Hot Stone Massage while Pregnant

pollyanna24

I have just found out that I am pregnant.

I had a hot stone massage over the weekend and after looking it up on the internet, it was something I should not do while pregnant.

I feel fine, but what kind of damage might I have done?!

pigpen

in a word.. none...

It is probably advised against because they are hot if you get hot you may get dizzy and faint..

Or in later months lying on your tummy isn't advisable.. but by then it isn't possible either.

shelley_crow

My OH is doing a massage course at college, his class was told not to massage women in the first trimester. IIRC this was more to do with their insurance than anything else.

Don't worry and just mention it to the doctor/midwife when you see one. x

galvanizersbaby

Congratulations OP - hope all goes well for you x

pollyanna24

Thanks guys. What about any of the oils that were used? Aren't they supposed to be bad?

claireac

I'm a qualified but not practising massage therapist, although not hot stone.

Basically it's not advisable to massage during the first 12 weeks due to the risk of miscarriage, although (as a mum of 3) it would have to be a very vigorous and painful massage to do this!! As pp said, it is mainly for insurance purposes.

Which essential oils did you use?? Most are fine x

xmaslolly76

I shouldnt overly worry most of the advise is just cautionary and a one off probably wouldnt have done any harm. Think about how many women dont know they are pregnant and still go out clubbing and on benders before they find out and thats probably alot more harmfull than one massage and their pregnancies still go smoothly :-)

And Congratulations ;-)

JoJoB

There is thought to be a small risk with some aromatherapy oils in terms of causing early labour/miscarriage, but these oils most likely wouldn't have been used in a hot stone massage anyway. And there are certain pressure points which shouldn't be touched on pregnant women for the same reason. But on balance the massage was probably very good for you!

You are supposed to avoid extremes of temperature because baby can't regulate its own body temperature yet in the womb, but a hot stone massage is only going to have a slight warming temperature overall so don't panic. I'd been going in a hot tub at the gym every day before I found out I was 2 months pregnant! And most women panic in the early stages thinking about all the alcohol they've been drinking.

I'm sure the massage won't affect anything (I'm an ex-practitioner).

Congratulations!

clairec79

If you were going to miscarry as a result it would have happened so stop worrying