Pregnancy Massage Cream?

[Pompal 09.]

Hey Everyone, long time no type! I am looking for the ULTIMATE pregnancy massage cream, oil blend, butter.......whatever. Something that is really moisturizing and yummy for the Mom-to-be. Is there something you use that you just LOVE??? Suggestions and or recipes would be wonderful!

Thanks!
Steph!

 

[Arlo]

jojoba. I sell a lot of jojoba to pregnant clients, and they don't get stretch marks, which seems to be the main concern, it even seems to help with existing ones.

Added >>>>>> if you mean for you to massage them with, I still say jojoba, nothing added. No essential oils, no fragance, their pregnant noses get very sensitive, one week something smells great the next week it turns their stomach, best to keep unscented, let alone have essential oil concerns.

 

[bobcat11eob]

I just took a pregnancy massage seminar this weekend. Our instructor recommended organic extra virgin olive oil for massaging (gently! and only with their permission) the abdomin of pregnant clients. For the rest of the body she recommends that you use unscented and preferrably organic oil, cream or lotion.

Angie

 

[Pompal 09.]

My niece-in-law used Lotus Touch Moisture Rich cream for one pregnancy and Lotus Touch Multi-Purpose cream for the other. She didn't experience any stretch mark issues during either pregnancy... or any issues with the scent.
One of my other favorites, which another niece-in-law used 5 years ago for her pregnancy, is Emu Oil.
Once I had to do a massage for a friend and I'd forgotten my creams, and ended up stopping @ a health food store and buying some organic type lotion for babies and children. (Almond Scented) After doing the massage I was so sick of the smell I had to give it to the client and the tiny bottle was $10... not much profit in that massage. LOL
It's good to be sensitive to the needs of pregnant mothers. A robe or other wrap is good to have incase the mom-to-be has to run to the bathroom halfway thru the massage too!
Plus some soda crackers or other tummy settling snack might not be amiss!

 

[mo2k7us]

A robe or other wrap is good to have incase the mom-to-be has to run to the bathroom halfway thru the massage too!

This was another one of the recommendations that we received this weekend in the seminar!

Angie

 

[chren03]

Thanks guys. I am definately a fan of jojoba oil. I was thinking of making up a blend with jojoba oil, shea butter, and cocoa butter and see how that comes out. I know when I was pregnant everyone told me that cocoa butter would help with the stretch marks. Whether that's true or not it made my skin feel really good.

I agree about not using EO's and other scents. Pregnancy does crazy things to the sense of smell. Since I am not an aromatherapist I don't wanna deal with that aspect at all anyway.

A robe is a really good idea. We're in the process of getting some I believe. I'll be speaking to the boss today!

Now, what about spa treatments for the Mom-to-be? I know a body scrub would have been heaven when I was pregnant but what else is available on a spa menu? Do any of you have special packages or services?

Thanks!
Steph!

 

[james r]

Now, what about spa treatments for the Mom-to-be? I know a body scrub would have been heaven when I was pregnant but what else is available on a spa menu? Do any of you have special packages or services?

The important thing to remember with spa treatments is that you don't want to do anything that will raise the core temperature of the body so wraps are definitely out. We suggest to our pregnant clients that if they want some extra pampering that they add a body scrub or a foot treatment (yes, you can massage pregnant women's feet IF you know what you're doing and you respect all the endangerment points) to their massage.

Angie

 

[Pyros]

The important thing to remember with spa treatments is that you don't want to do anything that will raise the core temperature of the body so wraps are definitely out.......a body scrub or a foot treatment (yes, you can massage pregnant women's feet IF you know what you're doing and you respect all the endangerment points) to their massage.

Angie

That's about inline with what I was thinking. Thanks.

Steph!

 

[Hallwoman]

I don't use robes - main reason, getting robes that actually go around the bump are expensive, they're not your average off the shelf robe, plus the pregnant client is usually running at a much higher temp anyway, there is no need for the warm snuggly feeling of a robe, they're usually after the bare shoulder option of a sarong type wrap. I use a 7 ft long 3ft wide piece of poly cotton sheeting as their wrap AND as their top sheet on the massage table, they get on the table with it wrapped around them, opening at the front so I can unwrap it easily (my instructions are "don't wrap yourself like a burrito, we need to be able to unwrap you" ) When they are ready to get off the table they just wrap themselves in the sheet and get off, either for bathroom break or end of massage. It cuts down on washing since the sheet is used as wrap and sheet. If they are running very warm, I just keep it positioned across the body with their legs uncovered, if they are a bit cooler, I move the sheet around to normal sheet position. I've not found anyone yet that couldn't fit into a 7ft sarong wrap yet.

I find pedicures are the main spa type extra requested, because the heels are very often a mess towards the end of the pregnancy, combination of the extra weight and the baby taking all the EFAs. I'll do 20min with them sitting in a chair for foot soak, heel and nail care and scrub, get them on the table, apply foot mask, body massage, remove foot mask, foot massage, in summer using something with aloe to cool the feet, but adding an extra rich heel cream if the heels were bad. The 7ft wrap works well for for the seated bit.

Cold stones are always appreciated, if they're really feeling hot, I'll give them a couple to hold while I am working on them.


As for body wraps, aloe wraps are OK, any wrap where you're not relying on heat is possible, though you have to watch what position they are lying in, most wraps work involving sweat, they're no good for a pregnant client. Body scrubs are OK, but if using a scrub, it quickly becomes a major effort for them while you remove the scrub, moving around on the table is not as easy, or even getting up and showering off and then back on the table. A body polish using either a dry skin brush or those cheap exfoliating gloves are quick and easy, you can send them home with the gloves, and the gloves are easy to just target where needed, the backs of the upper thighs are usually a bit of a problem area where the gloves are good.

SalemRose, are you thinking of this mixture for home care or while you massage them? Shea butter and cocoa butter are so greasey - people think they need a greasey cream for home care, but then they don't use it because it is too greasey and they haven't got time to let it sink in. If you're using it during a massage, you may have to do the belly earlier so the shea butter and cocoa butter have time to be absorbed. All part of why I just use jojoba - it sinks in so quickly and washes out easily if it hasn't all soaked in by the end of the massage. If I am doing the belly I will do it at the end, but I find most clients don't want to turn over and have me massage their belly, they can reach it themselves at home, and they'd rather I worked on areas they can't work on themselves (like their back and feet)

Old thread http://www.massageplanet.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2006

 

[thorn105]

SalemRose, are you thinking of this mixture for home care or while you massage them? Shea butter and cocoa butter are so greasey - people think they need a greasey cream for home care, but then they don't use it because it is too greasey and they haven't got time to let it sink in. If you're using it during a massage, you may have to do the belly earlier so the shea butter and cocoa butter have time to be absorbed. All part of why I just use jojoba - it sinks in so quickly and washes out easily if it hasn't all soaked in by the end of the massage. If I am doing the belly I will do it at the end, but I find most clients don't want to turn over and have me massage their belly, they can reach it themselves at home, and they'd rather I worked on areas they can't work on themselves (like their back and feet)

Thanks for all the input Melb! I was just looking at spa robes tonight at work and it's hard enough to find a robe for a plus size client let alone a pregnant one! I like the sarong idea!

Basically, my department is under new management. Management that understands and is willing to back us up and get us the things we need. As well as the extra stuff that separates us from our competition. Oddly enough my old and very BAD boss is a MT herself. That's another story for another day! Anyway, I'm revamping our massage and spa menu and I really want to have something for the Mom-to-be other than a standard massage. I want her to feel ultra pampered and relaxed. I'm confidant in my massage techniques. I took Kelly Lott's seminar a while back. Now I want to add in extra treatments geared for pregnancy as well as products that will put the experience over the top.

We offer massage and spa treatments that MTs can give. At the moment we don't have any estheticians or nail techs so I'm looking for things that we MTs can do and offer our clients.

Again, thanks everyone for you input!
Steph!

 

[snowbunny]

I think using 100% jojoba separates me from the competition it's not an oil, it's a plant wax, almost the same consitency as the skin's own sebum so it absorbs quickly, it leaves you with a shine, not that oily feeling and it's so expensive, if it's used by someone else, it's usually just for face massage. That usually makes it sound expensive and luxurious enough

Creative Nail Raw Earth is really easy to use, it's mainly just putting product on, and then rinsing it off, heels if you can use a ceramic heel file that is usually enough. The following "can"s are are you legally able to? You'll be able to physically do them all. Can you do foot soaks? Can you apply a lotion to the feet and wash it off? can you use a ceramic foot file on the heel? (metal seems to be the usual issue, no blades, no metal files) Can you put a mask on the feet and put a plastic bag over the feet? The only other thing might be take off nail polish and use a wooden orange stick to push cuticles back. I find most are happy without nail polish (I HATE applying nail polish, not one of my strong points, I just say it cuts down on their massage time and they usually don't want nail polish) There is a professional Raw Earth kit that comes with almost everything you need, including cuticle oil and serum to soften the rough heels before getting the foot file on them.

I use a bodyCushion and lying face down is another thing that separates me, almost everyone has managed to lie face down even past their due date, and they LOVE it (I always give them the option of side lying, but hardly anyone wants to give up face down (I do set up the bodyCushion a bit differently to their video with the arm rests under the chest piece for extra height, I think I've just given away my bodyCushion secret) ).

 

[WhatFunHeresLisa]

this looks like a great belly butter.

http://shop.texasherbalbodysolutions.ieasysite.com/productinfo.aspx?productid=WHCBBNS&backurl=http%3a%2f%2fwww.texasherbalbodysolutions.com%2fthbs_website_2_041.htm

Woman Hollering Creek Belly Butter
This rich belly butter will help diminish the development of stretch marks, while moisturizing & penetrating to keep your skin supple and elastic.
It's natural smell is wonderful. Specially formulated with oils, butters and other ingredients to allow skin to stretch.

 

[audilky]

Now, what about spa treatments for the Mom-to-be? I know a body scrub would have been heaven when I was pregnant but what else is available on a spa menu? Do any of you have special packages or services?

The important thing to remember with spa treatments is that you don't want to do anything that will raise the core temperature of the body so wraps are definitely out. We suggest to our pregnant clients that if they want some extra pampering that they add a body scrub or a foot treatment (yes, you can massage pregnant women's feet IF you know what you're doing and you respect all the endangerment points) to their massage.

Angie

What about hot stone? Is that ok on hands and feet? The class I took said it was not a contraindication but I can see that may be debateable.

 

[JAMES P]

What about hot stone? Is that ok on hands and feet? The class I took said it was not a contraindication but I can see that may be debateable.

We were taught that it's ok to use warm stones for spot treatments. Cold stones are great to use since most moms-to-be are running a little hot.

Angie

 

[Volleyballcutie2009]

We learned some great sinus drainage techniques in Kelly Lott's seminar. I think warm stones might be really nice on the face to enhance those techniques....? I've never tried it before though.

Steph!

 

[deep]

I will use hot stones for very localised spot treatments, but I've never met a pregnant client that has been interested in hot stones as a treatment - the only one I've known of interested in hot stones for anything was from this board for labour, and the most recent study I've seen has recommended ice massage for labour.

Any spot work with hot stones I do is followed by cold stones, and that's when I get the "that feels wonderful!" comments, I've not had a pregnant client go "that feels wonderful" with hot stones (non-pregnant clients do say it). I don't think hot stones should be used below about heart level, too much heat, particularly towards the end of the pregnancy.