles and then perform deep conditioning. After excluding contraindications such as unhealed wounds and loose lochia, the routine operation is performed in the order of "foot → calf → thigh → shoulder and neck → back → waist and abdomen → pelvic periphery". Special cases such as caesarean section, severe separation of the pubic symphysis, and pelvic floor muscle prolapse require corresponding adjustments in order priority. There is no absolutely universal standard answer.

Don’t believe it, I met a new mother who had a vaginal delivery a while ago. She rushed to a small studio for a “tummy slimming massage” just after her confinement. She rubbed her waist and abdomen for 40 minutes. Her legs were so swollen that night that she couldn’t put on her previous slippers. The lochia was almost gone and she shed a lot of bright red. When she went to the hospital for a checkup, she was told that the metabolic stasis of her lower limbs and the incorrect pressure of the pressure had irritated her uterus. She suffered the same sin.

Why do you need to press the far foot first? To put it bluntly, a mother's blood circulation is already poor in the first two months after delivery, especially the slow venous return of the lower limbs. The legs after ten months of pregnancy are full of accumulated water and metabolic waste. If you move the core when you come up, it is equivalent to blocking the middle channel. The garbage at the far end cannot be pushed out, will the swelling become more severe? I have seen many mothers who had no side incisions or tears after giving birth. They asked family members to help squeeze their feet and rub their calves a week after giving birth. The edema disappeared at least one third faster than if they had been lying still for a month. Even the leg cramps that often occur in late pregnancy rarely occur again.

Of course, not everyone agrees with this order. Nowadays, European and American postpartum rehabilitation concepts have different opinions: they believe that postpartum core weakness is the root of all problems, and they recommend that core areas such as transversus abdominis activation and pelvic floor muscle relaxation be done first, and then limb relaxation. But the prerequisites for this are very strict: the 42-day postpartum reexamination must meet the standards, the rectus abdominis separation is within 2 fingers, there is no pelvic floor muscle prolapse or bulging, and the lochia is completely clean, and it must be performed by a qualified rehabilitation practitioner. If you perform massage at home or find an untrained person to do it, it is easy to increase the abdominal pressure, and even those who are not leaking will leak urine, which is not worth the gain.

As an aside, many people think that postpartum massage is for losing weight. In fact, it is not true. The first thing most mothers need to solve is the sore shoulders and necks caused by lying for a long time, the stiffness of the back caused by the tiredness of carrying the baby, and the uncomfortable waist caused by the heavy walking. Losing weight is really a casual thing. I met a mother who had her second child before. There were no side incisions or tears after the pregnancy. She asked her husband to massage her feet, shoulders and neck for 15 minutes every day from the 8th day after giving birth. She went for a follow-up examination after confinement and she lost 18 pounds. Even the doctor praised her metabolic recovery as better than most people.

If you have a caesarean section, you must pay special attention. At least until the abdominal wound is completely scabbed and there is no pain when you press it (usually after 14 days after delivery), you can touch the area around the waist and abdomen. Press it in the first two weeks. The shoulders, neck, legs and feet are fine. After all, you have to lie down longer after a caesarean section. Many people's shoulders and necks are as hard as frozen old bacon, and it is difficult to turn their heads. Pressing the shoulders and neck first can also relieve postpartum anxiety. It is much more effective than staring at the belly. Mothers whose pubic symphysis is separated by more than 1cm should avoid massaging the pelvis in the first two months. Relax the traction muscles on the inner thighs and lower back first. Otherwise, the more you press the pubic bone, the more painful it will be. In severe cases, the separation will be aggravated.

Finally, I would like to remind you that not all mothers are suitable for postpartum massage. Those with a history of venous thrombosis, unstable postpartum blood pressure, or wound infection must first ask the obstetrician’s opinion before proceeding. Do not follow the online tutorials. After all, everyone’s production situation and physical foundation are different, and the one that suits you is the best.