How do I know if antenatal massage is safe?

[Rhia30]

Everywhere seems to say that antenatal massage is safe and has positive physical & psychological benefits to you AS LONG AS the person doing massage knows they're doing. So how do I know this? Where / how do they have to be qualified for doing it properly? There are so many places who advertise this, I wouldn't want to take any risk - then I would spend the whole hour just worrying about it.

Am 19 weeks.

thanks so much!

Make sure they are qualified. They should have done a course in antenatal massage.

Not sure how long the course is but my massage therapist has done the course and I trust her.

Don't just go to any old masseuse.

Ask to see an antenatal massage qualification. Don't be satisfied with anything less. Some very thorough massage courses don't cover pregnancy at all.

Also, don't worry about asking to see it. These qualifications are quite difficult to get and any therapist worth their salt will be proud to show them off to you!

Yerh don't be fobbed off. Or if in doubt just have a bubble bath and chill.

Ask your MW for any recommendations. I was given a recommendation for a reflexologist who had been a MW, so knew exactly what she was doing.

My hosp offers them (they charge £5.00 to cover the oils) and it is done at the hosp - it is great just getting an hour to yourself to relax...roll on my next appointment!

That's great advice, thanks very much. Yes, I suppose I do feel a bit awkward and embarrassed to ask about the certificate but at same time can't take a risk....It's a health spa in a posh Health Centre and they only have one person "qualified" to do massages on pregnant women. So it does sound OK but...

I think they do Elemis prenatal massage ritual...

I called the spa who said the lady doing pregnancy massages has been trained through Elemis, to do the Elemis pregnancy massage.

Would you think this is good enough?

xx