We offer prenatal massage to our clients who are expecting here at Under Pressure Therapeutics, and there are some obvious and some not so obvious precautions we need to take. The biggest obvious precaution is the fact that a pregnant woman cannot lie on her baby belly face down to work her back! And expectant mothers desperately need their backs worked.
Enter the Prenatal Bolster Set!
It’s not super clear on the picture, but there is a depression in the 2 top cushions for the belly, and the separate cushions allow for larger bellies (when they are really large, like 9+ months pregnant large, we can put pillows under the cushions to allow for more drop for the baby belly) and there are 2 depressions at the top of the top cushion that relieve pressure on the breasts. This system supports you along the sternum and down the sides of the rib cage an on the hip bones, allowing the body to feel supported but not squished.
So if you aren’t pregnant, why would you want to use these in your session? Here are 5 great reasons to use the bolsters in your next session:
- You recently had abdominal surgery. A common reason to opt for the pillows is a recent (but not too recent) abdominal surgery. Hysterectomy, appendectomy, bowel obstruction, exploratory surgery, and gallbladder removal are just a few of the surgeries that feel better with little pressure lying down. Now, we don’t want to see you in the same week as a surgery; however, if your insides are still tender and you want a massage, we can help you be as comfortable as possible.
- You have a piercing / tattoo / body modification that’s tender. From breast augmentation to belly button piercings, sometimes it’s nice to just have less direct pressure on your tummy. It doesn’t need to be a new one – it can be a recently inflamed one. Sometimes a piercing can get caught on something and pull and just make you tender and sore. The prenatal pillows can allow for some tender care.
- You are going through breast cancer treatments. While the prenatal pillows focus more on a depression for your abdomen, there are the depressions for breasts. Lumpectomies and radiation treatments can not only be difficult to deal with emotionally, but having overly tender breast tissue due to a medical treatment plan can defer people from getting a relaxing massage.
- You are a larger person. Sometimes when you are carrying more weight than you’d like, lying on a flat table isn’t very comfortable. It puts pressure on your stomach, it’s difficult to have you back in a neutral position, the face cradle might be pulling your head forward and it’s not comfortable on your neck. Whatever your reasons for not feeling comfortable on a standard, flat table, prenatal pillows can allow extra cushion and comfort during your session.
- Injury. Head injuries are the most common where you might want the prenatal pillows. The reason being you want your head to stay elevated as you heal. Concussions especially need to be elevated in the early stages.
These are only a few of the reasons to try out the prenatal pillows. They are super comfortable and add a layer of cushion that could enhance your next massage experience. If you want to try them out and see if they add comfort to your massage session, talk to your massage therapist.