Is it safe to get a massage?   In the majority of cases, yes. I have had advanced training in prenatal massage and will work with you to create a wonderful massage session. At somewhere between 18 and 22 weeks, depending on your body shape and your health history, we will begin positioning you side-lying on the massage table (using lots of pillows to make you comfortable).  If your pregnancy is proceeding normally, you will have the option to be face down on specially-designed cushions for part of the session.  With the exception of deep work in the legs and belly, we can do the exact same work we would have done before you were pregnant (just from a different angle).

If your pregnancy has been categorized by your midwife or ob/gyn as "high risk," please call me ahead of time to discuss your pregnancy so that we can determine what work is appropriate or can consult with your healthcare provider.

What are the benefits of prenatal massage?   Please see the benefits page of this website.

Do you have a special table?   I have a special set of cushions that can be customized to allow each woman to be facedown for part of her massage, and side-lying for the rest.  These cushions will accommodate you up to full term.  The bodyCushion system has been approved by the experts in pregnancy massage, because it can be customized for each woman and does provide the proper support for the ligaments and muscles of the low back, abdomen, and pelvis.  If you have been classified as "high risk," the massage will be done side-lying on your left side.

     The tables with cut-outs for the breast and belly (invented by the spa industry, rather than by experts in pregnancy massage) are not recommended, because they do not properly support your body (unless you happen to have the exact shape of the woman who served as the model for them).  While they may feel comfortable at the time, many women report increased discomfort in the low back/pelvis for some time after receiving a massage on a cut-out table.   

What are your rates?

Please see my rates page.

I'm newly postpartum and nursing every two hours. How can we make that work?  Please feel free to bring your baby with you at a time you suspect he/she will be willing to sleep in a carrier.   Or bring your spouse/partner to hold your baby.   When the baby wakes, we'll take a 15-minute nursing break in the middle of your session and then resume your massage.   

What training have you had?  In addition to my regular massage training (see about your therapist page), I took classes in 2001 and again in 2005 through the nationally-recognized Nurturing the Mother program.  Since 2001, I have done hundreds of pregnancy massages and during my own pregnancy, I received a massage a week.  Please visit the About Your Therapist page. 

How often should I get a pregnancy massage and for how long?  There are so many factors that affect the answer, but the main thing to consider is: how stressed and/uncomfortable are you? While your comfort depends largely on what trimester you are in, many structural/skeletal issues and lifestyle issues play a role. A woman who does regular prenatal yoga, has lots of opportunity to rest, has a longer torso, etc. may be much more comfortable than someone carrying twins, chasing a toddler instead of resting, working at a physically demanding job, coping with insomnia from stress, etc.  Or, you may be a woman who is having a difficult and uncomfortable pregnancy for no known reason, despite following all the best advice.  Wherever you are, massage can help make your pregnancy more comfortable.

     I'll provide you some general guidelines, but checking in with your own body's comfort/discomfort or sense of "overwhelm" will be your best way to tell when it's time for a massage.  (Sometimes the nurturer just needs nurturing.) 

     In your 1st or 2nd trimester, receiving a 60-minute massage every two weeks to once a month is a great way to keep yourself relaxed, healthy, and comfortable.  If you have a high-stress lifestyle or muscle issues not related to your pregnancy that need to be addressed in depth, you might choose to schedule longer sessions or come in more often.  In your 3rd trimester, when low back and hip discomfort tend to kick in, you may find that coming in for 75-minute or 90-minute massages once a week or every two weeks may be what you need to stay comfortable.  Some women choose to come in twice a week near their due date, knowing that the more comfortable, rested, and relaxed they are going in to labor, the easier the process will be.