Prenatal Massage

Prenatal massage is massage adapted for pregnancy. Positioning, pressure, and pacing change so you can be supported while your body carries weight in unfamiliar places. Low backs, hips, feet, and shoulders often ask for attention as sleep gets harder. In my experience, most people who book are not looking for a certain kind of pressure. They want a quiet hour where nothing is asked of them. I keep the framing honest: this is comfort and relaxation work, not medical treatment. It can sit alongside the care you are getting from your OB or midwife, but it does not replace it. You can read more about my training and credentials on the About Erika page.

Prenatal massage is for pregnancy, with side-lying positioning, bolstering, and comfort-led pacing. Postpartum massage is for after delivery, when the session can be shaped around the tension of feeding, carrying a newborn, and changing daily posture. If you are pregnant now, this is your page. Once baby arrives, the postpartum page picks up where this one leaves off.

Side-lying positioning means resting on your side rather than flat on your back or stomach. It is the anchor of prenatal work at my studio. You have support under your head, between your knees, and around your belly. We switch sides partway through and adjust until the setup feels good, not merely tolerable. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says massage is generally safe during pregnancy and identifies side-lying as the best position in its pregnancy massage guidance. Bolstering is the pillow setup that supports your body in that position. A pillow under the belly, one between the knees, and support at the head can change whether your hip and low back get to let go. I noticed that a small adjustment in the first few minutes often matters more than trying to push through an almost-comfortable position. If your shoulder needs another angle or your neck wants another pillow, we change it. You do not have to tough out a position to get a massage.

Later in pregnancy, lying flat can make some people feel unwell. Supine hypotensive syndrome is the term for symptoms that can happen when the weight of the uterus compresses a major blood vessel while a person lies on their back. That is one reason prenatal work is commonly set up on the side. The American Massage Therapy Association explains this positioning consideration in its massage and pregnancy article. If a position does not feel right, say so. We stop and reset.

Pressure stays moderate and responsive. I pay attention to what you tell me and check in more often than I would in a standard session. If your feet have been carrying the day, we can spend time there. If your low back and hips are the noisy part, we work around them in the position that keeps you comfortable. Most clients tell me that being able to change the plan is a relief. You may arrive wanting focused low-back work and find that slower work around the hips feels better. That's useful information, not a failed plan — nothing is set in stone when you walk in.

Which trimester you're in can shape what feels comfortable on the table, but it isn't a booking rule I make for you. I do not use a one-size-fits-all week cutoff. The question I get most often is whether there is a right week to begin. Your OB or midwife knows your pregnancy and can tell you whether massage is appropriate now, especially if you are in your first trimester, have a higher-risk pregnancy, or are being monitored for something specific. Checking with your provider is not a formality. It gives you a plan that belongs to your actual pregnancy, rather than a rule pulled from the internet. The Cleveland Clinic overview of prenatal massage also encourages a conversation with your pregnancy-care provider. Bring up any guidance they give you when you book and again when you arrive. I would rather make a careful adjustment than pretend every pregnancy asks for the same thing. Their guidance comes first.

When you arrive, we start with a short conversation. Tell me what has been bothering you, how far along you are if you want to share it, and what your provider has told you. I explain the side-lying setup before you get on the table. You stay comfortably draped, and there is time to settle in without rushing through the part that makes the session work. I learned that people usually know what feels off, even if they do not have a perfect name for it. Tired hips and a hard time getting comfortable at night are enough for us to begin.

Thirty, sixty, and ninety-minute appointments are available. Thirty minutes can fit when you want focused time and do not have much room in the day. Sixty minutes often gives us space to settle in, change sides, and work at a pace that does not feel rushed. Ninety minutes can work well when you want more time to move slowly through several areas. We can also pause to sit up or change a pillow. The setup stays responsive from start to finish. You do not need to arrive with a perfect script for what you need. I ask the useful follow-up questions, then keep checking in as we go. And after pregnancy, if you want a gentler full-body rhythm, Swedish massage is a good next step.

Prenatal massage appointments are in my Murrieta studio at 25109 Jefferson Ave, Suite 120. This is in-office care by appointment, not mobile or walk-in massage. If you are coming from Temecula or nearby, leave enough time to arrive without rushing. A few quiet minutes at the start make it easier to settle into the setup. Book through Square when you are ready, or use the contact page for hours and ways to reach me. If your provider has told you to wait or given you specific instructions, follow that guidance. We can find a time once you have their okay. You don't have to figure out the perfect session on your own — that's what I'm here for.

Most of the anxiety I hear about prenatal massage is really about logistics: how you'll lie, whether it's safe, whether you'll have to explain yourself. For example, side-lying with proper bolstering is comfortable for almost everyone, and it takes about a minute to set up. I learned to answer the positioning question before it is asked, because people are often too polite to raise it.

Before you book, it is worth knowing where I stand on what massage does. For most healthy adults it is comfortable, low-risk care, and the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health puts the risk of harmful effects as low (NCCIH, 2024). The same source is candid that the evidence for pain relief is mixed rather than settled, and I would rather tell you that than oversell an hour on my table. If you want to know who you are booking with, my about page covers my training and certification, and the contact page has the map, current hours, and a short inquiry form. So please do look me up first — I'd rather you arrive feeling confident about who you're booking with.

At a glance

• Monday, Tuesday, Thursday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
• Saturday and Sunday: 8:00 AM - 8:00 PM
• Wednesday and Friday: closed
• Sessions from $85; the traditional 90-minute hot stone session is $160
• In-office only, by appointment, at 25109 Jefferson Ave Ste 120, Murrieta