Having a baby is an incredible experience for a woman to have.  In such a short time your body goes through numerous changes to allow for this new life to join the world we live in. Your body places demands on you that can be overwhelming, sometimes too overwhelming.  Throughout time, women have been helping women cope physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.  A Registered Massage Therapist (RMT) trained as a labour support worker (doula) may help to allow the pregnant woman to thoroughly enjoy her experience of being pregnant. 

Pregnancy massage is one way to help cope with the demands you are faced with so suddenly. Massage can help relieve the physical discomforts that come with being pregnant. The musculoskeletal aches and pains in the neck, shoulders, upper back, low back, glutes and legs can be minimized.  The numbness and tingling that may be experienced in the arms and hands as well as the retention of fluid in the legs and feet (sometimes arms and hands) can be lessened.  The elevated blood pressure can be reduced to within normal levels. The discomfort with breathing, because of the fetal placement, can be relieved as well.  Seeing an RMT, trained in pregnancy massage, regularly prior to your labour can be relaxing and educational.  Learning proper exercises and stretches designed specifically for the pregnant woman can help with the duration of the pregnancy and help aid in the labour and the postpartum experience. 

The hands on skills of your RMT as your doula can aid in both the medicated and unmedicated labour.  An experienced therapist can work with the labouring woman and empower her to cope with the intense stimulus of labour.  Pain perception can be decreased by using focused massage (touch) and other specific techniques.  The skilled touch can help reassure the labouring woman, impacting her psychological state and anxiety levels.  This in turn may help to stimulate her labour contractions.  Afterwards, your therapist can help to alleviate the musculoskeletal pains.

The overall experience of the pregnant woman from conception to birth is remarkable. Finding someone to help you through the longevity of your pregnancy can make your experience more pleasurable.  Investigate the alternative therapeutic modalities in your community.  Your RMT and trained doula maybe what you are looking for.