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Designed by former doula Sophie Messager (read her eloquent explanation of why here) and osteopath Teddy Brooks, the postnatal recovery massage aims to help the body heal and come back together after birth, while also honouring each unique birth journey and giving space for invaluable reflection.
In addition to the huge life transformation a new baby brings, the body undergoes big changes during pregnancy and birth. The hormone relaxin softens joins and ligaments, while organs find new positions and arrangements to make room for a growing womb. The ribs flare to create space, the spine curves to offset the change in the body's centre of gravity, the pelvis widens and stretches. The bladder slides lower while the stomach rides high. The abdominal muscles often separate and open, and new pressures are placed on the hip bones and pelvic joints. Breast tissue grows significantly in anticipation of a new mouth to feed. The lungs expand to bring in more oxygen, and the volume of blood in the body increases 40-50%, sometimes even doubling, in order to bring vital nourishment to the placenta and growing baby. Over the course of 9(ish) months, a pregnant woman's body will achieve this incredible feat of creation, adapting dynamically along the way, culminating in the profound changes of birth (whether vaginal or abdominal).
And after all of this, we are so often expected to just carry on as if nothing has happened! Most of us get only the most cursory 6-week checkup after birth, which sometimes doesn't include any direct examination of the body at all. And when we do flag issues, the frustrating answer we so often hear is that nothing can be done. It is left up to us so somehow work out alone how to "get our body back". But the body has been profoundly altered, and many of us find it difficult or even impossible to go "back". Some of that is because we underestimate as a society the transformative power of pregnancy and motherhood, but some of that difficulty comes because we also underestimate the need to actively nurture the postpartum body in order to help it recover.
Each technique in the postnatal recovery massage has been designed with respect for the physiology and biomechanics of the body to help move it along its healing post-birth journey. Rocking, wrapping, and hands-on work combine to help loosen ligaments, re-align joints, shift the pelvis and ribcage back into alignment, bring the abdominal muscles together again, lift the bladder, help with lymphatic drainage of excess fluid, soothe the nervous system, and restore range of movement. This can have powerful affects on common post-birth complaints, including musculoskeletal aches, night sweats, painful periods, slow let-down, diastasis recti, even stress incontinence! These benefits can be seen when the massage is given days, weeks, months, or even years after birth.
The process of the massage also provides parents with time to rest away from their responsibilities, to be taken care of for a change, to reflect on their birth, and to release and process any and all feelings that might arise as a result. It is often a profoundly healing experience, not only physically but also emotionally. If you're feeling amazing about your birth, this massage can honour your incredible journey. If your feelings are more mixed, or actively painful, the gentle nurture and care you receive during body work is often invaluable as you begin to move forward.
Each session includes a chat and debrief beforehand to help me understand your unique history, an hour long massage, including time to rest while wrapped (a soothing experience most of us haven't had since childhood!), and some time afterwards to talk about any emotions or thoughts that may have come up. For those looking for a more in-depth or spiritual honouring of their motherhood journey, this massage can also be embedded within a longer ceremony, often referred to as Closing the Bones.
If you're ready to invest some time to take care of yourself, get in touch so we can put you on your healing path!
You can check how much it costs here.
Open today | 09:00 – 17:00 |