Prenatal massage: positioning, timing, and what to tell your RMT
The quick answer
In a prenatal massage you lie on your side, supported by pillows, and the draping keeps you covered the whole time. Most people book through the second and third trimesters. Before the session, tell your RMT how far along you are and anything your midwife or doctor has flagged, and the work is planned around that.
How are you positioned during a prenatal massage?
On your side, with pillows and supports arranged so you are not holding your own weight anywhere. Side-lying is the standard for pregnancy because it is stable and comfortable for long stretches, and it lets your therapist work the back and hips properly. We do not use face-down positioning for pregnant clients at our clinic, including the tables with belly cut-outs you may have seen elsewhere. Later in pregnancy some of the work happens semi-reclined, propped up with cushions rather than lying flat.
Draping works the same as any registered massage therapy session. You undress to whatever level you are comfortable with, a sheet and blanket keep you covered throughout, and only the area being worked on is uncovered. Your therapist leaves the room while you get settled, and helps you change sides partway through without any rush.
When in pregnancy can you book a massage?
Most of our prenatal clients book through the second and third trimesters, and many keep a regular appointment right up to their due date. There is no rule that says you must wait until a certain week, but if your pregnancy has complications, or your care provider is watching something specific, check with them first. Then tell us what they said when you book. That is not gatekeeping, it is information your RMT uses to plan the session.
Timing within the day matters more than people expect. Book for a time when you are usually comfortable. If evenings are when the swelling and the restlessness arrive, an earlier slot often makes for a better hour on the table.
What should you tell your RMT before the session?
Three things do most of the work. How far along you are, because positioning and pace change by stage. How the pregnancy has been going, in whatever detail you want to share. And anything your midwife or doctor has mentioned, even in passing. Beyond that, tell us what you actually want from the hour. Some clients want the lower back and hips worked the entire time. Others want a quiet, general session where nothing is asked of them.
During the session, keep talking. Comfort shifts faster in pregnancy, so your therapist checks in more often than usual, and you can ask to shift position whenever you need. Needing a bathroom break partway through is completely normal, and the table will still be warm when you get back.
Is prenatal massage billed differently?
No. It is registered massage therapy, so it is priced by length like every session on our menu, $125 for the 60 minutes most people book, and it produces the same official receipt your extended health plan accepts. We direct bill most insurers, and mention that you are pregnant when you book so we pair you with a therapist who has prenatal training.
The full details live on our prenatal massage page, and the session menu shows every price up front.