There is nothing more beautiful than an expectant mother and nothing more sacred than the new life of a child. A woman’s body goes through many changes during pregnancy and after the delivery, as does her mental and emotional state. Research has shown that massage lowers anxiety, decreases back pain, helps with leg pain, improves sleep and decreases stress. Incorporating stones significantly enhances a prenatal massage.

As beneficial as massage is during pregnancy there are many considerations to take into account when massaging manually or with stones. This article focuses on clarifying contraindications for prenatal stone massage.

It is most important to be aware that all contraindications that apply for manual massage also apply for stone massage.

• You should avoid massage during the first trimester when miscarriages are most likely to occur. Massage itself will not cause a miscarriage, but the therapist needs to be mindful of liability.
• Hot stones should not be used on the abdomen; only very light pressure with hands is recommended. In the last trimester, therapists may feel the baby move toward their hands.
• Do not perform a full body massage, especially in the late stages of pregnancy; spot work is recommended.
• Therapists should avoid the reflex points on feet, ankles and hands.
• Do not raise the core temperature of the body.
• Implement extreme vigilance when massaging the legs. Do not implement deep tissue massage or tapotement on legs especially the calf and inner thigh because of the increase danger of blood clots. Your massage strokes should always go toward the heart.
• Exercise extra caution with high risk clients and only with a doctor’s permission.
• Make the expectant mother comfortable by having her lie on her side and supporting her with pillows.

It is imperative to keep the core temperature stable when working on an expectant mother. The hot stones are a great tool for relieving muscle problems and calming the mother-to-be. A full body hot stone massage is contraindicated. A full body massage would raise the core temperature significantly and put the baby at risk. However, spot treatments with the stones are recommended for problem areas in the low back and neck. To sustain a normal core temperature while working with the hot stones, place cold stones under the hands, under the occipital ridge, and on the feet. If you are unable to keep the cold stones on the feet, then wrap the feet with a cold rag.

Cold stones offer extraordinary therapeutic value. During the gestation period, many women feel warmer than usual, so the application of cold marble stones provides a welcomed relief. The cold marble stones are valuable in releasing muscle strain and tightness.

During manual prenatal massage placement, stones are quite beneficial. Place warm or cold marble stones under the trapezes muscles or under the gluteus muscles. Remember to always use a barrier for hot placement stones. If the stone is warm, then it can be placed with caution; but remember to check that it is not too warm to damage the client’s skin. Cool or cold marble stones can be placed directly on the skin with no adverse effects. Marble is a soft stone and has the tendency to absorb the heat and inflammation from the body.

A therapist should have training and a certificate from a qualified instructor on prenatal massage before offering massage for a pregnant client. There are quality seminars available from many experienced instructors.

It is a gratifying experience to massage an expectant mother through her pregnancy. To work with her weekly or monthly to help keep her stress level down, and to keep her muscles relaxed and loose as they support the added weight gain and postural changes. Regular massages through pregnancy help to prepare the muscles for the hard work they will do at the time of delivery. The therapist can then follow up with postnatal massage which will help the new mother relax and get back in shape.