Advanced Prenatal and Postnatal Massage
Pregnancy is a brilliant and transformative time. The pregnant body is constantly changing in order to accommodate and create life. As exciting as these changes can be, they can also cause physical and emotional stress. This is where prenatal massage can help!
Our Advanced Prenatal or Pregnancy Massage is perfect for those experiencing acute pain or discomfort related to the pregnancy. Examples are:
- Hip issues and pain
- SI joint sprains and pain
- Leg pain, tingling or numbness
- Low/Mid back pain
- Groin/Pubic pain
- Sciatica pain
Our Advanced Prenatal Massage is also recommended for those experiencing a more complicated or higher risk pregnancy.
Pregnancy Pillows
When you book the advanced Prenatal treatment our pregnant clients have the option of using the pregnancy massage pillows. This is a system of padding and bolsters that allow the pregnant person to safely lay in a face down position. This allows the client to fully relax in a safe and supported way. And of course, the treatment can also be performed in the side-lying position.
What is the difference between Prenatal and Advanced Prenatal Massage?
Kenny Karst, our Advanced Prenatal Massage RMT, has dedicated most of her/they continuing education to learning how to better treat clients throughout their pregnancy, and postpartum healing. These courses have expanded her knowledge of techniques to alleviate common acute injuries and pain, which can occur throughout the pregnancy. Examples of these more advanced treatments include:
- External pelvic floor work and education
- Direct abdominal work to alleviate pulling and pelvic pain
- Pelvic mobilization to alleviate low back and hip pain
- Breast/Chest work to decrease congestion and alleviate postural changes
- Decongestion techniques to help with swelling and fluid retention
Advanced Postpartum Massage Therapy
Congrats on the arrival of your little one! As you navigate parenthood, it's important to prioritize your own well-being, including your physical recovery. Here's what you can expect and how we'll tailor the treatments to your postpartum needs.
Assessment:
Before we begin, we'll conduct a thorough assessment to understand your individual needs and any specific areas of discomfort or tension. This may include discussing your birth experience, any lingering physical complaints, and your overall health and wellness goals.
Positioning:
During your massage, we'll ensure you're comfortably positioned to support your postpartum body. This may involve using pillows or bolsters to provide adequate support for areas such as your lower back, hips, and chest. Your comfort is our top priority.
Focus Areas:
We'll pay special attention to areas of the body that may have experienced increased tension or strain during pregnancy, labour and childbirth. This may include your lower back, hips, shoulders, and neck.
Healing takes time (whether you delivered vaginally, or by cesarean)
This is why we recommend 5 Step protocol, each focusing on a different component of postpartum recovery. The following is an example outline of what our treatment plan could look like. It’s important to note that all bodies are unique and at MyoCare, we meet you where you’re at. Please contact us if you have any questions, and we’ll be happy to help! >>>
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Step 1:
Gentle Recovery- We’ll check-in on your birth experience and areas of lingering discomfort
- A brief postural and movement assessment to further determine how to best help you (ie looking for imbalance, restriction, instability, etc)
- Emphasize relaxation techniques to assist in central nervous system regulation, promoting a better quality of sleep and reducing cortisol (stress hormone) levels
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Step 2:
Circulation Enhancement and Pain Relief- Lymphatic techniques to reduce possible swelling, common in the hands and feet
- Intro to breast/chest massage to alleviate pain and congestion. This is also to relieve pectoral tension and can encourage milk flow (if breast/chest feeding)
- Gaining specificity into areas of postural discomfort. This could include treating nerve compression syndromes (ie TOS, carpal tunnel, sciatica)
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Step 3:
External Pelvic Floor Rebalance- Our pelvic floor is a hammock of muscles (both internal and external) that support our organs and stabilize our core during movement
- Specific deep tissue, gentle joint mobilizations and myofascial work to the abdomen, hips/sacral area, low back, and upper inner thigh muscles can rebalance the pelvic floor
- Techniques to alleviate strain on the uterus, bladder and rectum, which can assist with incontinence and other urinary/digestive challenges
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Step 4:
Reconnecting to the Body- This begins with connecting to our breath. Through pregnancy, the diaphragm becomes compressed in the ribcage. Accessory breathing muscles in the front of the neck and chest work overtime to compensate
- Applying active release techniques to down-train the accessory muscles and re-train the diaphragm in order to breathe functionally
- Neuro feedback tools to wake-up muscles that have weakened/atrophied during the pregnancy (ie lower abdominals and glutes)
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Step 5:
Integration and Self-Maintenance- Pregnancy hormones (ie relaxin, progesterone) create laxity in the body to prepare for fetal growth/delivery, but can remain in the body for one whole year!
- After releasing tension, it’s important to stabilize and strengthen the body for injury prevention and to maintain good health overall
- We’ll offer therapeutic exercises, external resources and personalized recommendations so you can feel empowered in continuing your care
We know finding time for yourself can be difficult, so we can modify the length of the treatments to make it easier for you to receive the care you need. A Healthy Parent is vital to raising a little one, so if you can chisel out a bit of time for yourself, we are here to support you and guide you through your recovery
Meet our Massage Therapist: Kenny Karst ( She/They)
Kenny is passionate about supporting people throughout their pregnancy and beyond. An advocate for women and reproductive health, she/they also takes interest in how therapeutic touch can assist the birth and labour process. She/they has furthered her perinatal massage education with courses including: .
- Confidently Treating your Pregnant Clients (Lindsay Finnie, RMT, Guelph Prenatal Massage)
- Pelvic Health for Manual Practitioners - (Emily Czechowskyj and Sarah Hull, Pelvic Floor Physios)
- Intro to Birth and Labour Support (Doula Canada)
- Manual Therapy for Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction - (Mark Chee-Aloy, Con Ed Institute)
- Trauma-informed Care Workshop in allyship with @2SLQBTQ+ (Rainbow Health ON)
Kenny is committed to continual learning in order to provide care that is informed, effective and empowering.