Can you massage me if I’m pregnant?

Yes, I am fully trained and insured to offer specialist pregnancy massage. Massage therapy is beneficial to mother and baby as a natural, safe and drug-free way to reduce aches and pains. An increase in circulation, boosting oxygen and nutrient levels to both mother and baby while helping to stabilise blood pressure and regulate hormone levels· A release of endorphins – the body’s natural feel good chemicals, which promote relaxation, stress relief and aids more restful sleep· Enjoyable time to deeply relax and connect with your baby.I use a unique support system, developed and widely used in the USA, which safely and fully supports you and your growing bump at any stage of your pregnancy in a front lying position, where you can experience a deeply relaxing full massage treatment. The system is made from highly supportive (yet soft and comfortable) foam, with large cut out areas that give room and support for growing bump and breasts. The cut out areas can be padded and adjusted to suit the individual ‘bump’ size, so that there is no pressure on your bump but it is fully supported. There is a face rest to keep the neck and spine aligned and space to gently relax the arms.The system fits onto my electric couch, so a typical treatment may involved massage to the back, back of legs and scalp, followed by gently turning over and removing the support foam so that you can recline on the couch to have front of legs and arms massaged. Many therapists and spas do not have this equipment and so massages may be performed with the mum to be laying on her side or leaning over a couch, which some feel isn’t as relaxing as laying on your front. In addition, my electric couch can be set with your upper body raised to any level at the touch of a button, to ensure you will never need to lie flat on your back, as this is not advised after the initial weeks of pregnancy. I have lots of different pillows and bolster cushions to ensure your comfort in any position and can still massage you on your side if you prefer. During consultation we will discuss your aims for treatment and devise a treatment tailored to you. I allow longer appointment times for pregnant clients to aid relaxation, enable longer time for dressing and undressing and of course toilet breaks if necessary. You will need to fill out my health consultation when you come for your treatment and I advise you to check with your midwife to confirm that they are happy for you to receive massage. If you are, or have previously experienced any complications or are a high risk pregnancy please bring a note from your midwife to confirm that they agree that massage is suitable for you. Pregnancy massage uses light, yet effective pressure. Please be aware that massage by specially trained therapists is considered to be safe at any stage in pregnancy and there is no evidence to link massage with miscarriage. Evidence does show benefits of massage in all stages of pregnancy. However, due to the naturally higher risk of miscarriage in the first trimester, many clients and therapists prefer not to engage in massage to avoid the risk of a treatment being ‘blamed’ for a miscarriage that would have naturally occured but whose timing coincided with treatment. The decision to have massage when trying for a baby or in the first trimester is really a personal choice. Lots of specialist therapists do still offer massage at any stage. If clients wish to attend for a massage in their first trimester I am happy to continue with treatment, but would ask that you sign during consultation to confirm that you understand that there is a naturally increased risk of miscarriage in the first trimester of pregnancy and that there is no evidence to support a link between miscarriage and massage from specially trained pregnancy therapists. If you have any questions at all about pregnancy and massage, please do contact me and I will be happy to discuss them with you.