Pregnancy Massage

How far along in my pregnancy do I need to be?

You can have a pregnancy massage at any point throughout your pregnancy. However, we generally advise you to wait until after the 12 week mark so that everyone feels safe and more comfortable with the pregnancy.

Is it safe for me to have a pregnancy massage?

It is not suitable for medically high risk pregnancies such as:

Gestational diabetes
Eclampsia
History of early labour
Threatened miscarriage

If you’re not sure if you’re deemed high risk, feel free to contact us with your queries. We also advise you to inform your midwife/doctor who may also give you some advice. If your midwife/doctor has said you’re safe to have a massage, but you have condition that we usually advise against we way ask for written consent from you doctor before going ahead.

What are the benefits of having a pregnancy massage?

There is a wide range of physiological, emotional, and psychological benefits to pregnancy massage:

Alleviates stress on weight bearing joints
Assists relieving some of the common discomforts of pregnancy e.g. back pain, headaches, swelling
Increases circulation – providing more oxygen and nutrients to mother and baby
Stabilises hormone levels
Relaxes the nervous symptom – feeling more relaxed and easier to sleep
Increases blood flow to the uterus and placenta

How long is the appointment?

We offer 2 lengths of appointment; 30 minutes or 60 minutes. We also allow extra time so that you can take your time getting on/off the massage bed, getting changed and recovering post massage (you may feel a bit dizzy, a bit like when you stand up too fast!).

What can I get massaged?

What you get massaged may depend on specific areas of discomfort and how long your appointment is. We suggest:

60 mins – whole body (back, legs, arms, hands, feet)
30 mins – limbs (arms, legs, hands, feet) or back

There is also an option for you to have your tummy massaged as well. This is completely optional as it’s not for everyone. Your therapist will check with you at the start of your appointment.

What’s involved within the appointment?

You will get called into the treatment room where your therapist will ask you some background questions about your medical history and pregnancy.

You will be asked what areas you want massaged before being asked to undress.

You will be provided with a cover up and generally ask that you undress to your underwear (we may need to undo your bra in order to massage your back or you can take it off if you feel comfortable to do so). However, this may differ depending on the areas getting massaged.

We will then dim the lights and turn on some relaxing music (you are welcome to bring your own or hypnobirthing playlist but needs to be playable via Bluetooth)

We will then get you into position on the massage bed, where you can then lie back and relax.

How will I be positioned on the massage bed?

When massaging your back you will be lying on your side (generally on your left hand side) with pillows used for support. For the rest of your body, you will be seated/lying on your back at a 45 degree angle. This is to allow optimum comfort and blood flow around your body and to the baby.

Our specialised therapist

Amy Shephard