Jen Hatley Massage Therapy

Yes! Massage is a very nurturing thing to do for yourself during pregnancy. It can especially help make the latter stages of pregnancy less stressful on your body, relieving backache, shoulder discomfort and sore feet. During a pregnancy massage your therapist will avoid deep abdominal work, for obvious reasons. After the fourth month, general and gentle abdominal massage can be enjoyable for both you and baby. Aggressive stretching is usually avoided too, due to the relaxing of tendons and ligaments caused by pregnancy hormones. If you have certain medical conditions during pregnancy, such as excessive edema, hypertension or preeclampsia, we will need a doctor’s approval before massage. At any time during pregnancy, you may find it difficult to lie flat on the table. We can position you on your side with pillow support to make you comfortable. At the end pf your session, always remember to sit up slowly to allow your blood pressure to normalize.

Enjoy! Your nervous system has just been soothed; your muscles have been relieved of tension…take some time to feel what it is like be more aligned and relaxed.

Aside from communicating your needs and preferences throughout the session, this should be a time for you to relax. It’s your massage. Many people just close their eyes and completely relax. Others like to talk during their session. You may talk as little or as much as you like, keeping in mind that most clients achieve the greatest therapeutic benefits by limiting their conversation and quieting their mind so that they may completely focus on their body.

Your therapist will always strive to work within your comfort level; and, together, you will discover what this is. We do this in two ways: One of the questions on the health form asked if you prefer light, medium, or deep pressure. Throughout the massage session, you will be asked if the pressure is to your liking, or if it can be adjusted in any way. It’s important that we maintain this communication during the session. Your therapist’s goal is not to create any pain; but should it happen, it means that they may need to work a certain area more slowly so that your body accepts the work properly.

The extent of a massage will depend on several factors, including the length of the session, the specific need for treatment, the techniques used, and your comfort level with receiving massage. When there is an injury or condition to be addressed, the entire session may focus on a single area. There may also be a need for treatment of other body areas that are affected by an injury. If you wish to have massage for stress-reduction or relaxation, we will discuss what will best help us accomplish that. A typical full-body session includes work on your back, arms, legs, feet, hands, head, neck, shoulders, facial area and scalp, with the abdominal and gluteal area as optional. If you find you are uncomfortable with being massaged in a particular area, just inform your therapist of your wishes and they will adjust the massage accordingly. If you prefer additional time spent on any body part, just let your therapist know.

First, you will be asked a few health-related questions in the form of a questionnaire for you to complete and sign. This allows your therapist to get to know your background and any past/present medical conditions, and it also contains permission from you to allow the therapist to provide you treatment. The questionnaire may also request you to list specific areas that you would like addressed during your treatment. This is solely done for the purpose of helping you get the best results from the massage and to protect you from any possible health risks. Your therapist will briefly review what you have written on the questionnaire and address any issues with you at that time. Your therapist will then show you to the treatment room, answer any additional questions you may have and leave you to undress privately and relax on the massage table. (Please remember to turn any cell phones, pagers, or alarms off before your session.)

You can help maximize the effectiveness of massage with these few, simple tips… Drink plenty of water. Human muscles are comprised of approximately 75% water. When we are optimally hydrated, we can respond very well to massage techniques. Please note that simply drinking a lot of water the day of a massage will not prepare the body as adequately for massage than if water intake is a continuous habit. An easy guideline is to take your weight and divide it in half; the number you get is the amount of water (in ounces) you should be drinking each day. If exercising or if caffeinated or alcoholic beverages are a part of your diet, then you’ll need even more. Think about what you would like to get from your session. Is your goal relaxation? Is there a specific area you would like to target? This will help you and your therapist work towards the same goal.

Massage therapy should not be given if you have an uncontrolled heart condition, uncontrolled diabetes, liver or kidney failure, infection of the superficial veins (phlebitis) or soft tissue, blood clots, varicose veins, or bleeding disorders. Please re-schedule your session if you are running a fever, if you have a severe cold or throat/nasal symptoms, if you have been prescribed an antibiotic for a contagious disease (i.e. strep. throat, tonsillitis, bronchitis, etc.) until you have been on the medication for at least 24 hours, or if you have had vomiting or diarrhea in the past 24 hours.

Massage therapy affects the body as a whole, primarily your soft tissues, nervous system and circulation. Massage helps to loosen contracted, shortened muscles and stimulate weak, flaccid ones. This muscle balancing helps restore posture and promote more efficient movement. Massage also provides a gentle stretching action to both the muscles and connective tissues that surround and support the body, helping to keep these tissues soft and elastic. All forms of massage help to deactivate the sympathetic nervous system, thereby relieving stress while improving digestion, sleep, and immune function. Massage also increases the circulation of both blood and lymph, supplying fresh oxygen and nutrients that assist in eliminating toxins and waste products.