CAVAN PREGNANCY MASSAGE AND POSTNATAL MASSAGE THERAPY 

Pregnancy and Postnatal Massage Therapy is an integrative, nurturing approach to bodywork that considers the unique physical, emotional, and nervous-system needs of mothers during and after pregnancy.

Unlike traditional massage techniques, this therapy focuses on the interconnectedness of physical comfort, emotional wellbeing, and nervous system regulation during a time of profound change.

At The Sanctuary Holistic Studio, sessions are offered in a calm, supportive environment, recognising the significant impact pregnancy and postnatal recovery can have on the body, energy levels, and sense of self.

This service also includes trauma-informed Bioenergetic Healing and Massage Therapy for women who have experienced a traumatic or distressing birth, offering gentle postnatal nervous system care within a non-medical wellness setting.

A Bespoke, Mother-Centred Approach

Each session is tailored to how your body presents on the day and may gently combine:

  • Holistic Massage Therapy
    Slow, supportive strokes to ease muscle tension and promote relaxation.
  • Breathwork-Informed Support
    Gentle breath awareness to support calm and nervous system regulation.
  • Bioenergy-Informed Techniques
    Subtle, non-invasive work to support body awareness and overall balance.
  • Aromatherapy
    Carefully selected pregnancy- and postnatal-appropriate oils, where suitable.

All techniques are applied within comfort-based, trauma-informed parameters, with positioning, pressure, and pacing adapted to support safety, consent, and ease.

Clients who have experienced a traumatic birth are never expected to relive, explain, or verbally process their experience. The focus remains on present-moment safety, regulation, and support.

Potential Supportive Benefits

While individual experiences vary, some clients choose pregnancy and postnatal massage to support:

  • Greater physical comfort as the body adapts to pregnancy or recovery
  • A sense of muscular ease in areas such as the back, hips, shoulders, and legs
  • Improved relaxation and restfulness
  • Support for nervous system settling during periods of emotional or physical change
  • Increased body awareness and connection during pregnancy or early motherhood
  • Feeling more supported and resourced during postnatal recovery, including after a difficult or overwhelming birth experience

     

These potential benefits are not guaranteed outcomes and depend on individual circumstances, stage of pregnancy or recovery, and overall wellbeing.

What Clients May Experience

Some clients report noticing:

  • A sense of calm or groundedness during or after sessions
  • Reduced feelings of physical tension or holding
  • Improved comfort during everyday movement
  • A deeper awareness of breath and body cues
  • Temporary tiredness, often associated with relaxation

Responses vary and may build gradually over a series of sessions.

Who This Therapy May Support

This treatment may be suitable for:

  • Pregnant clients seeking gentle, supportive bodywork
  • Mothers in the postnatal period, including after vaginal or caesarean birth (with medical clearance where appropriate)

  • Women who experienced a traumatic, stressful, or overwhelming birth

  • Those experiencing muscle tension, fatigue, or physical strain related to pregnancy or caregiving
  • Clients looking for a calm, nurturing alternative to standard massage
  • Mothers who value a trauma-informed, nervous-system-aware approach

Sessions are adapted to each trimester and postnatal stage.

Safety & Professional Scope

This therapy is offered within a non-medical, complementary wellness setting.

  • It does not diagnose, treat, or cure medical conditions
  • It is not a replacement for midwifery, medical, or physiotherapy care
  • It may be used alongside existing healthcare support, where appropriate

All sessions are guided by comfort, consent, and the body’s responses on the day.

Pregnancy treatments are available from the second to third trimester for new clients. Postnatal clients are welcome following birth, with appropriate medical clearance where required.

EXPLORE OUR SERVICES

PREGNANCY MASSAGE THERAPY 

Honour your pregnancy journey with a nurturing pregnancy massage designed to support comfort, relaxation, and a deeper connection with your changing body. This gentle, supportive bodywork offers a calm space to rest, unwind, and feel held during this unique stage of life.

Pregnancy Massage at The Sanctuary focuses on easing everyday physical tension, supporting relaxation, and encouraging nervous system settling — without forceful or deep-pressure techniques. Each session is adapted to your comfort and stage of pregnancy, offering a respectful, grounding experience that supports overall wellbeing as your body prepares for birth.

Who Is It For?

This treatment is suitable for expectant mothers from the second to third trimester, particularly new clients without previous massage therapy experience.

It may be supportive for those who:

  • Experience back, hip, leg, or shoulder tension during pregnancy
  • Feel physical strain from postural changes or daily activity
  • Notice increased fatigue or a need for deeper rest
  • Want a calm, nurturing space to relax and connect with their body
  • Prefer gentle, comfort-based bodywork during pregnancy

Sessions are slow, supportive, and restorative, offering a holistic space to pause, breathe, and feel supported throughout pregnancy.

POST NATAL MASSAGE THERAPY

Support your postnatal recovery with a nurturing postnatal massage designed to help you reconnect with your body after childbirth. This gentle, restorative bodywork offers a calm space to rest, soften, and feel supported during the physical and emotional transitions of early motherhood.

Postnatal Massage at The Sanctuary Holistic Studio focuses on easing postpartum discomfort, supporting the body’s natural realignment, and gently relieving muscle tension that can develop from pregnancy, birth, feeding, and caregiving. Sessions are paced slowly and adapted to your comfort, encouraging relaxation and nervous system settling without force or overstimulation.

This therapy may also support the body as it adjusts hormonally after birth, offering a grounding and balancing experience during recovery.

Who Is It For?

This treatment is suitable for mothers in the weeks or months following childbirth, including after vaginal or caesarean birth (with appropriate medical clearance where required).

It may be supportive for those who:

  • Experience postnatal muscle tension or physical discomfort
  • Feel strain through the back, shoulders, hips, or neck from feeding or carrying their baby
  • Want gentle support as the body reorients and realigns after pregnancy
  • Notice ongoing fatigue or a need for deeper rest
  • Prefer a calm, nurturing alternative to standard massage

Sessions provide a holistic space to pause, rebalance, and reconnect with your body during postnatal recovery.

A Note on Swelling & Fluid Support

If you are specifically seeking support for fluid retention or swelling, Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD) Massage may be more appropriate, as it is designed to gently support lymphatic circulation within a complementary wellness setting.

Postnatal Massage focuses primarily on comfort, muscular ease, relaxation, and nervous system support.

POSTNATAL BIOENERGETIC HEALING MASSAGE THERAPY

A gentle, trauma-informed space for women after a difficult or overwhelming birth experience

Birth can be life-changing — and sometimes, it can be unexpected, intense, or emotionally overwhelming. Even when medical outcomes are positive, the body and nervous system may still carry stress, shock, or unresolved tension from the experience.

Post-Natal Bioenergetic Healing Massage Therapy is a gentle, non-invasive, and trauma-informed bodywork and bioenergy healing therapy session designed to support women in the post-birth period who feel disconnected, tense, emotionally unsettled, or physically held after childbirth.

This therapy is offered within a non-medical wellness setting and is intended to provide comfort, grounding, and nervous system support, not treatment or diagnosis.

A Nervous-System-Led Approach to Post-Birth Care

After a stressful or traumatic birth, the nervous system may remain in a heightened state of alert, even weeks or months later. This can show up as:

  • Persistent tension in the body
  • Difficulty fully relaxing or resting
  • Emotional sensitivity or shutdown
  • A sense of disconnection from the body
  • Feeling “on edge” without knowing why

This approach works with the body’s pace, prioritising safety, consent, and regulation before any physical or energetic softening is invited.

Sessions are always slow, contained, and responsive, allowing the body to settle rather than relive or revisit the birth experience.

What Your Session May Include

Each session is tailored to how you are presenting on the day and may gently combine:

  • Guided Breath Awareness
    To encourage calm breathing patterns and nervous system regulation.
  • Slow, Supportive Bodywork
    Light to moderate touch aimed at comfort and relaxation, not pain-focused work.
  • Bioenergy-Informed Awareness
    Subtle, non-invasive techniques to support relaxation and body awareness.
  • Somatic-Based Grounding Techniques
    Gentle practices that help you notice bodily sensations and restore a sense of safety and presence.

All elements are offered within a trauma-aware, consent-led framework, with no expectation of emotional processing or disclosure.

What This Therapy Is — and Is Not

This work is:

  • Gentle and grounding
  • Trauma-aware and consent-led
  • Focused on nervous system settling and body awareness
  • Supportive of emotional and physical integration

This work is not:

  • A replacement for mental health care, counselling, or medical treatment
  • A method for processing trauma through catharsis or emotional release
  • A treatment for post-partum depression, PTSD, or medical conditions

What You May Experience

Each session is unique and guided by what your body can safely receive. You may notice:

  • A sense of being held and supported
  • Reduced physical tension or guarding
  • Improved body awareness and grounding
  • Gentle emotional settling
  • A feeling of safety, containment, or calm

Responses vary from person to person. There is no expectation to talk, relive, or explain your birth experience during the session.

Potential Supportive Benefits

This therapy may support:

  • Nervous system regulation and settling
  • A sense of safety within the body
  • Physical relaxation after prolonged stress or holding
  • Reconnection with bodily awareness after birth
  • Gentle integration during the post-natal period

Benefits depend on individual circumstances, timing, and ongoing support systems.

Who This May Be For

This session may be suitable for women who:

  • Experienced a difficult, overwhelming, or traumatic birth
  • Feel disconnected from their body after childbirth
  • Carry tension, hyper-alertness, or emotional shutdown post-birth
  • Want gentle, respectful, non-verbal support
  • Are seeking complementary care alongside medical or psychological support

Medical clearance may be required depending on birth history and timing.

Safety and Scope

Your safety and autonomy are central to this work.

  • All sessions are fully consent-led
  • Touch is always optional and adjusted moment-by-moment
  • You remain in control of positioning, pressure, and pacing
  • Sessions may be paused or stopped at any time

This therapy is offered within a complementary wellness framework and does not diagnose, treat, or cure physical or psychological conditions.