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RELAX AND
RESTORE MASSAGE SERVICES |
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Pregnancy Massage |
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Pregnancy is
a time of tremendous musculoskeletal, physical and emotional change,
and yet is a condition of wellness. The purpose of Pregnancy Massage
is to maintain the state of wellness by dealing with both the normal
and any abnormal changes that occur during the time of pregnancy.
Ideally, there should also be a comprehensive post-pregnancy
treatment plan that focus on potential lower back and ligamentous
problems, enabling the client to regain the proper posture and
biomechanics.
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Each stage of the pregnancy presents its
own set of changes. Following is a brief outline of what the client
can expect during each of these stages. The following lists are
indicating the possible conditions that each woman may experience but
does not mean that each pregnancy will have all these symptoms.
Following the descriptions of what conditions are normally experienced
during a pregnancy, we outline other conditions that may be
encountered, so that if they do happen you will be aware of them and
know what to do. |
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First Trimester (0-12 weeks) |
- Fatigue
- Poor appetite
- Nausea
- Constipation
- Weight gain
- Frequent urination
- Breast tenderness
- Swings in emotions are also possible
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Second Trimester (13-26 weeks) |
- Nausea and fatigue have mostly disappeared.
- Increased energy
- weight gain
- constipation
- headaches
- heartburn
- postural problems (for example backache, abdominal muscle spasm,
and if previously present, an increase in contractured iliotibial
band, hyperlordosis, scoliosis and pesplanus)
- varicose veins or sore feet can also occur.
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Third Trimester (26 weeks to labour) |
- Fatigue
- Breast engorgement
- Shallow breathing
- Insomnia
- Edema (water retention) especially in hands and feet
- Constipation
- Frequent urination
- Swings in emotion may occur
- Second trimester postural problems may be exacerbated with
increased weight gain.
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Aims of Pregnancy Massage |
The primary long term aim of pregnancy massage is to help the woman to
return to her pre-pregnancy state of health and posture as soon as
possible. To accomplish this there are certain conditions that must be
addressed during the pregnancy and still other thins that must be
addressed after birth. The short term aims of pregnancy massage are 3
fold:
- Asses the client for signs of distress in pregnancy (eclampsia).
- Treat muscle problems by reducing trigger points, spasming and
hypertonicity of muscles in the low back, focusing on quadratus
laborum, erector spinae and gluteals.
- Treat presenting problems as the occur:
- abdominal massage to reduce constipation
- hydrotherapy and lymphatic drainage to help reduce breast pain
due to congestion and any accompanying conditions (e.g. carpal
tunnel) that develop.
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The Long Term Aim of Pregnancy Massage |
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The Long Term aim of pregnancy massage is to help restore ideal
biomechanics and muscle strength after delivery. In difficult
deliveries involving a lot of 'back labour' this can lead to a long
lasting back pain. Although the exact mechanism of injury is unclear,
the possibility of lumbo-sacral sprain or sacro-iliac sprain is high.
A thorough postural assessment must be done in order to determine the
source of the pain. Another problem faced by some postpartum women is
depression or "Postpartum Blues". Although causes may differ, all can
benefit from the relaxing break that the massage treatment affords. |
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Understanding Your Treatment |
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As with all massage treatments, the client has the right to refuse any
treatment that she is not comfortable with. She is encouraged to ask
the therapist about any part of the suggested treatment plan that she
does not understand. After all the goal of every treatment is to help
the client feel better after the massage than she felt before the
massage and this is best accomplished if the client is well informed
and understands what and why the therapist is doing the techniques
being used on her. |
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Your Comfort First |
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To make the massage appointment as relaxing as possible, we use the
Body Cushion on top of the table. This should allow the client to lie
face down for all her massage treatments throughout her pregnancy.
When lying on her back in the later stages of pregnancy, the client
will be inclined slightly to one side to prevent the uterus from
coming to rest on top of the aorta. |
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Baby Massage Lessons |
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After the birth the new mother can learn how to give her baby a baby
massage, this creates a special bonding between the baby and the mom.
This has been used in other countries such as India for many years and
has shown to help the child become more relaxed and learn faster than
those babies who are not massaged. |
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Contact Information for Pricing and Appointments |
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For more information or to arrange an appointment please contact Mr.
Brian Sklar, RMT, BTh, BES, BEd |
Relax & Restore Massage Services
27 Erb Street East, Waterloo, ON. N2J 1L5
Registered Massage Therapist
(519) 884-9174 |
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