Treatment description and therapist thoughts
Pregnancy is a natural process, but that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t put stress on the body’s systems, growing a person is quite some challenge! Holistic therapies are wonderful for all stages, from preparing the body with body massage, aiding with fertility issues, relieving tension, and reducing stress throughout pregnancy, and helping with recovery after giving birth. We are happy to provide any of our pregnancy massage or a combination of treatments (except for hot stones/bamboo and aromatherapy) to meet your changing needs throughout pregnancy.
Once you reach the point that lying face down is uncomfortable, your treatment will move into a side lying position where you can relax in your massage with pillows to support your hip, shoulder, and bump.
We should never forget that it takes 2 to make a baby, and while mum does the carrying of the baby, it will be stressful at times for both of you, it’s a good idea for you both to get regular treatments so the baby has relaxed parents, ready to take on the new challenges ahead. You may also wish to set up an appointment where your birth partner can learn some massage techniques which could be useful during labour.
A truly holistic treatment, and as we tailor all our treatments to create a massage to suit you, it gives you the best possible experience!
We have found some great links showing data and studies around how massage can be beneficial to pre and post-natal health of both mum and baby. If you’d like to read more please click on the links below ( this will take you away from our website):
Pre-natal (Pregnancy) massage – link
https://americanpregnancy.org/healthy-pregnancy/is-it-safe/prenatal-massage/
Post-partum massage – link
https://americanpregnancy.org/healthy-pregnancy/first-year-of-life/postpartum-massage/
Benefits
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Reduced muscle tension
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Stimulation of the lymphatic system
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Reduced Pain
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Pain reduction
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Improved circulation
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Improved posture
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Injury prevention
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Greater flexibility and range of motion
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Reduction of stress hormones
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Improved energy
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Boost your immune system
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Improved general well-being and mood
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Greater ability to manage daily stress
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Improved sleep and relaxation
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Correcting hormone imbalances
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Improved digestion
Therapists
Rachel and Galina
Contra-indications
Please note: we will not perform any pregnancy massage until you are well into your second trimester at least 14 weeks. This is due to the increased risk of complications.
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Nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea.
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Fever
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Broken bones, fractures, dislocations, or severe sprains
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Contagious diseases
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Open or unhealed sores or wounds
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Body areas that are inflamed, swollen or bruised.
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Varicose veins
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Recent surgery
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Severe pain
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Jaundice
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Kidney disease
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Large hernias
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Haemorrhaging
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Torn ligaments, tendons, or muscles.
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High blood pressure or heart problems
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Cancer
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history of phlebitis or thrombosis (These patients may have blood clots that may become dislodged and travel to the lungs, with potentially fatal results.)
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drug treatment with blood thinners (These medications increase the risk of bleeding under the skin.)
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Gout
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Foot ulcers
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Fungal infections like athletes foot
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epilepsy
Availability | Morning | Afternoon | Evening |
|---|---|---|---|
Monday | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Tuesday | ✔ | ||
Wednesday | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Thursday | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Friday | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Saturday | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Sunday |
Therapy | 60 mins | 90 mins |
|---|---|---|
Therapy | £48 | £68 |
60 or 90 minutes is standard for pregnancy massage, and this can be combined with other therapies, such as Indian head or Reflexology
History
Many scholars believe that the origin of prenatal massage goes back to the invention of massage itself. Ancient texts attributed to Ayurvedic medicine (developed in India as one of the world’s first medical systems) describe gentle massages for pregnant women as early as 3000 years ago.
Massage has a long and honourable tradition in a women’s journey to motherhood. Women acted together as care providers, including the midwife, as well as family and friends who supported women in childbirth. Massage played an important role in the prenatal care of the mother-to-be.
From ancient time until the eighteenth century, massage was employed during labour by midwives, who were generally uneducated but highly skilled women. The midwifery practice included abdominal massage, massage of the legs & back, and massage to correct breech presentation. The work of midwifes in these early times consisted of employing manual skills (massaging) and had a ritualistic component which created a belief that midwives knew the mysteries of life and had mystical healing abilities. Fear of this power lead to many hundreds of thousand women, many of them midwifes and healers were executed by the church as witches for their healing powers in the Middle Ages.
