Frequently Asked Questions
I'm pregnant. Can I still 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 on a specially-designed BodyCushion or side-lying on the massage table (using lots of pillows to make you comfortable). 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 pregnancy massage? While pregnancy massage has all the benefits of "regular" massage, it has been tailored to address more specifically the issues and conditions that a pregnant woman faces. More time is spent on methods to address low back and hip pain, edema, nausea, heartburn, constipation, etc. Healthy Child Online and the New Life Journal have well-written articles on the benefits of prenatal massage. Touch Research Institute conducted a study published in the Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics & Gynecology showing that women who received regular massage had decreased anxiety and stress hormones during pregnancy and fewer obstetric and postnatal complications, including lower prematurity rates (link to research abstract). So, in addition to making you happier and more comfortable, pregnancy massage is good for your health and your baby's health. Please feel free to call me with questions about how massage can help with specific issues.
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, most women report increased discomfort in the low back/pelvis for some time after their massage.
What are your rates for prenatal massage?
60-minute massage $75
75-minute massage $90
90-minute massage $100
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.
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. 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.
Marta Brown Magaw
Licensed Massage and Bodywork Therapist (NC#799)
104 S. Estes Drive, Suite 301-U, Chapel Hill 942-1510
marta@chapelhillmassage.com
