"Mother's Massage" by Tess Noren
www.tessnorenart.com and Instagram @tessnoren_art
POSTNATAL MASSAGE
Whether your first or subsequent births, an Embodying Motherhood Massage is a postpartum (postnatal) massage to help you transition and fully embrace your new role as a Mumma. It is a holistically nurturing and nourishing experience, utilising both relaxation and Kahuna style massage techniques plus releasing remedial techniques where necessary to help the body recover post birth.
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The space is created to honour, protect, understand and support your journey. If it’s your initial consultation, upon arrival you receive a free magnesium rich foot spa while you fill out the paperwork for 15 mins. If you’re a return client, you also have 15 mins to relax with some fabulous postnatal reading from the bookshelves and enjoy a yummy brew for 15 mins to settle in. If Bub’s with you, this is the time feed your bub to sleep if staying with you in the massage room, or in readiness for your partner or carer to take Bub/older kids to a nearby park, café, op shop or bookstore.
Once inside the “Breathing Room”, you start lying face-up in order to check separation of your tummy muscles, or Diastasis Recti, and discuss options for Belly Binding if appropriate. This experience includes a tummy massage using Australian Certified Organic essential oils to clear the lymphatic system and warm the tummy to protect against wind/cold.
It includes the release of the psoas muscle, which becomes tight during pregnancy and often massaging it in early postnatal care will help eliminate lower back pain.
Severe neck pain, often associated with breastfeeding and carrying Bub, may require Remedial techniques to be used to release tight neck muscles, depending on the severity of pain and blockage. These techniques remove pain and increase mobility and range of motion.
After this, you get to roll over onto your tummy to experience the blissfully supportive specialist postnatal cushioning system, which optimises comfort and is designed to avoid contact with engorged breasts and cesarean scar sensitivity.
Your first postnatal Embodying Motherhood Massage is designed to release birth-related tension.
Whilst the face-up time provides a small window of opportunity for gentle conversation about your mothering journey, the experience is ultimately restful for both body and mind.
Once you’re lying face down on your tummy, you will be guided through a meditation to quieten the mind, bring you into the present moment by practicing conscious connected breathing. This helps you drop into a peaceful state due to the flow of happy endorphins. Quite often, in the state of deep relaxation you may find your body ‘unwinds’ from the stress you’ve been carrying day to day. This experience of twitching or involuntary body movements as your fascia and/or muscles unwind and the body realigns is phenomenally beautiful to witness and really reminds me the power of the body-mind to self-heal. If only we open up the space by focussing on the breath and let our mind ‘step out of the way’. A gentle head massage incorporates certain acupressure points to help your mind detach from daily stressors. Often this is the time I witness this gentle but powerful unwinding.
It’s important to say, depending on your journey and how well we connect or have known each other from pregnancy support, an Embodying Motherhood Massage can be quite an emotional experience if you are carrying unresolved birth trauma.
Sometimes that doesn’t come to the surface for years down the track. Sometimes it’s not until you return with a subsequent pregnancy. If you feel you need extra talking time in addition to the bodywork, you can book 30 or 60 mins extra for Emotional Support to be done in conjunction with the massage, wherever you are along the spectrum of motherhood.
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Please note - if you are new and can't find a space for the longer initial consultation option, you can book the Return Client option, but you just won't receive the extra 30 mins for the footspa and consult. However you will at least get the 75 mins massage.
How soon can I have a Postnatal Massage?
Postpartum Massage is safe after birth and no waiting time is necessary. The beautifully supportive and superior quality specialist postnatal cushioning sits on top of the table and helps avoid pressure on engorged breasts and cesarean scars, allowing for a far superior experience than regular massage tables.
Checkout WHEN to see precautions which may be relevant to you before booking your Embodying Motherhood Massage experience.
You also might like a postnatal massage package with payment plans designed to make it affordable for you to receive ongoing physical and emotional support.
Why should I have a Postnatal Massage?
The research based benefits of postnatal massages are plentiful. They can help you reduce and stay free from anxiety, postnatal depression or baby blues. Postpartum massages release the mood enhancer neurotransmitter Seratonin, has the benefit of stabilising mood, appetite, digestion, sleep, memory and sexual desire.
Mother Earth Massage founder Suzie has witnessed many other benefits to hundreds of women since 2010, including
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Healing and integrating physical and emotional birth pain when birth or attachment does not go according to plan
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Treat specific musculoskeletal problems which arise as the body's posture returns to its pre-pregnancy state
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Reset your posture after birth by releasing muscles that were locked into a long or short position, for example, your lower back muscles can shorten as the lordosis or back arch increases during pregnancy. It seems obvious that these tight, shortened lordosis needs releasing to help free you from lower back pain post birth.
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Release hip or joint pain, which may occur as the levels of relaxin start to decrease in the first few days after birth and the ligaments and cartilage begin to return to their pre-pregnant position
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Reduce pain in your neck and shoulders, which may result from nursing and carrying your newborn or toddler
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Reduce occurrence of postpartum headaches, which often occur during the early weeks
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Stabilise the pelvis and hips as the centre of gravity realigns itself. Generally, hypermobility of the joints stabilises between six and eight weeks, although relaxin may remain in the body for four to six months, or for the duration of breastfeeding.
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Helps the hormones begin to settle following the initial surge of oxytocin to support bonding. Promote the continuing release of labour-induced hormones that repair the immune system
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Stress inhibits the production of prolactin, diminishing supply of breast milk. Oxytocin (OT) is a hormone known to facilitate social bonding, and touch can affect oxytocin release. Oxytocin triggers the drop down reflex of milk, making it easier for you to breastfeed your baby. Learn which acupressure points to stimulate to encourage oxytocin release and how to self-massage your breasts to open blocked ducts and reduce the risk of mastitis.
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Stimulate a sluggish circulatory system to eliminate toxins
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Encourage the removal of any remaining fluid, pain and swelling in the joints
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Help you to feel grounded and centred and increase your body image confidence
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Aid the healing of a Cesarean birth scar by keeping the connective tissue pliable and flexible. The benefits of massage in the first six weeks, after the initial acute pain of the cesarean passes, can help reduce the formation of adhesions between the soft tissue layers. Scar massage can enhance the aesthetic appearance, particularly with the support of some specific essential oils. It can help eliminate fibrosis and encourage emotional connection and healing energy into the site of trauma​
When is Postnatal Massage Safe?
Contraindications for postnatal massage
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Women with varicose veins or a history of venous obstruction. Blood clots in the calves can be present for up to 10 weeks postpartum. Massage is still allowed, however the style is changed on the legs. Acupressure points are used to expedite removal of fluid waste. Firm pressure as desired can be used on the rest of the body.
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Infection and fever and excessive bleeding
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Scar tissue (cesarean) and pelvic floor (episiotomy) sensitivities during the acute first 7 days
The emotional balance you will feel by taking time to yourself to nurture your body and feel supported emotionally cannot be over-stated. Book your massage session in or you can connect with me to discuss your individual needs.
You might also like to check out Suzie Blog HERE on "What to Expect When you're No Longer Expecting" about the massage experience during different postnatal stages.
