There’s no denying that pregnancy is a beautiful experience, but equally so the aches and pains that often go hand-in-hand with this transformational process are ever-present.

​From difficulty sleeping to laborious walking, the changes occurring within your body and the excess weight that you will inevitably have to carry during those nine months of creating life takes its toll, but there’s no need to suffer in silence – there is a completely natural and gentle way to ease these common discomforts.

“I have been a student and practitioner of Shiatsu massage and Yoga for over 25 years, with my journey beginning after receiving my first Shiatsu treatment. I was so deeply and profoundly affected by such gentle movements, experiencing a sense of deep peace and simultaneous joy, that I felt I needed to learn how to practice this healing art myself so that I could pass on this wonderful gift onto others in need” – Ann Carroll, Lotus Bud Yoga

Shiatsu massage is something that I have been practicing for 25 years and it is a service that I offer alongside my yoga classes. Unlike some other types of massage, which can be a little intense for a pregnant woman or someone enduring pain, Shiatsu is softer and more holistic approach to tackling symptoms – but being softer doesn’t mean that it is any less effective. Through a combination of therapeutic massage strokes, gentle stretching techniques and finger pressure, Shiatsu heals the body, treats pain and improves your overall physical and mental wellbeing. Although Shiatsu is considered a deep treatment, it is not painful making this method the best of both worlds.
 
In this blog, I am going to go over some of the incredible benefits that Shiatsu has to offer during pregnancy, but this is not the only time in your life where this ancient healing practice can resolve your health complaints. From pre-conception and post-natal problems to non-pregnancy-related ailments such as neck and back pain, migraines, joint pain and even anxiety; Shiatsu might just be the all natural, life changing cure-all that you’ve been looking for…

Through Shiatsu massage, I can help you to help yourself.
 
Shiatsu massage during pregnancy can help to provide powerful relief for pains that have the potential to take away from the enjoyment of growing a life inside you. Instead of struggling, just a session or two can give you the freedom to truly enjoy this magical time and give you that goddess glow you’ve been craving.

​During pregnancy, it is more important that ever to keep your body in as good a condition as possible: taking care of yourself with plenty of rest, keeping your stress levels down and aches and pains to a minimum with pregnancy yoga and eating fantastically nourishing foods that are beneficial to both you and your baby.
 
‘Eating well’ throughout your pregnancy does not mean that you should never treat yourself to whatever naughty snack you fancy (trust and listen to your body and give in to those cravings, within reason!), but it does mean that you should be taking the time to consider which foods you can be including in your diet to make sure that both you and baby are getting the very best nutrition possible.

​If you’ve not already heard the buzz about eating dates whilst pregnant, you’re about to have your mind blown. According to a 2014 study in the Journal of Midwifery and Reproductive Health, it is possible to snack your way to an easier and faster labour! Yes, you did read that right.
 
The results of this study showed that women who consumed 6 dates per day for the four weeks leading up to their due date were:
 

• Significantly more dilated
• More likely to go into labour spontaneously
• More likely to have intact membranes upon admission
• Pleasantly surprised by a shorted first stage of labour
• Less likely to use pain medication

 
If that’s not enough to get you stock-piling this sweet fruit, then maybe you’ll be swayed by the fact that they’re also high in fibre, potassium, magnesium, vitamin K and folate, all of which combat many common pregnancy ailments.

​Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries…all the berries! They’re among the highest foods in antioxidants and a fantastic pre-biotic food too, meaning healthy digestion and a cast iron immune system.
 
Berries are also low in sugars, making them the fruit of choice for mums at higher risk of gestational diabetes, and high in folate for your baby’s development.

​Another reason you can enjoy your post-yoga hot chocolate guilt free is that dark chocolate (the real, un-processed sort containing 70% or more cacao) is a powerful superfood.
 
Higher than even the aforementioned berries in antioxidants and known for improving circulation and digestion – if you’ve got a sugar craving, make this your treat!

A study published last year in the journal ‘Nutrients’ examined the benefits of avocados for pregnant women: and there were many!
 
The write-up stated:

​ “Avocados are unique among fruits and vegetables in that, by weight, they contain much higher amounts of the key nutrients folate and potassium, which are normally under-consumed in maternal diets.

Avocados also contain higher amounts of several non-essential compounds, such as fibre, mono-unsaturated fats, and lipid-soluble antioxidants, which have all been linked to improvements in maternal health, birth outcomes and/or breast milk quality“.
 
Better yet – they’re excellent for munching on if you’ve got morning sickness too! Try them on wholegrain toast with salt, pepper and a bit of lemon for a stomach settling breakfast.