By Nicole Meltzer, RMT, CHt
As a Registered Massage Therapist of 7 years, I am still shocked by the number of people who view massage therapy as an indulgence. Really – if it is an indulgence do you think insurance companies would spend millions of dollars on it each year? Maybe it’s the misconception we have that everything good for us has to feel bad. Massage therapy not only feels great but has many benefits during all stages of life – from birth to palliative care. Pregnancy is one of the most crucial times in life when massage therapy can have the biggest impact on one’s wellbeing.
Each trimester has its challenges and massage can address most of them. In first trimester, fatigue and nausea are the biggest complaints. Massage in this trimester tends to have a relaxation focus; helping the body to rest and focus its energy on baby-building. There are many pressure points and referral zones throughout the body which are avoided to prevent a miscarriage. For this reason, it is best to only receive massage during first trimester if you are seeing a RMT with specialized prenatal training.
Second trimester looks completely different, treatment-wise. For one, you are now unable to lie on your stomach, so treatment is done while lying on your side. (Special note: Some therapists use a “pregnancy table” which has an opening for the belly so that you can lie on your stomach – feel free to e-mail me for my opinion on this!!). In second trimester we start to work on preparing the body for delivery. Your hips are moving; your ribs are expanding; and you may already be experiencing some swollen joints. All of these discomforts of a rapidly changing body can be addressed.
Third trimester we become more aggressive in the preparation for childbirth. All aches and pains and swelling are addressed. As you get closer to your delivery, you may find that you need to shorten your treatments but receive them more often. Once you are in your final week (or past your due date), with the permission of your midwife or OB, we can activate pressure points that can be labour-inducing. This feels much better than having labour induced at the hospital with medication!
Although massage therapy is great at alleviating the discomforts of pregnancy, there are also other benefits to receiving care throughout your pregnancy. You have another set of hands monitoring the progress of your pregnancy. The therapist can teach you helpful breathing techniques to be used during labour, as well as helping you isolate your strongest abdominal muscles. In my experience, the babies of mommies who received massage during pregnancy also love massage and are quickly soothed by it. This, alone, is reason enough to receive massage during pregnancy!
All registered massage therapists in Ontario are trained in the basics of pregnancy massage. It is recommended though, to be treated by a RMT with specialized training in prenatal care. This is especially important if you have any medical conditions (either pregnancy-related or not).
So, back to our original question - is massage therapy during pregnancy a treatment or a treat? I’d say both!
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Nicole Meltzer, RMT, CHt is co-founder of Balanced Body Mind Spirit. Through her specialization in fertility issues & prenatal care she helps parents conceive and achieve balance while on their journey into parenthood. Nicole offers pre/postnatal & pediatric Massage Therapy; Hypnotherapy for children, fertility and childbirth; Reflexology; & Reiki in York Region. She teaches a variety of classes including, Hypnosis for Childbirth, Tools for the Birthing Partner, Focused on Fertility, and Infant Massage. To learn more, visit www.balancedbodymindspirit.com
