Massage During Pregnancy: What to Know Before You Book

Prenatal massage is safe, useful, and one of the few things that reliably helps pregnancy-related low back and hip pain. It also has real rules, and the difference between a certified prenatal therapist and one who is willing to have a go is worth caring about.

When you can start

Most therapists work routinely from the second trimester. First-trimester bookings are usually taken after a conversation about your history and your provider's guidance rather than refused outright.

Why side-lying, not a cut-out table

Tables with a cut-out for the bump look purpose-built and are, for many people, the worse option: they allow the abdomen to hang, which loads the round ligaments and the low back. Certified prenatal practice generally uses side-lying with bolstering under the head, the top arm, the top knee and the bump instead.

What gets avoided

Certain points around the ankles and wrists, and deep abdominal work. Knowing which points and why — rather than avoiding a vague region out of caution — is a substantial part of what the certification covers.

What it actually helps

Low back and hip pain, sciatic referral through the glute and down the leg, and the upper back that is compensating for both. Sciatic referral in particular tends to respond well to work on the glutes, piriformis and low back.

Afterwards

Lymphatic drainage is often the more useful booking in the first weeks post-partum, especially after a caesarean — with your provider's clearance first.

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