Last updated November 2026
Pregnancy changes how your body carries weight almost week by week. Your lower back takes more load, your hips loosen, your feet and ankles can swell, and sleeping comfortably gets harder. Massage is one of the simplest ways to ease some of that, as long as it is done by someone who knows how to adapt it.
★View the Best Massage Therapists in Dunedin→Here is when pregnancy massage usually starts, how it differs from a normal massage, and what to ask before booking one in Dunedin.
When can you start?
Many massage clinics only offer pregnancy massage from 12 weeks onwards. The first trimester is when the risk of miscarriage is highest, and although massage is not known to cause one, waiting until the second trimester avoids any worry about timing.
From 12 weeks you can usually book right through to the end of pregnancy. Some people come in once in the middle months and then more often in the last few weeks, when the back and hips are working hardest.
If your pregnancy has complications, check with your midwife or doctor first. That includes high blood pressure, pre-eclampsia, bleeding, placenta problems, or a history of blood clots.
How it differs from a normal massage
The main differences are position and pressure.
- Position. From mid-pregnancy you will not lie flat on your front, and long periods flat on your back are avoided. Most of the session is done lying on your side, supported with pillows between your knees and under your bump, or sitting propped up.
- Pressure. Firm work is still possible on the back, shoulders and hips, but deep pressure on the legs is avoided, because the risk of blood clots is higher in pregnancy.
- Areas avoided or treated gently. The tummy is either left alone or only touched lightly, and therapists take care around the ankles and inner legs.
- Pace. Sessions often run longer, an hour or an hour and a half, because getting comfortable on your side takes a few minutes.
What it can help with
People most often book pregnancy massage for:
- Lower back and hip ache as the bump grows
- Tight shoulders and neck, especially if you are still working at a desk
- Leg cramps and heavy, tired legs
- Trouble switching off and sleeping
- Simply having an hour that is about you, before life gets busier
Massage does not replace medical care. It is a way to feel more comfortable, alongside the advice from your lead maternity carer.
When to skip a session and call your midwife
Do not book a massage, and contact your midwife or doctor instead, if you have:
- Any bleeding or fluid loss
- A painful, hot or swollen calf, which can be a sign of a deep vein thrombosis
- Sudden swelling of the face or hands, a bad headache or blurred vision
- Fewer baby movements than usual
- A fever or feeling unwell
If you do not have a lead maternity carer yet, the New Zealand College of Midwives runs Find Your Midwife to help you find one in Dunedin.
What to tell your therapist
Before the first session, mention:
- How many weeks pregnant you are
- Any complications your midwife has talked to you about
- Where you are sore, and what makes it worse
- Anything that makes lying on one side uncomfortable
- Whether you get dizzy or breathless lying back
A good therapist will ask most of this anyway. If they do not ask how far along you are, that is a reason to look elsewhere.
After the baby arrives
Massage does not have to stop at the birth. Postnatal massage is the same idea adapted for the months afterwards, when the aches move from the lower back to the shoulders, neck and upper back. Feeding, rocking and carrying a baby, and leaning over a cot or car seat, all load the same muscles over and over.
Most people wait until they have had their six-week check, and longer after a caesarean, until the wound has healed and their doctor or midwife is happy. Side-lying is still often more comfortable for a while, especially if your breasts are tender. Many clinics are relaxed about a baby coming along to the first postnatal session if you let them know beforehand.
Getting there in Dunedin
Small things matter later in pregnancy. Dunedin’s hills are hard work with a bump, and central parking can be tight, so leave time to get there without rushing. Wear something easy to change out of, bring a water bottle, and go to the toilet before you start, because an hour on your side with a baby pressing on your bladder is not relaxing.
Where Massage Dunedin fits
Massage Dunedin is an upstairs clinic on St Andrew Street in Dunedin Central. Pregnancy massage is offered from 12 weeks only, usually as an hour or an hour and a half. Several of the team offer it, including Lucy Chalmers, who completed her Diploma in Wellness and Relaxation Massage at Otago Polytechnic. Bookings are made online, and the clinic prefers a text if you want to check something before you book.
