How soon can I get a massage after giving birth?

As perinatal massage experts, we get this question a lot. Our answer is usually- as soon as you can make it up the stairs to our second floor studio, we are ready to treat you with therapeutic massage that is appropriate to your stage of postpartum recovery. For some folks that may be less than a week after delivery, while for other folks it may be a bit longer. You definitely do NOT have to wait 6 weeks to get “cleared” for a massage, and in fact massage is very beneficial early in the postpartum period as well as later.

At MaMassage Brooklyn, we understand that your postpartum body requires rest, restoration, recalibration and support. Are you 0-12 weeks postpartum after pregnancy, recovering from any type of birth? If so, the MaMassage Postpartum Recovery session will be tailored to your specific needs. In the first week, we may treat concerns like engorgement, or all over muscle soreness from labor, while in the third week we may be treating head/neck/shoulder tension from holding/feeding baby.

The postpartum session may or may not include swedish massage, myofascial release, acupressure, abdominal massage, manual lymph drainage, warm hydrotherapy, therapeutic breast/chest massage to support lactation and reduce engorgement, and/or other techniques to support the postpartum period. After your session we will serve you medicinal tea that is appropriate for postpartum concerns.

Can I bring my baby with me to the massage?

Babies and partners/caregivers are welcome in the studio. While some postpartum clients may prefer to receive massage while their baby is in another person’s care, some clients may feel more comfortable knowing that their baby can be with them during the massage. Your partner or support person can come with you to the massage, and stay with you in the large and airy treatment room while you receive care. We have a bassinet, so you can store your stroller on the first floor, or bodywear your baby to the studio.

We have comfortable chairs for your support person to sit and hold baby, or rest themselves with a cup of tea while baby is sleeping. If your baby needs to nurse while you are receiving massage, we can adjust as needed. If you are booking lactation counseling in addition to massage, we may recommend that you bring your baby with you so that we can assess latch in person. If you have any questions about postpartum care before booking, please email kiera@mamassage.org