When you are looking for a pregnancy or postnatal massage therapist, make sure the therapist is a certified massage therapist and properly qualified in pregnancy massage. This means that the therapist has undertaken advanced training and knows the safe practices for both the pregnant mother and her baby.
Just being a massage therapist doesn’t mean that the person is qualified to give massage to pregnant and postnatal women. A brochure that offers pregnancy massage doesn’t always mean the person carrying out the massage is qualified to perform this type of massage. Ask the therapist if they had done advanced training in pregnancy and postpartum massage and where they have done their training.

Massage during pregnancy differs from a regular massage in a couple of ways.

The biggest differentiation is that the person receiving the massage is pregnant and therefore knowledge of pregnancy and the anatomy of a pregnant woman are very important. This means that positioning during a massage is critical to the safety and well-being of both the mother and the baby she is carrying. There are also parts of the body that should not be massaged and trigger points that should not be stimulated and worked on.
The massage table will be set up so you will lie in a semi-reclined or side lying position. This is not only extremely comfortable but safe for the baby. Also the side lying position is important in helping with the treatment of the lower back and hips and in the gentle lymph drainage of the legs. As the pregnant mum is turned from one side to the other, special stretching is taught to help position the baby well. Body pillows, wedge pillows and extra padding are used to make the pregnant mum comfortable during the massage. The table legs are elevated at the head end to help relieve the pressure in the stomach area and if re-flux is an issue, a wedge pillow is used to even further elevate the pregnant mum. 

I offer pregnant mums guided relaxation and visualisation to help with the emotional connection between herself and her baby. These visualisations once taught, can be practiced in the comfort of their own home. This can be a great tool in helping to ease both stress and tension in between the massage sessions.

I also teach and explain the importance of posture during pregnancy and how to best position themselves during sleep, sitting and working. I also have lots of helpful information for my clients that will help them through this very special time.

I am also a trained Naturopath and Herbalist and have done extra training with Midwives and birth work including Optimal Maternal Positioning and Spinning. With this extra training, I help Mums with diet and lifestyle and help to dispel myths and misconceptions that mums or mums to be may come across during their special time.

It is recommend never to use the tables with the hole cut out for your belly for any longer than 15 minutes as this causes undue stress to the pregnant woman’s lower back. This results in an increase in lordosis (curvature of the back) and undue stress to the important uterine ligaments that support the growing uterus.

During pregnancy, the mucus membranes of the nasal passages swell, often producing more mucus. Laying face down is quite uncomfortable for the sinuses of a pregnant woman and respiration is impeded which is definitely not want you want when you are relaxing.

The room setting for our pregnancy massage is much like a typical relaxation massage room. The room has dimmed lighting and the Mums lay on an extra padded table. with soft music playing in the background helps mum to relax and gently drift off. We can also change the ambiance of the room to suit the mothers requirements.

Massage is beneficial for almost everyone. Women carrying multiples babies can benefit greatly from regular massage and we treat quite a few mums carrying twins. There are certain conditions that may or may not be related to the pregnancy that would preclude massage from being performed. This includes women at risk of preterm labour and with blood clots or clotting disorders. There are also other conditions in which pregnancy massage is contraindicated.

Massage done during the first trimester is generally up to the therapist, the woman and her practitioner, although there is no real problem if the woman is healthy. In many cases massage can help nausea. This is done by releasing stress and tension located around the upper back. There are also points on the lower part of the arm that may be effective in helping with the management of nausea during pregnancy.
Massage has never been associated with an increased risk of miscarriage.

Massage can also be useful during birthing. Techniques can be done by your partner or a doula.

The time to learn the techniques is while you’re pregnant and before you go into labour.
It is a great idea to organised a workshop with us to learn massage techniques for pregnancy, birth and beyond, we also teach stretching techniques and tools that the mum and partner can use together for their birth.

Yes. If you have private health cover with an extras plan that includes Remedial Massage, you can claim these treatments.  People can claim their refund at the time of the treatment, with their Health fund membership card via our HICAPS terminal.

Yes. I have sold many of vouches to friends, family, and colleagues of pregnant mums. It is a really lovely gift to give and the recipient is always so grateful to receive these. All the mums who have visited me, not only love their massages, they often book in regularly afterward having experienced our style of Specialised Pregnancy Massage… See our pricing page for directions on how to order a Voucher, or you could just phone us on 0411 239 552.