9 Months on the Table: A Story of Pregnancy Massage
by
Michelle Pemberton
I never thought I would be a “massage person.” I once had a massage while on a girls’ weekend at a spa, but considered it a whim that one indulged in while on vacation, certainly not back home in the ‘real world.’ It was wonderful, but not something I ever did again. Then, I got pregnant.
At my five week checkup I was feeling extremely nauseous and fatigued, and I thought it was just part of the package of being pregnant. I was shocked when my doctor recommended pregnancy massage. In a way, it was a relief because in my mind I was thinking, “Well, the doctor recommended it, so it’s not really that much of a splurge.” That was how I justified it to myself! My husband was all for it – anything to help me feel better – so that week I made an appointment with a massage therapist who specialized in pregnancy massage.
I was very nervous before my first appointment. Like most pregnant women, at this point I was nervous about everything. Would it be safe? Would the baby be hurt by a massage? Would it even feel good? Could I even relax enough to enjoy it? I had a million questions. The massage therapist, Mary, asked me lots of questions to get to know me, how I was feeling, and what I needed. I felt comfortable and ready. She walked me through all of the steps and let me know what she was doing and why she was doing it. We talked about other things related to my pregnancy and she offered tips about posture, relaxing, and techniques to do at home to help. Mary also gave me literature about how sleep positions and massage-at-home for my husband to try. When I left after the first massage, I knew I would be back each month until my due date!
Every four weeks I had a pregnancy massage, and it was the best gift I could have given myself. I felt so relaxed, calm, and focused after each session. It was an expense, but well worth it because it offered so much stress relief during those months. In the beginning, I could climb on to the table with no problem. By the last month, it was a struggle just to take off my shoes! But once I got on the table, all the stress and worry melted away and it just plain felt great!
My massage therapist and I went on a journey together through my first pregnancy. She was there when I was in the first trimester, nervous about everything, and afraid of the unknown. In the second trimester, we spent time talking about our families and how having a baby changes your life. In the third trimester, we talked about Cesarean sections (I knew I was having one because my daughter was in the breech position) and recovery after delivery. I highly recommend pregnancy massage to every pregnant mother I know. I tell them they won’t regret it and will wonder how they did without it!
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