PREGNANCY MASSAGE.

PREGNANCY MASSAGE.

From my treatment room in Harrogate, I regularly support mums-to-be throughout pregnancy - right up until birth and then post-pregnancy.

There’s a huge host of benefits of pregnancy massage but there’s also some contraindications of pregnancy massage to consider. 

WHAT IS PREGNANCY MASSAGE?

In short, pregnancy massage is pre-natal hands-on therapy. Contrary to common belief, there is little difference to regular massage techniques. 

With a pregnancy massage consultation to discover if massage is right for you, and some adjustments to your laying position, you can enjoy the benefits of massage therapy in almost exactly the same way as regular massage. 

BENEFITS OF PREGNANCY MASSAGE

Pregnancy massage offers all the same benefits as regular massage; there’s too many to list them all now!  Mum’s to be can specially benefit from:

Stress and Anxiety Relief: Anxiety about pregnancy and birth can burden mums-to-be, especially those expecting their first child. Massage has been proven to decrease levels of the stress hormones cortisol and norepinephrine and increase levels of the happy hormones serotonin and dopamine.

Ease Aches & Postural Problems: As the body adapts to pregnancy, mums-to-be will undergo postural changes, resulting in low back, pelvic, neck, shoulder and sciatic nerve pain. Whether it’s adjusting to the baby bump or adapting to bigger boobs, almost all my pregnancy massage clients experience shoulder, back, buttock and thigh pain. 

Aid Exercise During Pregnancy: If you’re an active person there’s no reason why you can’t continue to enjoy your hobbies and the benefits of exercise during pregnancy - as long as it’s comfortable and you’re confident doing so. Through weekly massage to ease sore muscles, I helped one of my running mums continue her daily treadmill run right up to giving birth. 

Relieve Pain: As your body readies itself for child birth, pregnancy manifests all sorts of muscular pains. Our body produces an increased level of relaxin; the hormone designed to relax the joints and muscles of the pelvis to ease child birth. Side-effects of increased relaxin can be pain in the lower back, pelvis and thighs. Severe cases of pelvic pain can be diagnosed by your midwife as Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction (SPD). Massage can ease the symptoms of muscular pain during pregnancy. 

IS PREGNANCY MASSAGE RIGHT FOR YOU?

Ask Your Midwife: I recommend to any mum-to-be to discuss pregnancy massage with their midwife before booking. Not only will in provide you with peace of mind before your treatment, it may open a new line of conversation with your primary carer to discuss and resolve the reasons why you are seeking massage (eg: stress, pain, discomfort, sleep deprivations, etc). 

First Trimester: If you are in your first trimester then pregnancy massage isn’t for you - yet. Although there are no scientifically proven risks of massage in the first trimester, sadly you are still at higher risk of miscarriage. Therefore therapists are not certified or insured to carry out treatment during the first three months of a pregnancy. 

High-Risk Pregnancy: If your midwife has classed you as a high-risk pregnancy I would not seek out pregnancy massage. 

If you have suffered a miscarriage there is no reason why you can’t have a massage. I would however recommend chatting with your midwife first to benefit from peace of mind before the treatment. 

Circulatory Conditions: If you are suffering or have suffered with Thrombosis, embolisms, blood clots or varicose veins I don’t recommend massage during your pregnancy. 

Vomiting: Severe vomiting that extends past your first trimester can be debilitating. Although massage could be relaxing, you are highly unlikely to feel comfortable or at ease during a massage so I recommend avoiding massage until your symptoms have eased. 

Pre-eclampsia: Pre-eclampsia is a severe condition resulting in high blood pressure, head aches, swelling and blurred visions. Massage is not a treatment for Pre-eclampsia or high blood pressure and you should seek help from your doctor or consult your midwife. 

Sciatica: Sciatic nerve pain is a common complaint of pregnant women. Sciatica (originating from the spine) and sciatic nerve pain or Piriformis Syndrome (originating from the Gluteal muscles) are very different conditions but have very similar symptoms. Sciatica must be properly diagnosed by your doctor and isn’t treated with massage. Whereas Piriformis Syndrome can be easily and effectively treated with massage. Read more about Sciatica v Piriformis Syndrome

RISKS OF PREGNANCY MASSAGE

There are no scientifically proven risks involved with pregnancy massage. However, if you think you could be suffering from any of the conditions above you should not book a massage and instead contact your midwife or doctor.

We carry out a thorough consultation ahead of the pregnancy massage to determine if massage is right for you.

I recommend to any mum-to-be to discuss pregnancy massage with your midwife before booking.

You should seek a certified pregnancy massage therapist to ensure they can answer any questions you have, put you at ease, provide the appropriate consultation with knowledge of the above conditions and ensure you are in the correct laying position for treatment. 

BOOK A PREGNANCY MASSAGE

Once you’ve concluded that pregnancy massage is for you or you’ve consulted with your midwife who is happy for you to receive a massage during pregnancy, you can book your pregnancy massage and start benefiting today.

60 MINS: £40

BOOK NOW >>