You may have that pregnancy “glow” everyone keeps talking about, but as your baby bump grows, so do the aches and pains that go along with making a new life. Many pregnant women agree that prenatal massage is not a luxury, but a necessity. It helps to ease tense muscles, improve circulation, and enjoy complete relaxation. See below for seven great places to get a prenatal massage. Then drop a few hints around the dad-to-be about how helpful a massage would be for improving your mood. Gift certificate, please!
Photo: Boobie Palooza
M3 Massage and Spa
According to M3 Massage, touch is vital to a pregnant woman’s physical and emotional well-being, and who could argue with that? Their prenatal massages are tailored to your changing body and designed to relax tense muscles, ease sore spots, improve circulation and mobility, and just make you feel great. Ahhhhh, sounds so good! Note: They do not massage women in their first trimester.
Cost: $100 for 50 minutes.
3070 M St., NW (Georgetown)
202-333-6151
Online: m3massage.com
Healthy Self Therapy and Wellness
Award-winning massage therapist, Andon Kostadinov, offers prenatal massages designed to release tension in the lower back and abdomen, ease aches and pains, and relieve overall body stress.
Cost: $60 for 30 minutes.
1150 18th St., NW (Adams Morgan)
202-604-9786
Online: healthyselfdc.com
TuSuva
TuSuva offers prenatal massages that work to effectively increase energy, reduce fluid retention and slow the process of varicose veins, as well as to help relieve common pregnancy discomforts, such as swollen feet and lower back tension.
Cost: $90-$135
2701 Ontario Rd., NW (Adams Morgan)
202-320-0250
Online: tusuva.com
My Orange Wellness
My Orange Wellness specializes in prenatal massages. Their treatments are designed to address pregnancy-related body issues such as weight gain, fluid retention, postural misalignments, round ligament pain, and lower back and hip pain. Depending on your needs, each message combines stretching, deep tissue, NMT and/or Swedish massage to increase circulation, strengthen the immune response, reduce swelling and relieve sore muscles. Sounds ahhhh-mazing!
Cost: $110 – $140
418 10th St., SE (Capitol Hill)
202-510-5246
Online: myorangewellness.com
The Spa Room
The Spa Room lets you mix and match different treatments in order to create a customized prenatal massage that’s perfect for your needs. You can make the experience even better by adding a spa enhancement to your massage, such as a Wild Rose Facial Cleanse, Pomegranate Hand Treatment, Garshana Silk Glove Exfoliation, or a Birch Back Cleanse. Hey, do it now before it’s too late!
Cost: $60 – $195
4115 Wisconsin Ave., NW (Tenleytown)
202-241-6095
Online: sparoommassage.com
Nusta Spa
Nusta’s Mother to Be Massage addresses body aches and pains that come with the physical demands of the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. Choose from organic Lavender or Chamomile oil to moisturize your skin during the massage. You can also add a belly treatment of a rich, buttery balm with the healing properties of Gotu Kola and Calenduly that enhances the skin’s elasticity.
Cost: $115 – $175
1129 20th St., NW
202-530-5700
Online: nustaspa.com
Ohana Wellness
At Ohana, massage is a necessity, rather than a luxury. It’s a way to settle your mind and tune into your body and spirit. They don’t just offer pregnancy massages, but postnatal and fertility massage treatments as well. Their pregnancy treatments work to alleviate the discomforts of pregnancy, including joint pain and postural imbalances. In addition, treatments are designed to improve breathing and relaxation, and relieve uncomfortable digestive issues (goodbye snoring and heartburn!).
Cost: $65 – $170
4815 St Elmo Ave. (Bethesda, Md)
301-215-6388
Online: ohanawellnessbethesda.com
Natural Healing Massage Services
Natural Healing focuses on massage services that improve the skin’s elasticity while relaxing the body and relieving heavy legs. Their treatments promise to reduce that all-too-familiar swelling that comes with pregnancy. Pillows are used to relieve pressure in your back and pelvic region.
Cost: $80 for 90 minutes
205 South Whiting St. (Alexandria, Va)
571-490-6750
Online: naturalhealingms.com
Have you ever had a prenatal massage? Tell us all about it in the comments section below.
—Jamy Bond