I’m often asked by pregnant women (and their partners) if they can have massage during pregnancy. They are often told by doctors, nurses or great aunty Valmai that massage is dangerous. That isn’t entirely true.
If your doctor or obstetrician has given you a direct instruction to not have massage then you must follow that, but if you have just found it amongst some general advice then appropriate massage should be safe.
There are certain pressure and reflex points on the body that can link to the uterus and should be avoided during pregnancy. As long as you go to a qualified therapist (you can always ask to see qualifications and association membership) and tell that therapist that you are pregnant, then massage should be perfectly safe for you. For this reason, it’s probably best to go to a professional rather than get your partner to give you a rub. Also, only a qualified aromatherapist should use essential oils with you during pregnancy as many are contra-indicated.
If you are still concerned, then maybe avoid massage during the first and third trimesters as these are least stable periods of gestation. Wait until after your 13 week check. And if you are ever concerned, talk to your therapist and your doctor. That’s what they are there for.
Why massage during pregnancy? Well, your body is undergoing many changes during this time and there is a great deal of stress on it. As well as hormonal changes and the possibility of tiredness, there is a great change in the weight-bearing of the structure. Swelling breasts and belly both put new stresses on the spine and associated muscles and can create much new tension. Also, as the pregnancy progresses, ligaments can soften and structures can move, creating new tensions, especially around the pelvic area. Finally, the way you use your body can also change. As the belly grows, many women adopt something of a duck-walk which can tighten the deeper glute muscles and create sciatic pain. Of course, the world doesn’t stop just because you’re pregnant, so there is still a job, stress, exercise and housework to all take their toll.
Some practitioners work with a special table with a hole cut for the belly. I tend to start the massage seated in a special chair for back and neck and then progress to side-lying for glutes, legs and lower back. This will vary from therapist to therapist – some are pregnancy specialists.
Just remember to always inform all practitioners that you are pregnant, even when tradition dictates to keep it to yourselves, and if you are at all concerned, talk to your doctor!