Prenatal massage

Massage therapy during pregnancy can be very beneficial on many levels. Obviously, there are many physiological and psychological changes that occur during pregnancy and each woman responds in a different way to these. Pregnancy hormones cause ligaments to relax, especially around your back and hips. The physical changes can cause stress and or discomfort to the mother and massage can be beneficial in helping alleviate many of these discomforts, as well as promote a sense of well-being. Massage can relieve discomforts such as backaches, stiff neck, leg cramps, headaches and oedema (or swelling). It can be very nurturing to receive massage at this time, providing you with some precious time out.

What to expect:

Our pregnancy massage is 60 minutes long. For your first visit we will ask you how many weeks pregnant you are and how your pregnancy is progressing. We will ask that you seek permission from your Doctor if you do have a high-risk pregnancy. Massage is contraindicated for pregnant woman who are experiencing cramping, bleeding or abdominal or pelvic pain. Massage is further contraindicated for women with a history of embolism, thrombophlebitis or deep vein thrombosis or on a varicose vein.

During the prenatal massage:

At Serenity Massage Therapy we take extra care to ensure that our clients are comfortable. We have massage tables that have an adjustable setting to allow the client to sit up a little at the start of the massage. It is best to avoid lying on your back, especially in late pregnancy, when the weight of the heavy uterus can press on the large blood vessels which can result in decreased circulation, vital to you and your baby.  We use the side lying positioning during the massage as it nicely supports your whole body. Side lying (especially on the Left side) is one of the highly recommended positions to use after 22 weeks. We use pillows for support wherever you may need it (e.g. between your legs and feet, under your head and one to hug). 

We will drape you according to the season, a nice warm fleece blanket in winter or cool sheets in summer. We will only expose the area being worked. The room is heated or cooled to suit dependent on the season and we like to play quiet, relaxing music in the background to add to your feeling of serenity. We do encourage you to avoid eating a large meal or drinking large amounts of liquids before the massage (for your comfort).

Benefits that a mother may experience:

*Eases muscular discomforts in areas like lower back, neck and shoulders

*Reduces swelling in hands, feet and ankles

*Lessens sciatic pain

*Helps with relaxation

*Stimulates release of endorphins, the body’s natural pain killers, into the brain and nervous system

*Helps relieve anxiety or depression which can lead to improved sleep patterns

*Helps relieve headaches