Women’s Health Clients: Pre-natal/ Postpartum

Prenatal massages are offered for “mamas to be” and postpartum treatments geared towards rest and rejuvenation.

Prenatal/Postpartum

Claire Marie ‘Nurturing the Mother ®‘ trained and certified:

“A Body, Mind, Spirit approach to Pre & Peri Natal Massage”

By Nurturing Mothers and Families, We Nurture Ourselves, and We Nurture the Earth.

This is for the families to be Nurtured by this work, honored, comforted by healing touch as they carry and bring forth new life.

This supports the re-awakening, re-emergence of the ageless feminine intuitive wisdom of birth. Deepening our awareness of our own birth, we become compassionate and understanding in support of today’s birthing mothers.

Those who partake of Nurturing the Mother share and enhance this vision. In healing, honoring and nurturing We are one.

Services offered:

  • Prenatal Massage
  • Postpartum Massage
  • Prenatal Yoga (and exercise education)
  • Newborn & Infant Massage (teaching and training mothers to provide infant massage to their babies)
  • helps with fussy, gassy, colic babies- addresses abdomen and reflexology

Prenatal Massage

The structural changes that a woman’s body goes through in pregnancy can be very profound and some of the most radical in her lifetime. The gradual body changes and increased weight cause marked adjustments in a woman’s posture and in the way she walks. To maintain balance, the center of balance shifts forward, causing musculoskeletal changes. These changes include increased lordosis and exaggerated anterior flexion of the head, potentially causing weakness and numbness of the arms. As a result the arms may ache. Large breasts and a stooped stance may increase the dorsal and lumbar curves. The softening of ligaments, connective tissue and collagen, caused by the hormones estrogen and relaxin, can cause low back and pelvic pain. In some cases the softening can cause seperation of the symphysis pubis and instability of the sacroiliac joints. The ligaments and muscles of the middle and low back may become severely stressed. The rapid expanse of the abdomen can cause diastasis recti abdominis, or separation of the recti abdomini muscles. Walking becomes more difficult during pregnancy. Women may develop a waddling gait.

Massage can relieve many of these aches and pains by addressing the specific areas of discomfort and by facilitating overall relaxation. After pregnancy massage, women often report their back pain, symphysis pubis pain and neck and shoulder pain are greatly diminished. They also report sleeping better for at least a day or two. Massage can also improve self-image. The dramatic physical changes of pregnancy can be upsetting for some women and the massage can help them feel more comfortable with those changes.

For many, Prenatal Massage throughout a woman’s pregnancy helps one to reduce stress hormones, maintain mobility and flexibility (coupled with stretching and prenatal yoga) and promotes relaxation prior to baby’s arrival. Education and recommendations are often provided regarding postural awareness, stretching and body mechanics to help improve carryover and ease post massage for longer lasting results. If one is interested, one on one prenatal yoga, exercise education and pelvic floor education can be provided to help prior to or post birth. Certification/education training through Nurturing the Mother ® Certification.

Postpartum Massage

In Postpartum Massage, the focus is on releasing birth tension and realigning the body. Massage is done with the mother lying face up or in a sidelying position. Those who are able to lie face down are provided a modified breast pillow to keep pressure off of her full breasts. The areas receiving special attention are the tense spots resulting from the strain of birth and breastfeeding: the neck, shoulders, back, pelvis, thighs and feet. In early postpartum massage (the first week), light massage of the uterus can be done in addition to the abdomen/digestion and sacral work (for vaginal births). Special attention may be given drawing the ribs and hips back together.

Postpartum binding can help bring the pelvis back together. This is done by wrapping the hips tightly with a sash or sacral belt. Gives a woman the feeling of support and firmness in their sacroiliac joints. Some may consider this helping to balance the cranial-sacral alignment, or for women who feel their pelvis loose or wobbly after birth.

Postpartum Massage can have a wonderful effect as a woman regains her body post-birth.