Pregnant and in pain? Need help?

Every pregnant woman deserves some pampering.

Pregnancy Massage can provide that much needed pampering in addition to reducing stress and anxiety, promoting relaxation and preparing muscles and joints for childbirth.

It is a much needed therapy to ease some of the aches and pains experienced during pregnancy and labour, and should be regarded as a necessity rather than a luxury.

With a trained therapist who specialises in pregnancy massage, you can have massage during any time of your pregnancy – in the first few weeks and up to and including the day you are due (unless of course your doctor has advised against massage for a medical reason that might be contraindicated with massage).

BENEFITS OF PREGNANCY MASSAGE

There are so many benefits to having regular pregnancy massage and some of these include:

• Relief from muscle cramps, tension, spasms;
• Relief from pain especially in the lower back, neck, hips and legs;
• Reduction of stress on weight bearing joints;
• Improvement of muscle tone;
• Dilates the blood vessels, therefore improving blood circulation including the placenta, which brings greater nutrition to the tissues of the body and enhances waste removal;
• The lymphatic system circulates faster and more efficiently, which results in more energy and less fatigue and helps to reduce swelling;
• May help with the reduction of varicose veins;
• Stimulates glandular secretions, which will stabilise your hormonal levels and reduce their side effects;
• Enhancement of elasticity and pliability of skin and connective tissue (ligaments and tendons);
• Prepares you for birth with loose, flexible muscles, joints and range of motion;
• Helps with sleeplessness or insomnia;
• Helps to calm the nerves and reduce anxiety, which is also transferred to your baby to help them feel more relaxed and soothed;
• Prepares the muscles and tissues used during labour and birth.

Many of the problems that arise during pregnancy are due to muscle strain, weakness and poor posture. Proper exercise and appropriate stretching will increase your energy, strengthen the muscles most strained during pregnancy and labour, stimulate circulation and increase flexibility in the joints.

I use a uniquely designed bodyCushion Support System for pregnancy massage. The bodyCushion was designed with the goal of creating the ultimate in comfort for the client whilst giving the therapist better results in treatment.

The bodyCushion provides a safe and comfortable support for pregnant clients and adjusts to individuals of all shapes and sizes while also relieving breast discomfort particularly for postnatal massage.

As a Pregnancy Massage Specialist, we would always recommend a mother position herself on her side for treatment, however the cushions have been designed to give support and comfort during the first trimester in the prone position (face down).

The bodyCushion Support System is extremely therapeutic, giving decompression of joints, relaxation of muscles and pressure away from the hips. In the second and third trimesters it is recommended a mother be placed in a sidelying position as shown in the diagram to prevent any stress or strain on the abdominal, lumbar and uterine muscles.

World renowned author and pregnancy massage specialist Elaine Stillerman has endorsed the bodyCushion support as one of the best for pregnancy massage and says “As long as the cushion and bolsters are used correctly, these innovative cushions are orthopaedic positioners, which help to decompress the lumbar spine and encourage lymphatic drainage, which is very important during pregnancy.”

My name is Vicki Hobbs and I am a qualified Remedial Massage Therapist (RMT) specialising in pregnancy, labour and postnatal massage. I have studied and worked hard to become one of the most highly trained pregnancy massage professionals in WA, having completed the NurtureLife® Pregnancy Massage Practitioner course in 2013 with Pregnancy Massage Australia. My training and experience includes the anatomy and physiology of the pregnant body, stretching during pregnancy, labour and birth positions and massage instruction for your partner.

This training is an advanced level training course for pregnancy massage, however it includes working with high risk pregnancy clients such as those with pre-eclampsia and other conditions such as pubis symphysis separation, pelvic girdle pain, lower back and hip pain, injuries and other pregnancy related dysfunctions or those clients referred by Obstetricians and health care providers. I also achieved a Diploma in Pregnancy Massage & Maternity Care completed in 2008 with Suzanne Yates, who is a well-known author, midwife and the Director of the Well Mother Centre in the UK.

I have provider numbers for all the health funds, so you may be able to claim a rebate from your private health fund depending on your level of cover, however, please check with them directly to confirm you are covered for REMEDIAL MASSAGE.