A good prenatal massage begins before any hands-on work does. It begins with a short, honest conversation about how your pregnancy is going and what your body would like out of the next hour.
This article is educational and is not medical advice. It is simply a guide to what tends to be useful to share, so you can walk in without wondering whether you forgot something important.
Helpful Things to Mention
On the pregnancy and health side:
- your stage of pregnancy
- whether the pregnancy has been considered high-risk
- any restrictions your provider has given you
- recent changes in your health
- complications or concerns being monitored
- significant swelling
- blood-pressure concerns
- recent hospitalization or procedures
- pain that is new, severe, or unexplained
On the comfort and preference side:
- preferred positioning and what has been comfortable lately
- areas you do or do not want worked
- pressure preferences
- previous massage experiences, good or otherwise
You Don’t Need to Know Medical Terminology
Ordinary language is completely fine. “My ankles got puffy this week.” “They said something about my blood pressure at my last appointment.” “My right hip has been awful since I started sleeping on that side.” That is all useful, and it is enough.
You are not being quizzed, and there is no correct vocabulary. If I need a specific detail, I will ask a plain question. If neither of us is sure, that is often the point where checking with your provider becomes the sensible next step.
“Something felt off this week” is worth saying out loud. You do not need to name it to mention it.
Sometimes I May Ask You to Check With Your Provider
Occasionally something you describe will lead me to suggest getting input from your OB, midwife, or physician before we proceed. That is a professional boundary and safety decision — not a judgment about you, and not a refusal of care.
Massage therapy does not evaluate or manage pregnancy-related conditions, so when a question is genuinely medical, the right person to answer it is your maternity-care provider. When clearance is appropriate, I can provide a provider-release form for them to complete, and we go from there.
The situations where waiting or clearance makes sense are described in When Prenatal or Postpartum Massage Should Wait.
Your Comfort Matters Too
Comfort is not a side note during pregnancy — it shapes the whole session. Things worth speaking up about include positioning and how much support you want, room temperature and blankets, restroom breaks, pillow and bolster placement, pressure, and any wish to change position.
You can ask for any of that at any moment, and you can change your mind. If a position stops working halfway through, say so and we will rearrange it. Positioning in my practice is supported side-lying and other pregnancy-appropriate positions rather than prone belly-hole or cutout positioning, which is explained in Why I Use Side-Lying Positioning for Prenatal Massage.
For a walkthrough of the whole appointment, see Is Prenatal Massage Safe? What to Expect or the Prenatal & Postpartum Massage page.
Start With a Conversation
If you would rather talk before booking, a complimentary consultation is exactly that — a low-pressure conversation about your pregnancy, your comfort, and what you are hoping for.
The consultation does not diagnose and does not replace prenatal or postpartum medical care.
Related Resources
Is Prenatal Massage Safe? What to Expect From a Prenatal Massage
What makes prenatal massage different, how you will be positioned, and when your OB or midwife should weigh in first.
Read the article →Prenatal & PostpartumWhy I Use Side-Lying Positioning for Prenatal Massage
Why Michelle uses supported side-lying rather than belly-hole or cutout positioning, and how thorough that work can be.
Read the article →Prenatal & PostpartumCan Prenatal Massage Help With Hip and Low-Back Tension?
Why hips and low back often feel the workload during pregnancy, and why a session may look wider than the sore spot.
Read the article →Prenatal & PostpartumHow Soon After Birth Can I Get a Postpartum Massage?
The factors that actually determine postpartum massage timing, and when provider clearance is appropriate.
Read the article →Prenatal & PostpartumWhen Prenatal or Postpartum Massage Should Wait
When healthcare evaluation or clearance should come before a prenatal or postpartum massage appointment.
Read the article →