The Benefits of Pregnancy Reflexology: Mel Williamson

You may have heard about the amazing benefits of having Reflexology during pregnancy, there are numerous advantages for the pregnant woman as our bodies change so much throughout pregnancy, it’s no wonder we feel more aches and pains than usual.

Melissa Williamson, one of our specialist maternity therapists at The Bath Massage Company, explains more:

Pregnancy Reflexology is a non-invasive, gentle therapy that can help to treat the whole body, not just the feet! And if, like many pregnant women, you don’t want a body massage,reflexology allows all these niggling ailments to melt away through a relaxing, therapeutic foot massage.

A session typically lasts 60 minutes during which time the client is sitting comfortably, supported with pillows. A full history of the client will be taken in order to address the main pregnancy related issues, as well as any other ongoing issues the client may be experiencing. As well as allowing the body the time to relax, the treatment will also encourage better circulation throughout the body and decrease any swelling or build of fluid that typically occurs during pregnancy. The benefits of pregnancy reflexology are vast, but common ailments which reflexology can help include:

Respiratory – during pregnancy it is common to experience rhinitis of pregnancy which makes it hard to breathe. By working the sinus reflex points on the feet, congestion can be reduced and kept under control.

Muscular
– as the baby grows and pushes on the diaphragm, there is often discomfort in breathing and shortness of breathe. The reflex point for the diaphragm can be worked on to help soothe this discomfort.

Skeletal – as pregnancy hormones kick in, and as the body starts to change shape the bone structure is compromised. It is very normal to experience lower back pain and hip pain. By working the spinal reflex and the hip reflex on the foot the client can feel relief in these areas.

Neural
– many pregnant mums experience sciatic pain often as a result of the piriformis muscle pushing against the nerve due to changes in the pelvic structure. This can be incredibly uncomfortable and can continue post pregnancy if not dealt with effectively.

Digestion – Pregnancy hormones cause the bowel muscles to relax, making it hard for them to work efficiently, and as the baby grows, room for all the organs is reduced, often causing digestive issues, mainly constipation. By working the reflex points for the stomach and small and large intestines better digestion can be encouraged.

Lymphatic – fluid build up and poor circulation can cause swelling especially in the legs and feet.

These points outline the benefits for prenatal reflexology, but pregnancy reflexology isn’t just for mums-to-be, it is a very effective post-natal treatment as the body is now being tested in a very different way, including possible breastfeeding, holding a new baby, pushing a pram, and feeling overwhelmed and exhausted. It is a wonderfully relaxing treatment, and can really help with fatigue, milk production, digestion and back problems, especially aches and pains from carrying and feeding baby.

It is not advised to have treatments before the second trimester, however, reflexology can help with nausea, fatigue and relaxation in the first trimester”

New team member – Mel Williamson

We are very (very) excited to announce that we have a new member of the team…introducing Mel Williamson.

Mel trained here in Somerset, where she completed the ITEC Level 3 Diploma in Holistic Massage. She has been practicing in St. Kitts for the past few years where she partnered with local practitioners to expand her knowledge base and create an individual style blending deep tissue, Swedish, active release therapy, and trigger point therapy.

Her extensive practice and broad client base allows Mel to address conditions with the most efficacious techniques, leading to rapid, lasting results and permanent resolutions of not only symptoms, but also the underlying causes.

Mel also specialises in care of pregnant women, and completed a specialist course in antenatal and postnatal care in London, and she also gained the ITEC Level 3 Reflexology Diploma to compliment her treatments and provide yet another avenue to healing the body naturally.

Mel not only addresses the physical structure through various massage techniques and reflexology, but also incorporates diet and stress management techniques to help create a lifestyle that is not draining but rather rejuvenating. This results in more energy, more productivity, and a happier work and home life.

Treatments available with Mel include: Swedish massage, Deep Tissue massage, Reflexology, Pregnancy Reflexology and Pregnancy Massage.

We are delighted to welcome Mel into our team x

New Warm Bamboo Treatment now available

Have you heard of Bamboo Massage? Our amazing therapist Kasia Gigon is now offering this unique massage treatment from our Bath venue.

If you’re wondering what is it, pieces of smooth bamboo are gently heated and used for kneading tight muscles and rolling out tension.

Sounds painful? Not at all, the bamboo is surprisingly pliable and you’ll find yourself wondering if it’s Kasia’s hands or the bamboo that’s kneading and massaging you! Read all about this lovely new treatment here.

A clients view

If you are pregnant and have been thinking about potentially doing a Hypnobirthing course but are unsure if it’s for you, or how it works, read on to hear a first hand account from a very happy client who recently did the course with Polly and had a beautiful, positive birth using all the learnt techniques. 

“Without hypnobirthing, I would not have been prepared for giving birth at all. This was my first baby, and I was going through my pregnancy focusing on what life would be like as a mother, blocking out thoughts about the actual birth. This until I met my sister’s friend, who made me realise I was suppressing thoughts of the birth out of fear, and that I should absolutely prepare myself through hypnobirthing: she regretted not doing so with her first, and had a much better experience with her second thanks to the relaxation techniques she’d learnt.

Luckily, upon moving to Bath, I found Polly, who was the perfect guide along the hypnobirthing journey. She is a kind and gentle person whose methods really put my partner and I at ease around the other people who attended the course.

Thanks to hypnobirthing, I was able to cope with a) the discomfort and b) the unexpected elements of my birth in a much calmer way than I otherwise would have. (These being a strong urge to push at 7cm dilated that completely took over due to my waters not breaking fully and an amniotic sac fooling my body into thinking it was the baby’s head! This meaning the baby was in the birth canal for longer than would have been ideal, and his heart rate had to be monitored on the way out.)

In spite of this, I was able to give in to the situation and take control at the same time – give in to what my body was doing but also push things (literally) along with my strong willpower and determination, narrowly avoiding a ventouse and episiotomy! There was no fear or panic, I just gave in to what my body was doing with some help from gas and air, and I know that I would have panicked without the preparation I received thanks to Polly’s help.

The classes consisted of a great mix of audio (mp3s and Polly reading passages to send you off into a relaxing trance), visual (birth videos), and kinaesthetic content (practical breathing exercises, practising birthing positions, showing partners where to massage the lower back, etc), as well as group conversations and lecture-style slides. We found this mixture of teaching techniques very stimulating.

Hypnobirthing is not an airy fairy technique, it includes pragmatic scientific knowledge about birthing as well as the promotion of mindfulness during this all-important phase of a woman’s life!

Finally, I benefitted from the very nice and relaxing venue, its perfect location in the centre of Bath, and appreciated the lovely home-made snacks you made. Thank you Polly for contributing positively to my birthing experience”.

Patricia, Bath

New online booking

IMG_0734We have now launched an online booking service where you can check our availability and book your appointment with ease.

You can use the BOOK page on our homepage to make all your bookings, and your details will be securely kept on our system making it even easy each time you book.

Selfcare – using a foam roller

Using a foam roller in between your massage appointments with a therapist can help maintain relaxed muscles and prevent them from tightening back up.

2._massage-420x420_0At The Bath Massage Company our therapists, Jo and Kasia, can prescribe specific foam rolling exercises to cater to your personal needs and course of treatment. We also stock and sell foam rollers at our venue. Here’s a little article on some exercises to get you started before your next treatment!

https://www.shape.com/fitness/workouts/10-ways-use-foam-roller

 

Essential oils for August

Image may contain: plant and natureAt The Bath Massage Company, we carefully select our essential oils to provide the best complement to your treatment. The right oils not only provide warmth and added relaxation but will also help to ease pain and reduce muscle inflammation especially effective in our sports massage. As essential oils are absorbed into the body, this also means their effects continue long after your massage!

We’re currently enjoying geranium – used for its warmth, balancing and lifting low moods, it is great for the skin and has also been known to reduce the appearance of wrinkles.

New weekend opening

IMG_4210We are delighted to announce that from April 1st 2017 we will be JOGRN_a
open on Saturdays at our Bath clinic on George Street.

Jo Greenwood has joined the Bath Massage Co team and will be available for treatments including relaxing Swedish massage and Deep Tissue massage.

Booking is essential for Saturday appointments so please get in touch to book.

 

 

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