Labor Massage
The Happy Mama Place is a sanctuary for women during their pregnancy and postpartum journey.
The center offers a unique service known as labor massage, which is a specialized form of massage therapy designed to support women during labor and childbirth.
At The Happy Mama Place, I offer labor massage that goes beyond mere relaxation. It follows a holistic approach, taking care of both your physical and emotional well-being during this transformative period in your life. As a licensed massage therapist, certified doula, and HypnoBirthing educator, I bring my extensive experience and knowledge to provide this service. Rest assured, I am committed to ensuring your utmost comfort and care throughout your journey to motherhood.
The Happy Mama Place:
A haven for women during their pregnancy journey and beyond.
the center offers a unique service – labor massage. This specialized form of massage therapy is designed to support women throughout the stages of labor and childbirth.
Labor massage at The Happy Mama Place, offered by Jessica Ann, a licensed massage therapist, certified doula, and HypnoBirthing educator, is more than just about relaxation. It’s a holistic approach that promotes both physical and emotional well-being during one of the most transformative periods in a woman’s life.
Jessica has certifications from renowned prenatal and labor massage therapist Elaine Stillerman, Spinning Babies, and Mayo Fascia of the Pelvis, making her an expert in providing this service with utmost care and comfort.
The labor massage at The Happy Mama Place is deeply rooted in the principles established by Elaine Stillerman. With over 30 years of experience pioneering prenatal and labor massage therapy, Stillerman emphasizes the power of touch and its ability to alleviate pain, reduce stress, and promote overall well-being during labor.
Let’s take a deeper look into how labor massage can help during the early stages of labor, active labor, and the transition stage of labor:
Relaxation through Massage
The cornerstone of my massage approach during early labor is relaxation—a crucial factor in facilitating labor progression. I will help you relax the masseter and temporalis muscles of the jaws, the shoulder girdle and chest muscles, as well as those of the hands, feet, thighs, and lower back.
Interestingly, relaxation also extends to specific body parts. For instance, a relaxed jaw has been linked to having a relaxed pelvis, which in turn aids in the opening of the cervix 5. Relaxing the pelvic floor during birth can also help combat tightness and tension that may build up, further facilitating the labor process 6.
Labor discomfort typically originates in the lower thoracic spine and upper lumbar sympathetic nerves, which are linked to the uterus and cervix. As the uterus contracts, sensations may be felt in the lumbosacral region, iliac crests, gluteal areas, and down the thighs. These discomforts usually occur during contractions, but some birthing mothers may experience them between contractions.
Between 25% to 65% of birthing mothers experience back labor, often associated with uterine changes, uterine ischemia, distention, or the fetal occiput posterior presentation as the fetal head stretches the sacroiliac (SI) joint ligaments.
Early Labor Stage: Enhancing Comfort and Control
During the early stages of labor, mobility and positional changes every 30 minutes can significantly enhance your comfort. These adjustments speed up the labor process by leveraging gravity and the varying layers of the pelvis. An upright position not only increases your sense of control but also provides a more comfortable experience. Movement helps to alleviate discomforts and reduce muscle tension, ensuring excellent fetal alignment with the pelvis and adequate oxygen supply for the baby.
Massage: A Blend of Pleasure and Pain Relief
My massage therapy during early labor stages aims to flood your body’s sensory systems with signals of pleasure, overshadowing the pain. Since your body can only accommodate one sensation at a time, using counterpressure with a sacral lift on the sacrum can override pain messages and reduce the pressure of the fetal head on the spinal nerves. I also use pressure point techniques to alleviate lower back pain.
Managing Anxiety and Fear with Massage
Labor can often bring on feelings of anxiety and fear. Gentle, soothing massage strokes promote relaxation, helping you remain calm and focused. Numerous studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of massage therapy during pregnancy in reducing depression and anxiety. By choosing my services, you’re taking a step towards a more comfortable and controlled labor experience.
Active Labor:
As your labor progress and enters the active phase there is a noticeable shift in your contraction pattern and emotional response. As labor progresses to the active phase, contractions become stronger, longer, and closer together. Feelings of anxiousness or being trapped are common to experience. You may find yourself leaning on others for support to meet your needs. This too is perfectly natural. You may exhibit fatigue and can not seem to get comfortable or a sense of relief no matter what you do.
During active labor the my goal is to keep you calm, comfortable and focus meeting your needs with understanding, nurturing and respect creating a greater sense of control over your labor resulting in heighten self-eestem and higher birth satisfaction.
Just as in early stages of labor changing positions every 30 minutes is essential and reduces the length of early stages of labor by 1/3 due to increase the efficiency of your contractions. In addition, during active labor I am focusing on the pelvis making sure to create extra space to help baby effortlessly naviagate through the pelvis into the birth path.
Massage during active stage of labor I am focusing on bodywork on your anterior superior iliac spine (ASIS) and sacrum. The use of hot and cold compresses on your lower back with help with overriding the pain stimuli with pleasure messages. I bring together the ligaments of SI joint being overstretched by the head of baby against the sacrum to repositions the SI joint and opens the pelvic outlet.
Massage during this stage can significantly reduce pain. Techniques such as effleurage, a light pressure over the body, can be used to stroke the client’s back, abdomen, or limbs, providing comfort and relief. Back massage in particular has been proven effective in reducing pain during this stage. Using
Transition Stage of Labor:
The transition stage of labor is the shortest stage of labor but at the same time the most intense, with contractions coming quickly and leaving little time for rest making this stage the hardest stage to navigate through. This stage can last anywhere from 5 to 25 contraction.
During this stage it is common for mom to feel defeated and can not endure any more. It’s the surge of hormones that causes the mind to play tricks on us. Making us believe that we cant do this anymore. We just want things to be over.
Massage during this stage can provide emotional support and reassurance, helping the mother-to-be cope with the intensity of this phase. It’s also during this stage that techniques from Spinning Babies can be incorporated. These techniques aim to optimize the baby’s position for birth, making labor more efficient and comfortable.
The labor massage at The Happy Mama Place is a unique and beneficial service for expectant mothers. By combining the principles of Elaine Stillerman, Spinning Babies, and John Barnes Mayo Fascia of the Pelvis with Jessica’s expertise, The Happy Mama Place provides a supportive and empowering environment for women during their birth journey.
Offers & Packages
Onsite
Mobile
Flexible Scheduling
I try to be as flexible as possible for all of our clients! Sometimes arrangements can be made for emergencies outside of regular business hours. I also always make sure we’re available for contact 24/7.
Get In Touch!
Contact The Happy Mama Place today with any questions, concerns, or to book an appointment!
