Massage for Pregnancy & Post-Partum Health
As a former midwife and a woman who has been pregnant, Kimby is very familiar with the unique needs of pregnant women both before and after delivery. She understands and is comfortable working with high risk, injured, or special needs mothers and accommodating their unique needs. Whether you’ve had a vaginal or cesarian birth, Kimby’s style of massage can be very helpful to your body’s natural relaxation and recovery process. In particular, she mostly utilizes her Lymphatic Fusion™ technique (a combination of lymphatic drainage, visceral massage, and movement) and integrative pelvic floor manual therapy with pregnant and post-partum clients.
Pelvic Floor Manual Therapy during Pregnancy/Post-Partum
Pelvic floor bodywork is available in pregnancy and can help by:
making space for optimal fetal positioning by reducing soft tissue restrictions in the pelvis; optimally positioned babies have more straightforward births, with less need for intervention/augmentation
reducing negative associations from past childbirth and other clinical or otherwise negative touch experiences
increasing familiarity with sensations of stretching for labor preparation, reducing risk or severity of tearing and episiotomy
Pelvic floor bodywork can help these concerns in the postpartum period (at least 6 weeks after birth):
c-section recovery
scar tissue management of laceration
diastasis recti (a separation of the muscles of the abdomen)
identifying and reducing prolapse
bladder issues like urgency, frequency, and incontinence
recovering healthy muscle tone after vaginal delivery
Breast Health
We often overlook the health of our breasts until they need our attention, but there are many things we can do ourselves to improve the health of tissues, help remove fluid and toxins, release scar tissue from injury or surgery, and improve overall breast health. Our breasts, like the rest of us, are ever-changing and deserve frequent care. Breast massage can be incorporated into bodywork sessions as requested.
Kimby also offers workshops to teach and empower women about breast wellness as a part of regular self-care. While Kimby initially specialized in breast health for cancer survivors through the Oregon Cancer Foundation, her bodywork and workshop offerings have evolved to serve women in all stages of life.
WOMXN’s HEALTH RESOURCES
Resources coming soon!