Weavers’ House Spa Director Alex Hurt explores what it takes to give some TLC for the mum-to-be
We are celebrating mums-to-be this March, because we want to share how we can hold your hand through this nine month stretch with so many changes. Pregnancy, although magical can be an emotional time and not just for the mum-to-be. Hormonal changes trigger responses in the body which can feel out of control and blood volume increases by 30-50% during pregnancy, which causes a domino effect with increased heart rate and swelling effecting many mamas!
So, how can we help? Throughout pregnancy there are many postural changes, due to the increase in weight and a little person growing at a speedy rate inside your tummy. This can cause changes to your muscular and skeletal system, making it fatigued and tight. The additional weight also encourages external rotation of the hip joints and, in an effort to prevent falling forward, hyper extension of the knees occurs, which often causes cramping in calf muscles.
Some women develop temporary scoliosis from foetal positioning preferences. As early as the tenth week the hormone ‘relaxin’ is released into the bloodstream, which causes softening of the ligaments supporting the hips, therefore back pain radiating from the pelvic region is extremely common… cue our specially trained therapists to step in and ease your pain.
Pre-natal massage has some seriously sensational benefits that we would like to share with you:
Relief from back pain, neck and shoulder strain
Improved digestion
Reduced swelling
Reduced anxiety and overall feelings of depression
Improved sleep
Improvement of nerve pain
Reduced muscle tension and headaches
Improves labour outcome
Most of us love the idea of a treatment, it not only ‘feels good’ but it’s really good for you too. If you came to see us monthly over the long stretch (after the first trimester), we can hold your hand all the way and provide all the TLC you need. Whether it be puffy legs from knees to toes, lower backs in bits, or stretched out skin, we can advise, relax and make you feel great. Our therapists are specially trained in a range of five treatments dedicated to hot mamas, and we use an amazing range of products from basq NYC.
If your pregnancy isn’t so straight forward (you aren’t alone), we suggest you consult your doctor prior to ensure that treatments are safe for you, and we ask for a letter from your doctor. Our therapists are trained to carefully know where we can massage and where we can’t. The slightest pressure point can induce labour, so when choosing your spa, do ensure that the therapists are specialist trained. Deep pressure during pregnancy is a no-no. We offer a light to medium pressure in our pregnancy treatments and don’t recommend the use of heat facilities as we always err on the side of caution.
So, if you or someone you know is going through the BIG stretch…. we are here to hold their hand. To celebrate Mother’s Day if you purchase two basq In The Moment massages (75 mins/£110) you will receive a complimentary basq Remedy For Tired Legs (30 mins/£48), T&Cs apply.
For more details, call us on 01787 246 246, email weavers@theswanatlavenham.co.uk or visit www.theswanatlavenham.co.uk.