During pregnancy, your body goes through major changes and there may be times when you feel anxious or stressed. Once you are more than 12 weeks pregnant (i.e. through the first trimester), pregnancy massage can be an excellent way to help mums-to-be manage these changes, reducing anxiety and stress and promoting feelings of wellbeing, aiming to leave you relaxed and refreshed. Physical benefits can include the easing of muscle and joint pains, whilst being touched can be comforting, providing emotional support which may help to pep up your mood and encourage the body to release feel-good, pain-relieving endorphins.
Each treatment will be discussed and planned with you at the start of your appointment, or in advance over the phone, to ensure that it is tailored to your particular needs on the day. It can include massage to the:
- Back – with you either seated or lying on your left side. My electric massage bed can be height adjusted making it easy for you to get on and off it or to position it at the correct height to lean on for a seated back massage. Pillows and towels will be used to support your body, keeping you and your baby comfortable. Gentle massage strokes will aim to relax you, ease tension, reduce pain, encourage blood and lymphatic circulation and help to improve the pliability of your skin and the underlying tissues.
- Arms, Legs and Feet – gentle massage movements will aim to ease aching muscles and joints, and reduce swelling by encouraging blood and lymphatic circulation.
- Abdomen – light spiral movements will be used to soothe, moisturise and improve the pliability of your skin.
- Face, neck and scalp – gentle massage that can help to clear your sinuses and ease tension in your head and neck, encouraging feelings of relaxation and wellbeing. 1 hour treatment £38*
Reflexology – is another relaxing holistic treatment which, with some small adaptations, is great for mums-to-be. It is based on the principle that reflex points on the soles, tops and sides of the feet connect to corresponding areas throughout the body. The feet can be seen as a “map” of the body via which reflexology treats the whole body, mind and spirit, aiming to promote health and wellbeing.
1 hour reflexology treatment £33 or add a 30 minute reflexology treatment to the hour’s mum-to-be body massage for £10 (total treatment 1.5hrs £48)
Midwife consent
Massage during pregnancy can be a great complementary experience alongside the care you receive from your midwife and GP, aiming to provide you with extra support in managing the physical and emotional changes of pregnancy. I ask that before you come to see me that you discuss having a treatment with your midwife or GP and gain their consent to receive a pregnancy massage, and to inform them of your treatments as part of your ongoing care which is even more important now with Covid-19 to consider.
*If you are a new client you will receive a £5 discount for your first visit.