Massage during pregnancy
| After a recent massage treatment my client commented, with pleasure in her voice, ‘I feel so relaxed …but also…. I feel much lighter in my body…. its like space has been created inside’. This feeling is welcome when you are 40 weeks pregnant and such comments are not unusual from my pregnant clients. They will regularly say how different their feet, ankles and legs feel; how freed up their lower back and hips become; how much calmer and more grounded they are. Returning clients will also refer to how energised they were by their last treatment. I have been massaging pregnant women for many years, since qualifying in 1997. I have also had four children myself, which although not essential to giving a good pregnancy massage treatment, I do think adds to my sense of knowing what a pregnant woman may need. Pregnancy Massage is now recognised more and more for the many benefits it brings to both expectant mum and developing baby. A huge amount of change occurs in the body at every stage during pregnancy, and massage is both nurturing and supportive. It can help promote relaxation and a deep feeling of well-being. Massage during pregnancy gives the expectant mum the opportunity to feel more in tune with her own body and more connected with her baby. It is this aspect that I feel is so very important. At a time when a woman can feel overwhelmed either due to all the bodily changes or due to worries and anxieties she may be experiencing, massage allows her to come back into her self and she will walk away feeling lighter in body and mind. Listening to and talking with my clients is something I see as very important for anyone coming for massage, but the consultation period, for my pregnant clients is, from my experience, particularly relevant. This time to talk, can comfort, reassure and help her feel a deeper connection with the growing baby inside and an acceptance of all the changes that happen during pregnancy. Alongside all this, the benefits of pregnancy massage include; improved circulation and oxygenation of the soft tissues; aiding lymphatic drainage which in turn helps to reduce oedema; help in keeping blood pressure balanced; reduced muscle tension (which increases during pregnancy due to hormonal changes); reducing aches and pains, including those in the lower back and legs; aiding digestion and helping to avoid constipation. Research has also indicated that massage during pregnancy can help lead to an easier labour with fewer complications. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3109/01674829909075574 I also offer Post Natal Massage, which can be hugely beneficial in helping your body to recover from labour as well as giving emotional support and the opportunity for some time solely for yourself. It can also help reduce the feeling of heaviness and exhaustion; aid the recovery of muscle tone and alleviate soreness in many areas. Where necessary Caesarean scar tissue can be worked on to reduce adhesions, reduce swelling and improving circulation to promote healing. 
Augusta Hull
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