Massage Styles & Experiences

Pregnancy Massage
in Centurion Pretoria

Pregnancy changes the way your body carries weight, moves, and

holds tension — often in a matter of weeks. Prenatal massage is a hands-on therapy adapted specifically for these changes, designed to ease the aches that come with a growing belly, shifting posture, and loosening joints. Below is a look at the most common pregnancy-related pain, how massage can help, and — just as importantly — when it can't.

Relief for the aches that come with pregnancy — lower back pain, pelvic and hip discomfort, sciatica, swelling, and shoulder tension
Techniques adapted to your stage of pregnancy — safe positioning and appropriate pressure from trimester to trimester, not a standard massage adjusted on the fly
Honesty about what massage can and can't do — clear guidance on when to book, and when to see your doctor first
A calm, unhurried session built around your comfort, with your care taken seriously at every step

At Kahe Hands, this isn't a conventional massage with a few areas avoided. Positioning, pressure, areas of focus, movement and the structure of the session are adapted around where you are in your pregnancy and how your body feels that day.

Research supports pregnancy massage particularly for back and leg discomfort, stress, anxiety and relaxation.

Pregnancy Massage at Kahe Hands

60 min Pregnancy Massage — R750
Personalised massage adapted around your stage of pregnancy, comfort, muscular tension and changing body.

90 min Pregnancy Massage — R990
A longer session when several areas need attention or you want more time for both focused muscular work and relaxation.

Lower Back Pain in Pregnancy

As your baby grows, your centre of gravity shifts forward, and your lower back compensates by arching more than usual. This is one of the most common complaints in pregnancy, especially in the second and third trimester. Targeted massage to the lumbar muscles can ease the tightness that builds up from this altered posture, without any pressure on the abdomen.

Pelvic Girdle Pain and SPD

Pelvic girdle pain (sometimes called symphysis pubis dysfunction, or SPD) is pain around the pubic joint, hips, or lower back caused by pregnancy hormones loosening the pelvic ligaments. It can make walking, turning over in bed, or climbing stairs uncomfortable. Massage won't correct joint instability, but gentle work around the surrounding hip and glute muscles can reduce the compensatory tension that often makes SPD feel worse.

Sciatica During Pregnancy

Sciatic pain — a sharp or burning sensation running from the lower back or buttock down the leg — is common in later pregnancy as the growing uterus and postural changes put pressure on the sciatic nerve or the muscles around it. Massage that releases tightness in the piriformis and surrounding glute muscles can often ease this pressure and bring meaningful relief, though persistent or worsening nerve pain should always be checked by your doctor first.

Round Ligament Pain

Round ligament pain is a sharp, pulling sensation on one or both sides of the lower belly, caused by the stretching of the ligaments that support the uterus. While massage doesn't directly treat the ligament itself, easing tension in the surrounding hip flexors and abdominal-adjacent muscles can reduce how much this pain is aggravated by everyday movement.

Upper Back, Neck, and Shoulder Tension

Growing breast tissue and a change in posture (shoulders rounding forward to counterbalance the belly) commonly bring on tightness across the upper back, neck, and shoulders. This is one of the most reliably responsive areas to massage in pregnancy, and a common reason clients book their first prenatal session.

Swollen Legs and Feet (Pregnancy Oedema)

Fluid retention in the legs, ankles, and feet is common, particularly in the third trimester. Gentle, specifically-directed massage strokes can help support circulation and lymphatic drainage in these areas. If swelling is sudden, severe, or affects your face and hands, this needs urgent medical attention rather than massage — see the safety section below.

Headaches and Tension in Pregnancy

Hormonal shifts, postural changes, and disrupted sleep can all contribute to tension headaches during pregnancy. Massage focused on the neck, shoulders, and scalp can ease the muscular component of tension headaches. Migraines or headaches with visual disturbance, however, should always be discussed with your doctor, particularly in the third trimester.

Hip Pain

Pressure on the hip joints from carrying extra weight, combined with loosened ligaments, often causes hip discomfort, especially when sleeping on one side for extended periods. Massage around the hip flexors, glutes, and outer hip can ease the muscular tightness that compounds this.

Is Pregnancy Massage Safe?

Generally, yes — when it's carried out by someone trained specifically in prenatal adaptations, with sensible precautions. A few key points:

First trimester: Many practitioners are more cautious in the first 12 weeks, since this is the period of highest miscarriage risk regardless of massage — this isn't about massage causing harm, but about avoiding any additional stress during a sensitive window. So we don't use essential oil and avoid overworking reflex sites or excessive pressures.
Positioning: From the second trimester onward, lying flat on your back for extended periods is avoided, as the weight of the uterus can compress major blood vessels. We made lying on your tummy both comfortable and safe with a specialised massage cushion. You are welcome to lie on your side or become a moving target. Your comfort is more important than our ease.
Pressure and technique: Deep, aggressive pressure is avoided or working one area for too long, particularly around the ankles and lower legs, as a precaution around commonly-cited pressure points — the evidence for this is mixed, but the caution is standard practice in prenatal protocols.

When We Recommend You See a Doctor Instead

Please get clearance from your doctor or midwife before booking, or postpone your session, if you're currently experiencing any of the following:

High blood pressure, preeclampsia, or a history of it in this pregnancy
Vaginal bleeding or spotting
A history of blood clots or current risk factors for DVT
Sudden or severe swelling, particularly in the face or hands
Risk of preterm labour, or a history of it
Severe or worsening headaches, especially with visual changes
Fever that has been around for a day or more and is getting worse
Any pain that is sudden, severe, or unlike anything you've experienced before in this pregnancy

This isn't a substitute for a medical diagnosis, and if anything above applies to you, your doctor's clearance comes first.

The Massage Should Adapt to You — Not the Other Way Around

One of the first things pregnancy changes about massage is remarkably simple:

how you lie down.

As pregnancy progresses, lying comfortably face-down becomes increasingly difficult, while prolonged flat-on-the-back positioning may also become inappropriate or uncomfortable.

Side-lying massage provides an excellent solution.

Pillows and bolsters can support your abdomen, legs and upper body while giving the therapist access to the back, shoulders, hips and legs.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists specifically identifies side-lying as a preferred massage position during pregnancy.

You shouldn't have to tolerate an uncomfortable position simply so the therapist can perform their usual massage.

The massage changes around your body.

When Your Lower Back Starts Doing More Work

Back discomfort is one of the most obvious reasons women seek massage during pregnancy.

As your pregnancy develops, changes in body mass, posture and movement can alter the demands placed on the lower back, pelvis and surrounding muscles.

You may notice it after standing.

After sitting at a desk.
Getting out of the car.
Turning in bed.

Or simply at the end of a long day when your lower back feels as though it has been working continuously.

Massage gives us an opportunity to work directly with those physically tired and uncomfortable tissues.

A systematic review of 12 randomised controlled trials of massage during pregnancy found reductions in back and leg pain among the reported benefits.

The treatment doesn't have to stop at the exact point where you feel the discomfort.

Depending on your presentation, we may need to consider the lower back, glutes, hips, upper back and legs together.

Your Hips and Glutes May Need More Attention Than You Expect

Pregnancy changes movement.

As your body adapts, muscles around the pelvis and hips can begin feeling considerably more loaded or tired.

Some women notice discomfort around the glutes. Others describe stiffness through the hips or an aching sensation after sitting or standing for prolonged periods.

This is where a personalised massage becomes important.

Rather than following a generic pregnancy sequence, we can give more time to the areas that are actually working hardest for you.

Pressure is increased gradually and adapted according to your response.

Pregnancy does not automatically mean that every part of the massage needs to be extremely light.

It means pressure needs to be appropriate.

And Then There Are the Legs

Your legs may simply feel tired.

Standing for long periods becomes harder. Your usual activity can feel more demanding. By evening, you may be considerably more aware of your calves, thighs and feet than you were before pregnancy.

Massage research during pregnancy has reported improvements in leg discomfort as well as back pain.

This gives us another useful treatment area—but also one where assessment matters.

Ordinary muscular tiredness and new unexplained swelling, heat, redness or significant one-sided leg pain are not treated as the same thing.

Where the presentation is straightforward, we can incorporate comfortable leg and foot work into the massage.

Where something looks unusual, safety comes first.

Pregnancy Can Be Physically Tiring Even When Nothing Hurts

You don't need back pain to justify a Pregnancy Massage.

Growing another human being is demanding.

You may be sleeping differently, waking more frequently, carrying more physical load and trying to maintain the same professional and family responsibilities while your body is continuously adapting.

Sometimes what you need isn't focused work on a painful area.

You need an hour in which nobody needs anything from you.

Massage research gives this part of the experience more substance than simply calling it pampering.

A systematic review and meta-analysis examining massage during pregnancy found reductions in anxiety compared with usual care. Another review of pregnancy massage trials reported improvements in stress and anxiety alongside reductions in physical discomfort.

That makes relaxation a legitimate reason to book.

Not an afterthought.

What Does Pregnancy Massage Feel Like?

That depends on what your body needs.

If your shoulders and upper back are tight, the massage can spend meaningful time there.

If your lower back and hips are doing most of the complaining, the session can be organised around those areas.

If your body feels generally tired and you primarily want to relax, the pace can become slower and broader.

The therapist may use a combination of:

flowing massage;
focused soft-tissue work;
appropriate deeper pressure;
gentle movement;
comfortable stretching;
foot massage;
supported positioning;
breath awareness where useful.

The objective isn't to fit every technique into the appointment.

It is to make the massage fit your pregnancy.

You Don't Have to Lie Face-Down to Have a Proper Back Massage

This is something worth emphasising because many women assume pregnancy automatically means sacrificing good back work.

It doesn't.

Side-lying provides excellent access to the back, shoulders, glutes and hips while allowing the abdomen to remain comfortably supported.

The therapist can work one side and then reposition you carefully to work the other.

For many pregnant clients, this position can actually feel wonderfully secure because pillows and bolsters support the body rather than asking you to hold yourself in position.

As your pregnancy changes, we can continue changing the setup.

Comfort is part of the technique.

What About Massage in the First Trimester?

Pregnancy itself isn't automatically a reason to avoid massage. ACOG describes massage as a way to relax and improve circulation during pregnancy, while the systematic review evidence available for relaxation massage largely involved women beginning treatment from 12 weeks onwards.

For Kahe Hands, the important issue is therefore not a simplistic rule that every pregnant woman receives exactly the same treatment from week one onward.

Tell us how far along you are and how your pregnancy is progressing when booking.

That allows us to make an appropriate decision about your session rather than relying on assumptions.

When Regular Pregnancy Massage Makes Sense

Pregnancy keeps changing.

That means the reason you book at 20 weeks may not be the reason you book at 32 weeks.

Earlier in pregnancy, your priority might be stress and general muscular tension. Later, your lower back and hips may need considerably more attention. Another few weeks later, sleep and general physical fatigue may dominate.

Research investigating pregnancy massage has commonly used repeated treatments over several weeks, rather than assuming that one massage should provide every benefit.

Regular massage therefore allows the treatment to evolve with you. The question each time becomes:

“What has changed since your last massage?” And the session develops from there.

When Should I Check With My Doctor or Midwife First?

Most of the pregnancy-massage research has been conducted in women with uncomplicated pregnancies, and ACOG recommends discussing individual safety questions with your obstetric healthcare professional.

Tell us before treatment if you have a high-risk or complicated pregnancy, significant new swelling, bleeding, severe or unusual pain, concerns about blood clots, or if your obstetric team has advised restrictions on activity or massage.

If you're uncertain, speak to your obstetrician or midwife before booking.

For an uncomplicated pregnancy, the emphasis can then remain where it belongs:

making you comfortable and giving your changing body skilled, appropriately adapted massage.

Book Your Pregnancy Massage

60 min Pregnancy Massage — R750
Personalised massage adapted around your stage of pregnancy, comfort, muscular tension and changing body.

90 min Pregnancy Massage — R990
A longer session when several areas need attention or you want more time for both focused muscular work and relaxation.

You don't need to decide beforehand whether your massage should concentrate on your back, hips, legs or shoulders.

Tell us how far along you are, how your pregnancy is progressing and what your body has been feeling recently.

We'll adapt the massage from there.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is massage safe during pregnancy?

For most women with an uncomplicated pregnancy, appropriately adapted pregnancy massage is generally considered safe. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) specifically identifies massage as an option for relaxation during pregnancy, and a systematic review of 12 randomized trials found mainly minor, temporary adverse effects in the studies that reported them. Importantly, much of the research involved healthy pregnancies, so complications or higher-risk pregnancies require individual medical guidance.

A practitioner experienced in pregnancy massage should adapt pressure, positioning and techniques as the pregnancy progresses rather than simply providing a standard massage.

2. When can I start having pregnancy massage?

There is no strong evidence establishing a universal rule that massage must be avoided throughout the first trimester. However, the randomized trials included in a major systematic review started massage from 12 weeks of pregnancy or later, meaning the research evidence is substantially stronger from the second trimester onward.

For an uncomplicated pregnancy after the first trimester, pregnancy-adapted massage can therefore be a reasonable option. Earlier in pregnancy, or where there are complications or concerns, it is sensible to discuss massage with the woman's maternity healthcare professional first.

3. Can pregnancy massage help with lower back pain?

It may. Back pain is common during pregnancy, and clinical trials included in a systematic review of pregnancy massage reported reductions in back pain following massage. Broader research into conservative musculoskeletal care also suggests that these interventions can improve pregnancy-associated low-back and pelvic pain, although there are too few high-quality studies to determine precisely how much of the benefit comes from massage itself.

Massage can therefore be a useful non-drug option for working with tight, tired and uncomfortable muscles around the lower back, hips and surrounding areas, while recognising that not all pregnancy-related back pain is muscular.

4. Can massage help with hip and pelvic pain during pregnancy?

Pregnancy-related pelvic girdle and hip pain can involve several factors, so massage will not necessarily address its underlying cause. Research into manual therapies has found some improvement in pregnancy-related low-back and pelvic pain, although evidence specifically isolating massage remains limited.

Where muscular tension around the glutes, hips, lower back and surrounding tissues contributes to discomfort, carefully adapted massage may help reduce that soft-tissue component and make movement more comfortable. Significant or persistent pelvic pain should also be discussed with the appropriate maternity or musculoskeletal healthcare professional.

5. Can pregnancy massage help swollen feet and legs?

Gentle massage may help some women feel more comfortable when dealing with the gradual, mild swelling that commonly develops in the feet and lower legs during pregnancy. Research into prenatal physical interventions has found some evidence that foot massage can reduce leg oedema, although this area has not been extensively studied.

Swelling needs to be screened carefully before massage. Sudden or rapidly increasing swelling—particularly involving the face, hands or feet—should not simply be massaged, because it can be associated with conditions such as pre-eclampsia or a blood clot and requires prompt medical assessment.

6. Can I lie on my stomach during a pregnancy massage?

As the abdomen grows, lying face-down on a conventional massage table usually becomes uncomfortable and impractical. Pregnancy massage is therefore commonly performed with the client comfortably supported on her side.

ACOG identifies side-lying as the preferred massage position during pregnancy, although specially designed tables may sometimes accommodate the abdomen.

A good pregnancy massage should work around the woman's changing body rather than asking her to tolerate an uncomfortable position simply to receive the treatment.

7. Can I lie on my back during a pregnancy massage?

Positioning should be adapted as pregnancy progresses. Prolonged flat-on-the-back positioning can become uncomfortable later in pregnancy, which is one reason side-lying is commonly used for pregnancy massage.

ACOG specifically recommends side-lying rather than face-down positioning for massage during pregnancy, while pregnancy massage studies have commonly treated women lying on their sides with pillows supporting the back and legs.

The practical principle is simple: the massage position should support both comfort and pregnancy-related safety rather than forcing the client into a standard massage-table position.

8. Are there areas that should not be massaged during pregnancy?

Pregnancy does not create a simple universal list of body parts that must never be touched. The more important considerations are the woman's pregnancy, symptoms, pressure, positioning and the techniques being used.

Claims that ordinary massage of specific points on the feet or body will automatically trigger labour are not supported by strong clinical evidence. At the same time, pregnancy massage should avoid unnecessarily aggressive techniques, particularly deep work over areas where thrombosis could be a concern. A systematic review specifically highlights precautions around blood-clot risk during pregnancy.

An appropriately trained practitioner should therefore adapt the massage to the individual rather than relying on a simplistic map of universally forbidden areas.

9. Can pregnancy massage help me sleep better?

Possibly. Sleep disturbance is common during pregnancy, and some pregnancy-massage trials have reported improved sleep alongside reductions in stress and physical discomfort. A systematic review of randomized pregnancy-massage studies identified calmer or deeper sleep among reported outcomes, although the research base remains relatively small.

Massage may be particularly useful where muscular discomfort, physical restlessness and difficulty relaxing are contributing to poor sleep. It should be viewed as supportive relaxation rather than a treatment for every cause of pregnancy-related insomnia.

10. When should I avoid massage during pregnancy?

Routine pregnancy massage should be postponed when there are unexplained symptoms or pregnancy complications that first require medical assessment. Particular caution is appropriate with suspected blood clots, difficult or high-risk pregnancies, and symptoms suggesting pregnancy complications. The available massage research largely concerns uncomplicated pregnancies and often excluded women with significant pregnancy or pre-existing complications.

Sudden swelling, severe headache, new visual disturbance, significant vaginal bleeding, feeling very unwell or other concerning pregnancy symptoms should prompt medical advice rather than a massage appointment. For a healthy, uncomplicated pregnancy, however, the evidence supports appropriately adapted pregnancy massage as a reasonable supportive option for relaxation and several common pregnancy discomforts.