Pregnancy massage is extremely beneficial during this special time.  It improves quality of sleep, regulates stress hormones, reduces anxiety, boosts energy levels and promotes relaxation and rejuvenation.

Pregnancy massage is similar in many ways to a normal massage, the main difference being that massage techniques used in pregnancy are adapted to maintain the wellbeing of mother and child. Techniques vary from firmer massages to relieve discomfort, or softer massages to help relax the expectant mother. 

Why do you need a suitable massage when pregnant?

During pregnancy aches and pains are experienced mainly in the legs and lower and upper back.  This is caused by the extra weight and change in your body to accommodate the developing baby.  Also, your ligaments become softer and stretch; especially around the joints of your pelvis.  This enables the pelvis to loosen up for labour.  This, combined with your ever increasing abdomen, changes your centre of gravity throwing your body off balance.  To compensate, the back muscles work more than normal to pull the upper body back up which results in you holding the shoulders back, arching the neck and pushing the abdomen out causing a curvature in the lower back and more tension in the upper back.

It is from these changes that occur in the body during pregnancy that therapists need to adapt your massage.

Below are some ways this is done:

• Positioning of you during your massage
• Base and essential oils used
• Massage techniques used

Your therapist will want to ensure you are comfortable at all times so positioning is vital.  Cushions, pillows and adjustable beds are all used to ensure maximum comfort is maintained throughout your treatment.  This also enables your therapist to give special attention to those specific areas bringing peace and tranquillity to mother and baby.

Whilst pregnant, precautions should be taken when using essential oils.  Some therapists will use either a jojoba or almond base oil to massage with (ensuring the client has no allergies) just to be on the safe side.  Some therapists will use essential oils but you should ensure they are suitably qualified in their use as they need to know which essential oils can be used and at what dilution.

Swedish techniques are most likely to be used during a pregnancy massage because they soothe sensory nerves and increase blood flow subsequently warming the muscles enabling them to soften and relax muscle fibres.  Therapists avoid working round the ankles because according to reflexology this area resembles the fallopian tube and uterus and could bring about miscarriage.

---

Pampering yourself after the first trimester can be difficult. At SenSpa we have designed a pregnancy massage for deserving mums to be at our spa.

BOOK TODAY