massage during first trimester

[bfgzzwrq]

Hi everyone,
This is my first posting.
I've been asked by a lady to do a full body massage. She is 8 or 9 weeks pregnant and says she's had lots of massages since finding out she was pregnant. I was taught whilst training that massaging during the first trimester was a contraindication and should never be done. I have told this to the lady and she wants to go ahead. What would you recommend?

 

[Lindobarap]

I would recommend not doing it until she is 12 weeks.

Not because I think you will do any harm - but because if anything does happen a) chances are your insurance won't cover it and b) she may perceive the problem related to the massage, and this would do you much more damage than saying no now.

Better safe than sorry.

 

[Pompal 09.]

Hi Lemonlady

I have personally not come across any information pertaining to massage being contraindicated during pregnancy unless the patient is at high risk of terminating.

I would suggest you contact the people who trained you and ask them fro a valid reason why they decided that massage should be contraindicated during the first trimester and let us all know what they say

 

[Miss LONDON Suspended.]

Massage is not recommended during the first trimester for legal reasons, just to avoid blame being put on the therapist if anything does happen. Concerns about directing blood away from the growing fetus sounds like an excuse to not do a massage in the first trimester without admitting it's got anything to do with legal therapist protection rather than concern for the mother and baby.
Yes, massage can affect blood flow and lymph flow, but not enough to interfere with the growing fetus - MANY MANY MANY people receive massage in the first trimester before they realise they are pregnant, with absolutely no ill affects, if anything, decreasing the stress level of the mother helps her relax which can increase the blood flow to the areas where the blood flow is needed; many people receive massage in the first trimester after they know they are pregnant because the therapist doesn't know it's not recommended.

Would I take on a new client in the first trimester? Not a chance. The legal implications are just too much, something like 20% of pregnancies end in a miscarriage in the first trimester, often it's not even noticed it IS a miscarriage because they hadn't realised they were pregnant. Week 4 when the thyroid levels become critical is a HUGE reason for miscarriage, but often not noticed.

BUT I have massaged regular clients through their first trimester, both before and after they knew they were pregnant.

Basically my rule is the first trimester the mother IS in a more vulnerable stage of pregnancy than later on, you don't change routines, you don't do anything unusual. If she gets a massage twice a week before she is pregnant, she should get a massage twice a week even in the first trimester, because you don't want to introduce any unnecessary changes to her body, stopping massage is a change. If she gets massage ones every 3 months and wants one in week 8 I would say wait until week 12. If she got a massage supposedly every week from someone else that will no longer massage her because she was pregnant, I would NOT take her on as a new client until week 12 - you don't know what the regular massage was like, depth of pressure, areas worked etc, all therapists are different, you will be providing a different massage, it would be a change to her routine that may have an impact. I find the line "no unnecessary changes to your routine should be made in the first trimester" is sufficient for most people.

There are no legal ramifications for NOT giving someone a massage because of contraindications, and not in the first trimester is a commonly referred to contraindication, even though I doubt you will find any scientific evidence for it being a contraindication. When in doubt don't and all that.

 

[Scott Halverson]

if you're in doubt then ask her GP for a letter consenting to the massage.

I have attended a pregnancy massage course and we were told that if a pregnancy is meant to be it will stick no matter what you do to try and get rid of it.

 

[Medina]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I expressed my concerns to the lady and she said that although she was happy to recieve massages at this time, she wouldn't be able to enjoy it if she knew I was uncomfortable with the idea. She had a facial instead, followed by a pedicure and a manicure, so she didn't go short on the pampering.

 

[fendoffetef]

Well, I would treat a client who is pregnant and in the first trimester unless there is a history of miscarriage, or other medical problem. Pregnancy is not an illness and I most certainly would have loved a massage at this time myself during my pregnancies, although any deep abdominal work is contraindicated in the first trimester, plus some of the meridian points would be avoided around the Achilles Tendon and hoku point on the web of the thumb.

I really think there is a lot of fear about giving treatments and ill advice that is not of sound basis. For a start, how many people have we massaged, that don't even realise they are pregnant yet.

I must qualify this by saying that I am an aromatherapist and of course the oils I use would be modified to suit. I have practised massage for 20 years and have never found this to be a problem and have had lots of clients who became pregnant whilst having treatments and continued to have massage up to the birth, without a problem.

Luv Binah
xx