Safe
& Effective Pregnancy Massage
- by
Samantha Thurlby-Brooks
 BENEFITS
Massaging a woman from 13 weeks onwards during
her pregnancy is a fantastic way to keep a mum-to-be
relaxed and comfortable as her growing body accommodates
the new weight. The main benefits of regular safe
and effective mama massages are:
- Relief of pain
- Improved circulation for mother and baby
- Improved immune system for mother and baby
- Better sleep
- A more relaxed attitude towards giving birth,
and thus better birth outcomes
- Better bonding between mother and baby
- Improved chances of carry the baby to full-term
- A healthier and calmer baby of good weight
- Improved skin condition
- Relief of headaches and possibly nausea
EXTRAS YOU WILL NEED
- A firm, steady, thick pillow
(we recommend the Mumanu®)
for the leg plus a towel to cover
- A thin cushion or towel for
under the belly
- Two towels or sheets for
draping
- A pillow to hold on to
POSITIONING
A pregnant woman should NEVER lie on her stomach.
This is partially for insurance reasons, but also
because the weight of the uterus will pull the
ligaments on the mothers’ sacrum (lower
back) and cause back ache (not what we’re
trying to do!)
Unless you are specialist trained,
do not massage any woman who is less than 12 weeks
pregnant due to the increase risk of miscarriage.
This is through nothing you would have done, but
for insurance reasons stay safe. A woman who has
lost her baby following a massage is more likely
to accuse and sue you and cause bad relations
than someone who had a sore muscle from a strong
massage.
It is possible to have a pregnant
woman of 13-22 weeks lying on her back with a
supportive cushion under her hips/ buttocks, but
any pregnant woman who is more than 22 weeks should
not lie on her back for more than 3 minutes. She
may be propped up to a seated position if you
need to work on her front. Lying on her back,
the weight of the uterus, after 22 weeks, is too
much pressure for the vena cava (main vein running
up the right side of the spine) and will cause
breathlessness and nausea in the mother and nutrient
and oxygen restrictions to the baby.
You will find it easier and generally
safer to always massage a pregnant woman in the
side lying position, asking her to turn over half
way through so you can massage both sides effectively.
When lying on her side, the pregnant
woman should have her knee and foot on a firm
and steady cushion that is high enough for her
hip to be at a right angle so her leg is not pulling
on her hip and lower back. Make sure the foot
is supported as this creates more comfort for
the mother.
If her belly is feeling like
it is pulling while lying on her side, the mother-to-be
will need a small cushion or towel under her belly.
Let her put the cushion there so she can make
herself comfortable. Any woman who is more than
22 weeks pregnant will need the belly cushion
even if they initially feel comfortable…
1 hour on a couch can change things.
Ask your pregnant lady to lie
on the couch with her back as close to the edge
as she can… this makes it more comfortable
for you to massage her so you don’t have
to over reach. Make sure that the cushions under
her legs are close enough to her so her back and
hips are not twisting.
Once you have made sure her leg
is comfortable and the blankets are neatly in
place you can then give your mother-to-be a pillow
to hold on to like a teddy bear so as she doesn’t
put any pressure on her growing, tender breasts.
You will need two towels to drape
your pregnant client. Make sure one towel covers
the legs and is tucked neatly into the lady’s
undies, pulling them down far enough so you can
work on the hips. And drape another towel over
her back so it falls across the front and back
of the woman. Ask her if she’s comfortable
with a blanket over her as many pregnant ladies
get over heated. Ask her if she’d like her
feet covered or uncovered.
Make sure your pregnant client
has a pillow under their head that is not too
high or too low…their neck should be in
line with their spine. If the pillow is too low
for her she is likely to put a hand under her
head, so you’ll know if she needs extra
support.
Whether a pregnant woman has
a large belly or not, always use side lying when
giving a mama massage.
PRESSURE
You can use as much pressure as your client wants
when working on the back of a pregnant lady. The
lower back and sacrum is often very sore and stiff
because of bad posture so working as strong as
the client likes is good to help release tight
muscles. The shoulders and neck are also sore
spots for pregnant women and can be massaged as
strong or light as your client requires.
The only place on a pregnant
body that you must NOT massage is the inside of
the legs. A pregnant woman has 40% more blood
in her body which is thicker and prone to clotting.
This is a great design feature for giving birth
in case of hemorrhaging. Normally the clots will
disintegrate naturally, but if you use pressure
on the inner thigh and calves, or any shaking/percussion
moves on the leg you may accidentally move a clot
which could cause thrombosis (dangerous restriction
on blood flow) and cause problems for mother and
baby.
You can safely massage a pregnant
woman’s feet with as much pressure as she
is comfortable with. Massaging the feet has a
different intention and effect than reflexology,
so is not dangerous to the mother or baby. Reflexology
can safely be given to a pregnant woman from 13
weeks onwards, so long as you stay away from the
reproductive area and the pituitary gland as both
of these can stimulate a miscarriage or premature
labour.
If your client has water retention
(puffy) hands and or feet, make sure you use very
light pressure on these areas.
Some women really like their
belly’s being touched when their pregnant,
while others hate it. Ask the mother before the
start of the massage if she would like her belly
touched. If she would like it to be massaged,
only use gentle pressure with the flat of your
hand (no pushing or poking with fingers)
PRECAUTIONS
- No massage before 13 weeks
(unless you've had specific training)
- No massaging the inner leg
- No shaking moves on the legs
- No massage for any pregnant
lady who is bleeding
- Always ask if there has been
any complications, nausea, bleeding and if all
their scans and tests have come back good.
- Always ask the client to tell
you if there are any sore/painful spots…
never make the massage so strong it’s
painful. The baby gets the same as the mum,
so if she’s in pain the baby will be also.
There’s a difference between a strong
massage that feels good and a strong massage
that is painful but the client thinks it’s
doing good.
CONCLUSION
Pregnant women deserve to be massaged… so
don’t be shy! If in doubt about massaging
your pregnant client, don’t do it. Seek
medical or other specialist health professional
advice.
If you’re looking for comprehensive
training in pregnancy, labour and postnatal massage
visit www.bodytherapyassociates.com |
