I’ve been receiving many requests lately for pregnancy massage and I think that now would be a good time to tell you what it’s all about.

What is Pregnancy Massage?
Pregnancy Massage is a lot like a Swedish Massage, also known as Relaxation Massage. It’s about the same massage on the front of your body, so the variation comes when it’s time to turn. Instead of the woman turning onto her stomach, she turns to her left and lies on her side. Pillows cushion her head, arms and knees for a cozy, comfortable experience. Often extra towels and blankets are used for her comfort.

How do I know if it’s okay for me to get a massage?
It’s important that you go to a Licensed Massage Therapists who knows all these pregnancy massage exceptions for your safety as well as your baby’s. And please, don’t get massaged if you have any of these conditions:

-Pitting edema
-High blood pressure
-Diarrhea
-Abnormal abdominal pain or bleeding
-Nausea
-Decreased fetal movement
-Infection
-Pre-eclampsia, eclampsia or toxemia of pregnancy

…unless your doctor says it’s okay.

Pregnancy Massage is relaxing and very comforting in times of pain and stress. Mothers enjoy this type of massage and often say that it helps make their lives easier in terms of dealing with the the various difficulties of pregnancy.

The massage depends on what trimester she’s in.

In the First Trimester:
It is wise not to do any deep low back work, abdominal work, deep sacral work, or use any reflexology on the hands or feet. Otherwise, the massage is similar to a Swedish Massage. Women usually find it okay to lie on their stomachs in this trimester.

In the Second Trimester:
Light massage on the feet is okay, but again, no reflexology. Working on the low back with light, soothing strokes helps decrease low back pain, while using those same types of strokes on the legs helps reduce any swelling.

In the Third Trimester:
Work is mainly done on the back, legs and arms because by now, the expectant mother is experiencing a lot of stress on her body, especially her low back. Lying on her side will be the most comfortable. Reflexology and deep work on the low back is avoided in order to keep the baby and mother safe.

How will Pregnancy Massage benefit me?

-Massage helps relax you by soothing tension.
-It brings oxygen and nutrition to the baby by increasing circulation to all the tissues.
-Pregnancy Massage assists with venous and lymphatic flow which helps decrease fatigue and stimulate your immune system and drains limbs of excess fluid.
-Pregnancy Massage helps reduce neck and low back pain.
-It alleviates stress on weight-bearing joints.
-Massage improves muscle tone and releases muscle spasms and knots.

If you’re still not sure if massage is right for you, it might be helpful to search online for what doctors and specialists recommend for expectant mothers. A lot of websites like this one recommend pregnancy massage.

If you’d like to come in and receive a massage from me, please fill out your client form so I may contact you and schedule an appointment.