"Emma has an exceptional knowledge of anatomy in her practice as both a massage therapist and doula. She is compassionate and thoughtful and a font of knowledge. A deeply skilled massage therapist, she is also a pleasure to talk to, and her studio is bright and welcoming." ~ Amaranth ~ Seattle Pregnancy Massage client
Prenatal Services
Seattle Pregnancy Massage offers you several options in pregnancy for relaxing both body and mind and preparing your body for labor.
Full-Body Prenatal Massages
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Seattle Pregnancy Massage offers 60 or 75 minute full body Swedish massage for pregnant and postpartum people in our Ballard studio.
The changes in the body that pregnancy brings as muscles and ligaments stretch and babies grow can put a lot of strain on the body. Muscles in the shoulders tighten, resulting in swelling in the hands and arms and pain in the neck and shoulders. The weight of the growing baby pulls the spine forwards causing pain in the lower back and hips and the shifting pelvis causes swelling and tightness in the legs and feet. Regular massage from a practitioner specially trained in prenatal massage and the physiology of pregnancy can make all the difference. The benefits of prenatal massage can include:
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Prep Your Body For Breastfeeding
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Your breasts are amazing organs that will soon be providing food for your baby, but in the meantime are probably being provided little attention beyond noticing that they've gotten bigger and possibly uncomfortable. Breasts are full of not only milk making mammary glands, but also lymph fluid and fascia which all needs to be kept flowing and moving well. They're also an integral part of the front of your body, connecting your neck and shoulders with your abdomen which means that breast massage often has an effect on the way these structures feel too. Breast massage in pregnancy helps to keep lymph and fascia moving well and prime the milk ducts to make milk when the time is right. A breast and chest massage session incorporates traditional Swedish massage techniques with gentle myofascial and lymphatic drainage techniques. It also includes 15 minutes of breast massage education so that you can learn ways to continue the massage yourself at home each day. Getting to know your breasts in pregnancy and how to keep everything flowing is an excellent way to set yourself up for a successful breastfeeding experience. |
Belly & Baby Massage
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Spend a relaxing 60 minutes tuning in to your body and your baby. This highly individualized session is designed to help you connect with your baby and your body, while allowing tight ligaments and muscles of the abdomen and lower back to unwind and relax. It can be especially helpful if you have pelvic or low back pain, if your baby haas been hanging out in one position for most of your pregnancy or if you'd jus like an opportunity to really slow down and tune in to the changes happening in your body. A shorter half hour belly massage can also be added to any 60 minute session for the ultimate in relaxation for you and your baby. |
Prenatal Foot Reflexology
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Reflexology is based on the ancient theory that all parts of the body are mapped out on the feet, hands and ears as reflex points. By manipulating the points on these maps, the reflexologist can locate and begin to move energy blockages balancing the body's energy flow. This aids in circulation and detoxification, reduces stress and balances emotion.
How can Prenatal Reflexology help me? Pregnancy is a time of great physical and emotional change in a woman's body. Hormone levels increase, blood volume increases by almost 50% and the shifting of organs, bones and muscles to accommodate the growing baby often causes tension and pain. Regular prenatal reflexology sessions can help to alleviate some of the symptoms caused by these changes. Reflexology induces a state of deep relaxation for the body and mind, reducing the stress response and allowing the body to direct resources to where they are needed for the health of the mother and baby. In the third trimester women's feet and ankles often become swollen and can be painful. Reflexology can help to reduce the accumulation of extra fluid in the feet which contributes to the sore achy feeling many that afflicts many women's feet. Can you induce labor? We offer preparation for labor sessions from 38 weeks of pregnancy onwards for anyone facing a chemical induction who is hoping to start labor naturally. At no point do we induce labor. Certain physical conditions must be present in the body for a woman to go into labor and no reflexology session is going to send you into labor if your body is not ready to do so. We offer sessions that work with your body to prepare it for labor by working specifically with the reflexes of the endocrine, circulatory and reproductive systems to optimize hormone function and increase blood circulation. These sessions are recommended for anyone preparing for birth whether you are preparing for a vaginal or a cesarian birth. |
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Tea & Birthy Stuff Commmunity$ Free
Offered every second Saturday, Tea & Birthy Stuff is an informal Zoom chat with Emma and other expecting families where we drink tea and talk about whatever comes up to do with pregnancy and birth. Get your questions answered, and meet other pregnant folks going through similar experiences to yourself. Community is everything! Click on the button to read more. |
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7 Weeks to a Better Birth
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Our Specialized Pillow System
After the first trimester, laying on your stomach or back becomes uncomfortable. Some massage therapists get around this by using bed pillows to position a client on their side or by using a table that has a cut out for the pregnant belly. This kind of table is not ideal as laying on your front can put strain on the uterine ligaments.
Seattle Pregnancy Massage utilizes the Oakworks Side Liying Positioning System to safely and comfortably allow our clients to lay on their side. The cushions are specially contoured to the body to provide ergonomically correct support to each part of your body. No more pillows falling off the table during a massage. Our clients like it so much they wish they could take it home to help them sleep!
