Is Pregnancy/Prenatal Massage Just Pampering?

Perinatal Care Is Not a Luxury: Why Pregnant and Postpartum Bodies Need Ongoing Hands‑On Support

(A summary of research on massage in pregnancy and the perinatal period) Estimated read time: ~3–4 minutes

Pregnancy and postpartum are still often treated like spa markets, not serious health seasons.

At The Massage Clinic, we see pregnant and new parents who are in real pain, sleeping badly and carrying enormous physical and emotional loads. The research on prenatal massage and early postpartum massage makes it clear: this is health care, not just pampering.

The Problem

Pregnant bodies are doing high‑demand work with changing biomechanics. Prenatal Massage works to alleviate the strain and the anxiety simultaneously.

As pregnancy progresses, weight shifts, ligaments soften and the low back, hips and legs carry new loads. Research summarized in a 2021 review on relaxation massage in pregnancy reports that prenatal massage has been associated with reduced low back and leg pain, improved mood, lower cortisol and catecholamines, and better sleep in several controlled studies.[pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih]​

Perinatal mental health is a big piece.

Studies of depressed pregnant women receiving regular massage from partners or therapists have found reductions in anxiety and depressed mood, decreased back and leg pain and even lower rates of prematurity and low birth weight, compared with standard care or relaxation‑only controls. That’s not a cure‑all, but it’s strong support for massage as part of wraparound perinatal care—especially when other resources are limited or overwhelmed.[pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih]​

Brief summary of the research (and how we use it)

A 2021 systematic review of relaxation massage, including pregnant populations, reported that prenatal massage was associated with reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety, decreased leg and back pain and lower cortisol levels in depressed pregnant women compared with controls.

One randomized study of 150 pregnant women found that those receiving regular massage had significantly less headache, backache, muscle cramps, sleep disturbance and anxiety than those receiving standard prenatal care alone.[pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih]​

These findings are supported by related work on pregnancy and labor massage, which has shown that massage techniques (including Shiatsu) can reduce labor pain and anxiety and may lessen the need for pharmacologic pain relief in some settings. Together, this suggests that thoughtful touch during pregnancy is not extra; it’s a legitimate way to support physical comfort and emotional health during a demanding time.[pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih]​

For us at The Massage Clinic, this means we treat perinatal massage as part of your health plan, not a luxury add‑on.

We adjust positioning, pressure and timing to your trimester and medical context, coordinate with your providers when appropriate and focus on the areas that most affect your day‑to‑day (low back, hips, legs, neck and shoulders). For you as a client, it’s helpful to see this as ongoing support—especially across the third trimester and early postpartum—rather than a single “treat yourself” hour.

A practical takeaway: if pregnancy or new‑parent life is straining your back, sleep and mental health, planning a simple series of massages over weeks or months can be more protective than waiting until you’re already in crisis.

At The Massage Clinic, we build perinatal plans around this evidence and your specific life load, and we’re here to help if you need us.

References

• Field T, Diego M, Hernandez‑Reif M, et al. Pregnancy massage reduces prematurity and low birth weight. Infant Behav Dev. 2009;32(4):454‑460. Depressed pregnant women receiving twice‑weekly massage had less back/leg pain, less depression/anxiety, and lower prematurity and low‑birth‑weight rates than controls.[pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih]​

• Moraska A, et al. Effects, side effects and contraindications of relaxation massage in pregnancy. Complement Ther Med. 2021;56:102589. Review reporting that prenatal massage can reduce pain, anxiety and cortisol, with generally good safety when appropriately delivered.[pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih]​

Yilar Erkek Z, et al. The impact of Shiatsu massage on labour pain and anxiety. Complement Ther Med. 2024;75:102968. Found that Shiatsu massage reduced labor pain and anxiety in nulliparous women compared with controls.[pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih]​