Pregnancy and Shiatsu

Pregnancy and child birth are two of the most joyful and beautiful moments in our lives, but can be accompanied by a level of discomfort, pain and stress. After the initial excitement about the happy news, the mother may be faced with early symptoms of morning sickness, insomnia, weight gain and backaches in the adjustment to carrying this new life. Just the thought of labor and the arrival of a baby can even cause many pregnant women to experience anxiety. To alleviate these symptoms and more, the Wellness Studio Portland has plenty to offer expecting mothers.

With treatments such as shiatsu, foot and facial reflexology, we can ease the physical and emotional pain in our bodies. For women who wish to avoid additional drugs, shiatsu provides comfort, ease and relief for the mother. Working on the energetic pathways or meridians in our system helps the body balance its own natural flow of chi and support the blood and lymphatic circulation.

Along with traditional shiatsu treatments, I may combine other modalities with which I have expertise. In shiatsu for pregnancy, the mother lies down on her side accompanied with pillows for comfort and ease during the session. I will scan the body and identify the points that require my attention by palming, gentle stretching, and using finger and forearm pressure to release stagnation that occurs on the energetic level of the meridians.

Throughout the years, I’ve been fortunate enough to work with many women who were trying to conceive. One of these mothers-to-be was a physician in the last stages of medical school and her internship. The stress and late nights may have affected her kidneys, an important organ in Chinese Medicine for conception. In addition to specific treatments for her condition, I told her she would definitely become pregnant as soon as she completed school, worked fewer night shifts and went away on a relaxing vacation. After a beach holiday with her husband, she was overjoyed to learn that she had become pregnant during her break.

Testimonial:
“Shiatsu supported and nourished me during my pregnancy. Although I had a smooth one, it helped through sensitive touch, which aided in relieving physical and emotional tensions, as they presented. At the end of my pregnancy, it was dominated by grief, as my father died one month before I delivered. Shiatsu helped me to balance my emotions, which swung from deep grief to feeling excited and joyful about being pregnant.”

~ Saria Layoun