Pre/Postnatal Support

The main differences are that you will need to be in different positions: clearly lying on your front will not be suitable after the first trimester. Which positions are most comfortable for you will vary and so your practitioner will be able to offer various choices and be able to adapt if you are not comfortable. During the last trimester, some work will usually be done in a forward leaning position as this helps relieve pressure from your lower back and helps give your baby space to move.

Since your tissue is relatively softer and you have more blood in your system, techniques will be modified. Treatments usually include some element of moving and pumping your legs and arms to help support the increased bloods and fluids and reduce issues such as swelling and varicose veins.

Another area which changes is of course your abdomen. We always check in with clients to see if they are comfortable having their belly touched, or worked on when appropriate.

Since shiatsu is simply working to support the body then it can not be harmful. Our therapists are trained in working the changes of pregnancy and how to modify the treatment for each individual need.

The only times that you shouldn’t have shiatsu or massage is when you need emergency medical treatment: so the times are pretty rare. The kind of situations would include: fitting (eclampsia), vaginal bleeding, severe abdominal pain or vomiting. You probably would not be considering having a shiatsu in these situations, but sometimes they develop quickly. However, once the acute phase is over and you are receiving appropriate medical treatment, then shiatsu can be part of the recovery process.

Most cases of morning sickness do respond well to shiatsu. However in more extreme cases, you may wish to seek medical assistance. Your practitioner may be able to continue to support you during your hospital stay.

People usually ask this question because they are worried that shiatsu may increase the risk of miscarriage. There is no evidence to support this fear: and indeed receiving shiatsu may help you relax and feel more connected with the changes that are going on in your body at this time. Women are not told to stop working or avoid stress, so having an hour of space of physical and emotional support, can only be of benefit. However you need to feel comfortable receiving touch. And some women don’t feel like being touched during this time.

Quite probably, depending on the cause. If you are experiencing lower back ache in late pregnancy, it is probably due to your posture and the position of your baby. The therapist may well include some work in a forward leaning position such as leaning over a ball or sitting on the ball leaning on the table to help relieve this.

All our therapists are trained in working with pregnancy, and are aware of the implications of PGP and will adapt your treatment accordingly. We will position you appropriately, work with special techniques and be able to advise on relevant life style concerns. Bodywork has been shown to be helpful. 

More detailed information from the guru of Prenatal Shiatsu, Suzanne Yates: Pelvic girdle pain /Symphysis Pubis Instability

Field T Grizzle N Scafidi F and Schanberg S (1996) Massage and relaxation therapies”; effects on depressed adolescent mothers, Adolescence 31(124 pp 903-11 Field,

T., Hernandez-Reif, M., Hart, S., Theakston, H., Schanberg, S., Kuhn, C., Burman, I. (1999). Pregnant women benefit from massage therapy. Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics and Gynecology,, vol 20, no 1, March 1999, pp 31-38

Hernandez-Reif, M., Field, T., Krasnegor, J., Theakston, T. (2001). Low back pain is reduced and range of motion increased after massage therapy. International Journal of Neuroscience, 106, 131-145.

Brady LH. Henry K. Luth JF. Casper-Bruett KK. The effects of shiatsu on lower back pain. Journal of Holistic Nursing. 19 (1): 57-70, 2001.

Field, T., Diego, M., Dieter, J., Hernandez-Reif, M. (In Preparation). Depressed pregnant women benefit from massage therapy.

Thomas CT; Napolitano PG Use of acupuncture for managing chronic pelvic pain in pregnancy: a case report Journal of Reproductive Medicine for the Obstetrician and Gynecologist , vol 45, no 11, November 2000, pp 944-946

Hyde E Acupressure therapy for morning sickness. A controlled clinical trial Journal of Nurse-Midwifery , vol 34, no 4, July/August 1989, pp 171-178

Dundee JW|Sourial FBR|Ghaly RG P6 acupuncture reduces morning sickness Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine , vol 81, no 8, August 1988, pp 456-457

Smith C; Crowther C; Beilby J Acupuncture to treat nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy: a randomized controlled trial Birth , vol 29, no 1, March 2002, pp 1-9

Carlsson CPO, Axemo P, Bodin A, Carstensen H, Ehrenroth B, Madegard-Lind I Navander C. Manual acupuncture reduces hyperemesis gravidarum: A placebo-controlled, randomised, single blind, crossover study. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management 2000, 20(4):273-279.

De Aloysio D|Penacchioni P Morning sickness control in early pregnancy by Neiguan point acupressure Obstetrics and Gynecology , vol 80, no 5, November 1992, pp 852-854

Diego MA Field T Hernandez-Reif M Shaw K Freidman L and Ironson G (2001) HIV adolescents show improved immune function following massage therapy” Intern J Neuroscience 106 pp 35-45

Ernst E Matrai A Magyarosy I Liebermeister R Eck M and Breu M (1987) Massages causes changes in blood fluidity Physiotherapy 73(1) pp 43-5

Field T Delage J and Hernandez-Reif M 2003 Movement and massage therapy reduce fibromyalgia pain, J of bodywork and movement therapies Jan pp49-52

Hernandez-Reif M Field T and Krasnego J Theakston H Hossain Z and Burman I 2000 High blood pressure and associated symptoms were reduced by massage therapy J of Bodywork and Movement therapies 4 (1) pp 31-8

Hovind H and Nielsen SL 1974 Effect of massage on blood flow in skeletal muscles Scand J Rehab Med 6, pp 7407

Lafreniere KD Mutus B Cameron S Tannous M Giannotti M Abu-Zahra H and Laukkanen E 1999 Effects of therapeutic touch on biochemical and mood indicators in women. J of Alternative and complementary medicine 4 (4) pp 367-70

Richards KC 1998 The effect of a back massage and relaxation therapy on sleep article J of Critical care 7 (4) 288-99

Weinberg R Jackson A and Kolodny K 1988 The relationship of massage and exercise to mood enhancement The Sport Pscyhologis 2, pp 202-11 Yamazaki Z Idezuki Y Nemoto T and Togawa T 1988 Clinical experiences using pneumatic massage therapy for edematous limbs over the last 10 years. Angiology- The J of Vascular Diseases, February pp 154-163