We are excited that we now are able to offer therapeutic breast massage to our breastfeeding clients. This wonderful services has many benefits, including decrease of in swelling the breast tissue, decrease in engorgement, relief from clogged ducts and mastitis, and many others related to general breast health! While each session looks a bit different because we customized our massage therapy sessions to the needs of the client, there is a general sequence that we follow.
Dry Brush Session in Chapel Hill
Because breast massage is about engaging the lymphatic system, specifically the lymphatic vessels in your breast tissue, we start each massage with a dry brushing session. This light pressure, course brush feels wonderful and has many overall health benefits! Plus, at the end of the massage, the brush is yours to keep!
Postpartum Massage in Durham
With each session, we will start with a postpartum massage. This is usually 30 minutes, but we can add more on if time permits. During this time, we can focus on a few particularly sore areas, or do a quick full body massage. The goal of starting with a postpartum massage is provide a chance for you to relax, which can cause an increase in the production and release of oxytocin which helps with milk production!
Breast Massage in Raleigh
After you are relaxed and your oxytocin is flowing, we will start the breast massage. We will use a very light pressure to engage the lymphatic system. We usually divide the breast into sections so that we can begin to see where you have the most need. Because we providing lymphatic support, all strokes will end in your armpit or clavicle areas to encourage the lymph fluid to more easily move back to your heart.
We also will be using what we like to call breast gymnastics! These gentle movements are encourage the breast tissue to release from the deep muscles to allow fluid to move more freely through the tissue. We also only use olive oil or coconut oil on your breast to ensure that when you go to feed your baby, there will be no risks to him or her.
Hand Expression
We will also be performing hand expression to help release any stubborn clogged ducts. We like to use the three points of contact for a more secure feeling, as we find this to be the most effective.
After all the lymphatic massage, breast gymnastics, and hand expression, we will repeat the process for about 30 minutes.
Education About Self Breast Massage
Our first goal is provide the relief that you need, but our second is to teach you how to perform these techniques on your own. At the end of the session, we will teach you what 1-2 ounces of pressure feels like by using a food scale, as well as the different massage strokes and breast gymnastics we performed.
