During both the pregnancy and postnatal period your body undergoes huge changes, and finding time to relax is essential to both mother and baby’s wellbeing.

Pregnancy can bring postural changes, and aches and pains such as backache, neck and shoulder pain, pelvic pain, swelling in legs and ankles, and carpal tunnel syndrome. Massage can help alleviate these symptoms.

Staying mobile and relaxed is a vital part of preparing for your birth experience, and massage along with appropriate exercise, can assist in this.

Massage plays a vital role in the postnatal period too- in many cultures a period of confinement is followed, which includes regular massage! But here new mums are often so busy they forget their body is still undergoing huge changes, and many of the pregnancy aches and postural changes linger on, as well the tiredness and emotional highs and lows that motherhood brings!

It’s easy to forget yourself with a new baby, and massage plays a crucial role in effective postnatal recovery,

As well as assisting in relaxation by reducing stress hormones, releasing tight and painful areas allows muscles to better re-align, meaning issues like abdominal separation (diastasis recti) can better heal.

While you enjoy your massage, your baby can be with you, but in order for you to get the most from your massage, it is better that there is someone that can look after your little one away from the treatment area.

Before we meet there is an in depth online health questionnaire, so that in the session we can spend as much time on the treatment as possible.

When we meet, we will discuss your needs in more depth, and I will do an assessment of your alignment. From this we can decide what kind of massage will be most beneficial.

Techniques I use include assisted stretches, soft tissue release, gentle stroking, deeper muscular work, and Instrument Assisted Massage (IAM).

I use the IAM tool to work on the soft tissue of the body during massage. It quickly releases fascia, which is a connective tissue that encompasses every muscle, ligament, tendon and organ in the body. Adhesions and tight spots can easily build up in this tissue, and IAM can help break these down. The goal is to stimulate the production of new collagen and less painful healing.

If you have had a c-section, if the scar is sufficiently healed then I can also do some scar massage. For more on this please see the scar massage section, but be aware this takes at least 30 minutes and often an hour, so a longer session will be needed if you want time for more massage work. Please get in touch to discuss options and see what would work for you.

I work as a mobile therapist and will come to you so please bear in mind I will need to be able to park reasonably close as I have the massage table to carry.

Sports Massage can help treat muscle soreness, stiffness, tension and injuries, be it from training or from stress or postural conditions.

Since quaifying as a Sports Massage Therapist in 2004 I have worked with clients ranging from dancers and athletes to office workers with the aches and pains that too long sat at a desk can give you!

I use a variety of methods, including deep tissue massage, trigger point therapy, assisted stretching, soft tissue release and Instrument Assisted Massage (IAM).

I use the IAM tool to work on the soft tissue of the body during massage. It quickly releases  fascia, which is a connective tissue that encompasses every muscle, ligament, tendon and organ in the body. Adhesions and tight spots can easily build up in this tissue, and IAM can help break these down.

IAM can also be used to create friction which can be used to add another stimuli close to an area of pain to help alleviate discomfort.  Friction also improves blood flow bringing oxygen and nutrients to the target tissue.

The goal is to stimulate the production of new collagen and less painful healing.

I also do scar massage, and since scars can significantly impact muslce function, this may be useful. For more on this please see the scar massage section, but be aware this takes at least 30 minutes and often an hour, so a longer session will be needed if you want time for more massage work. Please get in touch to discuss options and see what would work for you.

When booking a session you will be asked to complete an online health questionnaire. This helps to make sure we can spend as much time in the session in the assessment and treatment.

I work as a mobile therapist and will come to you so please bear in mind I will need to be able to park reasonably close as I have the massage table to carry.

Scar tissue can have a large impact on function (for more about c-section scars specifically see this blog) and there are huge benefits to having specific scar work done.

Scars can build adhesions with the surrounding tissue too, and as it is stronger than normal tissue it can restrict movement, meaning massage can help resolve related pain, such as lower back pain after a c-section or other abdominal surgery.

Scar massage can help with feelings of discomfort, leaving the area looser, softer and flatter. Depending on the size of the scar and how it responds to massage, the amount of time spent on the scar varies, and will be done alongside massage to other areas.

The treatment itself is relaxed and gentle, and if you dislike having your scar touched we can start around rather than on the scar, or even over a sheet, and over the course of a few sessions progress at a speed you’re comfortable with.

Improvements should be felt after just one treatment, but for best results a course of sessions is suggested, to allow the scar to continue to improve, and the body to adapt to the changes this can bring about.