A massage at any time feels great but a massage during pregnancy can have even more benefits, both for you and your unborn baby. With pregnancy being a precious time, it is understandable that you would want to make sure that a massage is safe for you and your baby.
For most people, massage during pregnancy is perfectly safe, with some adaptations and considerations. One of the biggest issues in terms of the safety of pregnancy massages is that the massage industry in the UK is largely unregulated. This means that there is a huge variation in the training, knowledge and skill of massage therapists, so I would encourage you to always check the credentials of your massage therapist and ensure that they have undertaken training specific to treating pregnant women. You can ask to see their qualifications if you are uncertain.
There are a few circumstances where massage would not be considered safe, such a pre-eclampsia or thrombosis, this is why you will be asked to complete a thorough consultation form before each treatment. With my background in midwifery, you can be sure that I have specialist knowledge of what to look out for in terms of any worrying symptoms. I have an in-depth knowledge of the physiology of pregnancy and always have your, and your baby’s, safety as my priority.
You may also have heard that there are some areas to avoid during a pregnancy massage. This refers to some acupressure points that are associated with bringing on labour. Obviously, I would not want to stimulate contractions before full term and I will not be using acupressure during your pregnancy massage…..unless you book a due time massage and are ready to meet your baby, in which case, bring on the acupressure! Let me reassure you though, your body would have to be prepared for labour in order for acupressure alone to make you start contracting.
For my pregnancy massages I use grapeseed oil, this feels lovely and silky on the skin, it is not sticky or greasy and has excellent skin moisturising properties. It is un-fragranced and completely safe during pregnancy. For the due time massage some essential oils specifically chosen for full term pregnancies are added to the massage oil, after a full consultation.
I hope that makes everything clear but if you do have any questions before booking your pregnancy massage, I’m more that happy to answer them, just get in touch 😊
