When can I get pregnancy massage?

How often should I get pregnancy massage?

All your pregnancy massage questions answered!

I will share with you the answers to the most common questions I get from clients.

How often? First trimester massage? When do I start postpartum massage?

Let’s go!

How often should I get pregnancy massage?

Almost every prenatal client asks “I feel so much better after that massage, how often can I get prenatal massage?”

After practicing prenatal massage for over 20 years, I’ve created a general schedule for your massages!

Here at WISH this is what we suggest:

First trimester: 0-3 massages

During the first trimester some people may choose massage and some may choose to wait until the second trimester. Why? Some people don’t even know they’re pregnant for up to 6 weeks, some people may have used medical means to achieve pregnancy and want to wait, and some people may experience nausea and don’t want to be touched just yet. If you do choose first trimester massage, we suggest once a month and if you choose to wait until the second trimester, we will be here for you when you’re ready!

Second trimester: 3-6 massages

During the second trimester more symptoms can develop that massage can help. Low back pain, hip pain, maybe the ankles and wrists are starting to swell, upper back pain, and sluggish energy are all symptoms that massage can help relieve. Most people start getting specialized pregnancy massages during the second trimester. Its very important to work with a massage therapist who specializes in prenatal massage and knows how to treat your specific symptoms.

Third trimester (until 38 weeks): 6-13 massages

During the third trimester up until 38 weeks (see next section for 38 weeks-birth recommendations) we recommend 2-4X/month. This is where your symptoms will amplify. Pain may increase, lethargy is real, and swelling can increase. Prenatal massage can reduce swollen lower leg and ankles, lower anxiety and depression, and relieve back and hip pain. You can come as often as you’d like at this point and 2-4 times per month will help support a healthy pregnancy.

Pro tip: Tell your partner to make your massage appointment when you get cranky and exhausted. Sometimes we forget and need a gentle nudge to take care of ourselves.

38 weeks until birth: 6-8 massages.

Massage has been proven to lower labor time by an average of 3 hours
Massage has been proven to reduce need for pain medications during birth
Massage has been proven to improve newborn outcomes and postpartum healing

From 38 weeks until you deliver we suggest receiving massage twice a week. If you’re not someone who gets a lot of massage this may sound like a lot, but I promise you’ll need it! We also work with acupuncturists and chiropractors to prep you for birth. We want you to enjoy your pregnancy and your birth.

Can I get a massage during pregnancy?

Check out our prenatal massage philosophy:

High Risk Pregnancies

We do work with high risk pregnancies and see clients on a case by case basis. We would love to ensure your providers and we are on the same page. While we don’t require medical permission to recieve massage, we do prefer for everyone to be on the same team to support you through your pregnancy. If you have any questions or want us to speak with your provider about how massage can support your pregnancy and whether or not to hold off on massage, just email us!

Hello@womeninselfhealing.com

Often its not even about whether or not to have a massage, but what type of massage techniques to use. Sometimes you need a gentle relaxing scalp massage to lower anxiety and sometimes you need more specific bodywork. All pregnancies are unique and we are happy to discuss further with you.

massage works
massage lowers anxiety
massage decreases swollen ankles
massage improves carpal tunnel syndrome in pregnancy
massage reduces pain
massage makes you feel better

Postpartum Massage

The second most popular question I get is “when can I start doing postpartum massage?” The answer is: AS SOON AS YOU WANT!

Postpartum massage is so important to healing and we suggest receiving massage twice a week during the first 3 weeks and once a week for the following 3 weeks, tapering off to twice a month for the first 6 months and once a month for the following 6 months. In some cultures people get DAILY massage for the first 30 days. If this sounds amazing to you, we can do that too!

Pregnancy has been compared to being an endurance athlete and birth is like the Olympic event. Take care of your body and use massage to support your recovery, just like an athlete after a big event would. Partners need massage too during this time. We welcome all bodies in our practice and love to support new parents.