If you have just found out you are pregnant, congratulations! I want to assure you that massage is safe at any point during a healthy pregnancy. I know that finding a massage therapist that will massage pregnant people can be challenging and I’ve been employed at places that will turn you away until you reach that 12 week mark.
Many massage therapists are simply not trained (kudos to them for not practicing outside of their scope of education). But even with proper training, many clinics and therapists choose to not see people in their 1st trimester. This is not because massage is unsafe. This happens because a business may be concerned about liability issues. If a miscarriage is going to occur, it will most likely happen in the 1st trimester, and some businesses do not want to risk being connected to an issue in pregnancy.
Pregnant people have been safely receiving massage in the first trimester, often before they even know they are pregnant, for years and years. In the hands of an experienced massage therapist with extra training in prenatal massage, it is doubly safe. I have taken extra continuing education courses to become certified in prenatal massage and will make sure you are comfortable and safe during your treatment.
Massage can:
● Decrease stress and anxiety
● Improve your sleep
● Help regulate hormones
● Reduce tension and pain in muscles
● Reduce swelling
● Improve nerve pain
● Increase your cardiovascular health
All of these benefits are helpful to a pregnant body.
Unless your medical provider says otherwise, if you can exercise, have sex, and do most normal activities, there is no reason to think massage is unsafe. (And there is no science to support that it is unsafe.) Massage during your 1st trimester (and the following trimesters) would focus on stress-reduction and stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system.
Massage may change throughout your pregnancy in regards to pressure, positioning, and areas we focus on. Your prenatal massage will grow and change with you! It is recommended to provide massage in a side-lying position once you are about 20 weeks, or when it is no longer comfortable to lie on your stomach and flat on your back. I also have an amazing double sided pregnancy pillow to support you where you need and allows me to get to all those areas you want worked on.
Once you’ve delivered your precious bundle, and you have the “OK” to get a massage, I have pillows and bolsters to support you if you are nursing, had a cesarean delivery, etc. Massage is beneficial in helping your body adjust, regain strength, and heal. Being a mother myself, I understand how hard it can be to leave a newborn or arrange a sitter. Your newborn is more than welcome to accompany you to your appointment. I just ask that you call or email so that we may schedule additional time should your baby need to nurse, or just needs a snuggle, and you can have a little peace of mind. Schedule your massage today at www.therusticremedy.com/services
Much love to you Mama!