Pregnancy is a journey of profound transformation. For many expectant mothers in Edmonton, it is a time of excitement, planning, and joy. But let’s be honest—it is also a time of significant physical strain.
As your baby grows, your center of gravity shifts, your hormones fluctuate, and your joints loosen. What felt like a minor backache in week 12 can evolve into a completely different set of challenges by week 35.
At Touch Massage & Wellness, our Registered Massage Therapists (RMTs) are specifically trained in the nuances of Prenatal Massage. We understand that “pregnancy massage” isn’t a one-size-fits-all service. The treatment plan for a mother glowing through her second trimester is vastly different from the relief needed by a mother counting down the days in her third.
If you are wondering when to book or what to expect, this guide breaks down the specific benefits, safety protocols, and therapeutic techniques used during the two most physically demanding phases of pregnancy.
The Foundation: Safety and Positioning
Before we dive into the specific trimesters, it is crucial to address the number one question we hear from new clients: “Is it safe, and how will I lay down?”
Comfort is the prerequisite for relaxation. If you are worried about your belly or feeling strain in your lower back, your muscles will guard themselves, negating the benefits of the massage.
The Art of Side-Lying
Once you enter your second trimester, laying flat on your stomach is no longer an option. Furthermore, laying flat on your back (supine) for extended periods can compress the vena cava—the major vein returning blood to your heart—causing dizziness and reduced oxygen flow to the baby.
To ensure absolute safety and comfort, our therapists utilize a side-lying position. This is the gold standard for prenatal care. You will be supported by a system of bolsters and pillows:
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Under the Head: To keep the neck neutral.
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Under the Belly: A wedge or pillow to support the weight of the baby, preventing drag on the lower back.
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Between the Knees: This is critical. By keeping the top leg parallel to the hip, we prevent rotation in the lumbar spine and relieve pressure on the sacrum.
This position doesn’t just keep you safe; it allows us access to the back, hips, glutes, and shoulders while you feel completely weightless and supported.
The Second Trimester: The “Golden Period” (Weeks 13–27)
The second trimester is often called the “golden period” of pregnancy. The nausea of the first trimester has usually subsided, and your energy levels have returned. However, this is also the time when the most rapid structural changes begin to occur.
The Hormone Factor: Relaxin
During this phase, your body ramps up the production of a hormone called Relaxin. As the name suggests, its job is to relax the ligaments in the pelvis to allow them to expand for the growing baby and eventual birth.
While necessary, Relaxin doesn’t discriminate. It loosens ligaments all over your body. This sudden instability forces your muscles to work overtime to stabilize your joints. You might feel “wobbly” or find that muscles in your hips and lower back are tighter than usual—they are essentially acting as a splint for your loosening joints.
Key Issues We Address in the Second Trimester
1. Round Ligament Pain
As your uterus expands, the round ligaments that support it (stretching from the front of the uterus to the groin) act like rubber bands being pulled to their limit. Sudden movements can cause a sharp, shooting pain in the lower abdomen or groin.
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How Massage Helps: While we do not massage the uterus directly, gentle release techniques on the surrounding hip flexors and attachments can reduce the tension on these ligaments, minimizing those sharp “catches.”
2. The Shift in Center of Gravity
As the baby bump becomes visible, your center of gravity shifts forward. To compensate, many women instinctively lean back, increasing the curve of their lower back (lordosis). This compresses the lumbar vertebrae and shortens the lower back muscles.
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How Massage Helps: Your therapist will focus on the Quadratus Lumborum (QL) and Erector Spinae muscles. Deep, slow stripping techniques help elongate these shortened muscles, allowing you to stand taller without pain.
3. Headaches and Shoulder Tension
Even though the bump is lower, the second trimester often brings tension headaches. Changes in blood volume and posture can cause the shoulders to round forward, trapping tension at the base of the skull.
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How Massage Helps: We utilize focused neck and shoulder work (often safe to do while you are briefly face-up with a wedge, or side-lying) to release the suboccipital muscles, reducing headache frequency.
The Third Trimester: The “Home Stretch” (Weeks 28–Birth)
Welcome to the third trimester. The baby is gaining weight rapidly, and the reality of birth is on the horizon. This stage is physically demanding. Space inside your torso is limited, impacting your breathing, digestion, and circulation.
The goal of massage therapy shifts here. While we still address muscle tension, we focus heavily on fluid dynamics, nerve pain, and nervous system sedation.
1. Battling the Swelling (Edema)
Swelling in the feet, ankles, and hands is a hallmark of the third trimester. Your blood volume has increased by up to 50%, and the heavy uterus puts pressure on the pelvic veins, making it difficult for blood and lymph fluid to travel from the legs back up to the heart.
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The Massage Solution: We utilize Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD) techniques. Unlike deep tissue work, this involves light, rhythmic pumping strokes moving from the feet toward the heart. This encourages the lymphatic system to uptake excess fluid, significantly reducing “cankles” and relieving the heavy, tight feeling in your legs.
2. The Sciatic Nerve Struggle
Sciatica is incredibly common in the third trimester. The sciatic nerve runs from your lower back, through your hips (specifically under the piriformis muscle), and down your leg. As the baby settles head-down into the pelvis, or as the piriformis muscle tightens to stabilize the wobbly pelvis, this nerve can get compressed.
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The Massage Solution: This is where our glute work shines. Working through the gluteus medius and piriformis can release the muscular vice-grip on the nerve. Clients often describe this sensation as a “hurts-so-good” release that instantly restores feeling to the leg.
3. Rib Cage Expansion and Breathing
As the uterus pushes upward, it displaces the diaphragm and forces the rib cage to flare outward. This can cause sharp pain in the intercostal muscles (the muscles between the ribs) and middle back pain.
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The Massage Solution: Gentle stretching of the rib cage and release of the thoracic muscles can make it easier to take a deep breath, providing much-needed relief from that feeling of breathlessness.
4. Preparing for Labor: The Nervous System
Perhaps the most critical benefit of third-trimester massage is stress reduction. High levels of cortisol (stress hormone) can increase tension and anxiety about the upcoming birth.
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The Massage Solution: By stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system, massage lowers blood pressure and heart rate. A relaxed body is a body prepared for labor. Many of our clients book appointments right up until their due date to ensure they enter labor in a state of calm.
Postpartum: The “Fourth Trimester”
We would be remiss if we didn’t mention what happens after the baby arrives. The “Fourth Trimester” is the 12-week period immediately following birth.
Your body has just performed a marathon. Your posture changes instantly again (no more baby bump counterweight), and you are now spending hours hunched over nursing or feeding a newborn. This leads to “Nursing Neck” and upper back agony.
Once you are cleared by your doctor or midwife, returning to Touch Massage & Wellness for postpartum care is essential. We help realign the pelvis, address C-section scar tissue (once healed), and provide you with a quiet, safe space to reconnect with your own body.
Frequently Asked Questions About Prenatal Massage
We know you have questions. Here are the answers to the most common concerns we hear from Edmonton moms-to-be.
Q: Can I get a massage in my first trimester? A: Yes, massage is generally safe in the first trimester, but many therapists and spas prefer to wait until the second trimester (week 13) due to the higher risk of miscarriage naturally associated with the first 12 weeks. Always consult your doctor first. At Touch Massage, we prioritize your peace of mind and safety above all else.
Q: Will the massage induce labor? A: This is a common myth. A standard relaxation or deep tissue massage will not induce labor. There are specific acupressure points (mostly around the ankles and sacrum) that are believed to stimulate contractions, but our RMTs are trained to avoid these areas unless you are specifically seeking an induction massage post-due-date and have medical clearance.
Q: Do you use special oils? A: We are very conscious that pregnancy heightens your sense of smell and can make skin more sensitive. We use hypoallergenic, unscented, or lightly scented organic oils. If you have a specific aversion to a scent, please let us know immediately.
Q: How often should I come? A:
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Second Trimester: Once a month is usually sufficient to manage structural changes.
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Third Trimester: Many clients increase frequency to every two weeks or even weekly as the due date approaches to manage swelling and sciatica.
Q: Is deep tissue safe during pregnancy? A: Yes, but with modifications. We can still perform effective, firm work on the shoulders, arms, and legs. However, we avoid deep, aggressive pressure on the lower back and abdomen. We use a “broad” pressure that feels deep and satisfying without being sharp or risky.
Conclusion: Honoring Your Body
Growing a human life is hard work. It requires energy, resilience, and patience. You do not have to “power through” the pain of pregnancy.
Whether you are navigating the structural shifts of the second trimester or the swelling and fatigue of the third, massage therapy is a powerful tool to help you enjoy this fleeting time.
At Touch Massage & Wellness, we are honored to be a part of your village. Our clinics in Edmonton (including our Tamarack Location) are ready to welcome you with warm linens, expert care, and the relief you deserve.
Take a moment for yourself before the baby arrives.
