My Least Favorite Massage - Prenatal Massage

One of the questions I am asked most often is, “What is your favorite massage to perform?”

I enjoy working with the various modalities in which I have been trained, and I am comfortable adapting my techniques to different clients and needs. However, if I am being completely honest, there is one type of massage I have never particularly enjoyed performing: prenatal massage.

Over the years, I have performed many prenatal massages, and despite having plenty of experience with them, they have never become a favorite of mine. My preference has remained the same throughout my career.

Why Prenatal Massage Is Challenging for Me

The primary reason is the side-lying position that is commonly used during prenatal massage.

Many expectant clients seek massage because they are experiencing discomfort in the back, neck, hips, or other areas affected by the physical changes of pregnancy. As a massage therapist, I personally prefer working on the back when a client can comfortably lie prone, because it gives me broad access to the entire posterior body and allows me to use the body mechanics that feel most natural to me.

Side-lying changes that considerably.

With the client positioned on one side, I am working with a different orientation of the spine and can only address portions of the back at a time. The same is true when performing scalp massage. I genuinely enjoy scalp work, but side-lying makes it difficult to access both sides of the head equally.

Then there are the body mechanics.

My technique is very dependent on positioning myself correctly around the massage table. With side-lying work, I find myself applying oil from different angles, rotating my arms and shoulders differently, and working with my hands and wrists in positions that simply do not feel natural to me.

In other words, my ergonomics feel completely different.

And after nearly three decades in this profession, I know what good body mechanics feel like for me. Prenatal massage takes me well outside of that comfort zone.

It's a Personal Preference

Some of the places where I have worked did not require every therapist to perform prenatal massage, while others expected all therapists to provide it as part of their regular services.

When given a choice, I have always preferred other forms of massage.

In fact, if you gave me the option of performing five Deep Tissue massages in one day or one 60-minute prenatal massage, I would choose the five Deep Tissue sessions without hesitation.

I would even rather perform a two-hour massage than a 50-minute prenatal session.

That is how strong my preference is.

This does not mean that prenatal massage is unimportant or that I do not appreciate the value it can provide to expectant clients. Pregnancy can place considerable physical demands on the body, and appropriately performed prenatal massage can be a wonderful way for an expectant mother to receive relaxation and comfort.

It simply means that prenatal massage and I have never been the perfect professional match.

Every massage therapist develops techniques, modalities, and treatment environments that suit their individual strengths and preferences. After all these years, I have learned what I enjoy doing, what I do well, and what I would happily leave to another therapist who genuinely loves prenatal work.

And I have a tremendous amount of respect for the therapists who do.

Health Care Provider

 💜💜💜 I am a CAMTC certificate holder.  I'm now considered a healthcare provider. 💜💜💜

Please Reschedule When You Are Sick

I strongly believe that massage therapy should be postponed when you are actively ill.

If you are coughing, sneezing, sniffling, experiencing significant congestion, have a sore throat, are repeatedly clearing your throat or lungs, have recently vomited because of an illness, or are experiencing other symptoms of a contagious respiratory or gastrointestinal infection, please stay home and reschedule your appointment.

Massage is a close-contact profession. During a typical session, a massage therapist may spend an extended period of time in close proximity to a client's face, respiratory system, and body. For that reason, coming to an appointment while actively sick creates an unnecessary risk of exposing the therapist and potentially other clients.

Why Massage Should Be Postponed When You Are Sick

There are several important reasons to reschedule a massage when you are experiencing an acute illness:

Contagious illness:
Massage requires close physical contact, making it possible for respiratory and other infections to spread between clients and therapists.

Your body needs time to recover:
When you are fighting an infection, rest and recovery should take priority. Massage is not a treatment for an acute infection, and receiving one while you are sick may leave you feeling more fatigued or uncomfortable.

Fever and acute illness:
Massage is generally not appropriate when someone has a fever or is experiencing an acute infectious illness. Your therapist may decline or postpone treatment if you arrive with symptoms of illness.

Protecting other people:
Your massage therapist has other clients, coworkers, and family members who can also be affected if an illness is spread through the workplace.

Please Do Not “Push Through” Your Symptoms

I understand that people sometimes hesitate to cancel an appointment because they do not want to lose their appointment time, pay a cancellation fee, or inconvenience their therapist.

Please understand that rescheduling because you are sick is not an inconvenience.

I would much rather have you contact me and say, “I'm not feeling well. I need to reschedule,” than have you arrive at the appointment coughing and sneezing and try to push through the session.

If you are unsure whether you are well enough to receive a massage, contact the establishment or therapist before your appointment and discuss the situation.

“I'm Almost Better” Still Matters

One of the most common situations is the client who says, “I'm basically over it. I just have this cough.”

If you are still experiencing significant respiratory symptoms, particularly frequent coughing, sneezing, congestion, or repeated throat or lung clearing, please consider yourself not yet ready for a close-contact service.

The fact that you are feeling better does not necessarily mean that you are no longer capable of spreading an infection. Follow current public-health guidance for the particular illness you have, and when in doubt, err on the side of protecting others.

Why This Matters to Me Personally

I take illness precautions seriously because I also have responsibilities outside of my massage practice. I provide care for an elderly family member, and an infection that might be relatively minor for one person can have much more serious consequences for another.

That means I cannot look at an obviously sick client and think, “It's probably nothing.”

If I become ill, it can affect not only my ability to work but also the people I care for and the clients I am scheduled to see.

When you come to a massage appointment while actively sick, you are not making a decision that affects only yourself. You are potentially exposing the therapist, other clients, coworkers, and their families.

Please, Stay Home

If you are actively coughing, sneezing, unusually congested, repeatedly clearing your throat or lungs, experiencing significant throat discomfort, or recovering from an illness that may still be contagious, please reschedule your massage.

Give yourself time to recover. Give your therapist the opportunity to remain healthy. And give the next client the same consideration you would want someone else to give you.

Massage can wait. Your health, and the health of the people around you, comes first.