Believe it or not, you don’t need any sort of special certification to practice on pregnant women. All you need is your LMT- your Massage Therapy License. And because so many LMT’s are “generalists” (rather than specialists) there is a lot of misinformation and confusion you might run into, when searching for the best prenatal massage therapy. So, let’s go over a few of the major “massage myths” floating around out there, and clear them up.
You can’t massage a pregnant woman’s feet
Lots of massage therapists are taught IN MASSAGE SCHOOL that massaging the feet and around the ankles of pregnant women will send them into labor. This is totally false. Of course you can massage a woman’s feet- and she’ll love you for it! Pregnancy comes with a lot of weight gain, and the lower extremities- and feet- take on a lot of extra work in a short period of time. The confusion here- and the root of this massage myth- comes from reflexology/acupressure points for reproductive organs, which are located around the ankles. But the techniques behind stimulating these points and a foot massage are very different. There is no way a foot massage is ever going to send a woman into labor. It’s never happened (like, ever!) and cannot happen. So relax, mama, and enjoy that foot massage!
You can’t perform deep tissue massage on a pregnant woman
I personally feel a strong mission to educate other LMT’s on this one, because (again) it’s really not true. I think a lot of the time, people treat pregnant women like they’re fragile. Pregnant women are SO strong!! And their bodies are going through rapid, transformational change that deserves care and attention. The low back, hips and glutes love deep tissue massage, as it relieves a lot of that tension and pain that comes with pregnancy. The only area where I avoid deep tissue is the legs and lower extremities, because there’s a higher chance for blood clotting. But the rest of the body- the upper back, neck and shoulders- all deserve the kind of pressure that’s going to relieve tension, and provide that mama bear with as much relaxation and ease as possible!
Pregnancy in the first trimester is contraindicated (to be avoided)
This one really makes me sad. The fact is, you can get a massage at any time throughout your pregnancy journey- planning, pregnant, postnatal and beyond. The LMT may need to adjust how the massage is delivered, but pregnancy itself is not a contraindication. Many massage establishments turn away pregnant women until the second trimester, and this is based upon beliefs rooted in a general lack of education, experience working with pregnant women, and the mindset of “it’s the way it’s always been done.” But there is zero- I repeat, zero- evidence that massage can cause a miscarriage or any other injury or impairment to fetal development at any stage of pregnancy. I think there is a lot of fear and anxiety surrounding pregnancy, and the healthcare industry often operates around an avoidance of liability. Most miscarriages happen in the first trimester, and it may feel natural to blame massage for any unexpected turn of events. But the fact is, massage is a wonderful tool for expectant mothers to use- to improve sleep, decrease anxiety, promote relaxation and ease (in body/mind/spirit) as well as an easier labor/delivery. And here at Mama Bear Massage, we are educated and experienced enough to advise and educate our mama bears, so they can relax and enjoy the beautiful process.