Stomach massage tends to be an area of the body most people are not comfortable having someone see, let alone let someone else touch it. And while we respect those decision, a therapeutic abdominal massage can be hugely beneficially for those trying to conceive.
Like we mentioned a few days ago, each massage session starts with the application of a castor oil pack. This relaxes the stomach, softens the bowels, and begins to loosening any abdominal adhesions.
By the time we get to the stomach, we hope to see that most of the castor oil has been completely absorbed into the skin to know that is it really doing some internal work. We will apply more castor oil to your stomach to begin the abdominal massage.
What To Expect From a Therapeutic Stomach Massage During a Fertility Massage
We like to use the word therapeutic to imply that this isn’t a gentle massage. We do really want to use some pressure (but of course not more than you can handle) so we can hopefully make a difference. Our intention is to help cleanse the digestive system at the beginning of the massage so we can really get to the underlying structures. You may feel a bit a discomfort, but it should be therapeutic discomfort and certainly not more than you can handle.
Pelvic Friction
After your stomach is nice and warm, we go into working around the pelvis. At this point, we are trying to break up any existing congestion either from past physical or emotional tightness. This movement consists of getting at the attachments of your muscles and ligaments around the pelvic to break up the tissue and get blood flowing more effectively. With our more sedentary lifestyles, many people notice tightness and congestion around the pelvis.
Positioning of the Uterus
After we have loosened your muscles and ligaments to allow for more mobility and circulation in your pelvis, we are going to start feeling around for your uterus. The typical uterus is pretty much directly above the pubic symbiosis and flush to the skin. Sometimes, the uterus may face posterior and that can be felt by dip above the pubic symbiosis. Other times, the uterus can be more anterior and cause a slight bulge above the pubic symbiosis. We do have a few tricks to encourage the uterus to return to the average position, and may do those if indicated.
By learning about the positioning of your uterus, you become more aware of your body and able to communicate to your medical team more effectively about your care!
