Quick answer
No. From around the second trimester you are not massaged lying on your front, and not flat on your back either. You are settled comfortably on your side, supported with pillows — a safe, relaxing position that lets the therapist reach everywhere that aches.
No — you do not lie on your front for a pregnancy massage, and you are not flat on your back either. From around 12 weeks you are settled comfortably on your side, well supported with pillows. It is the safe, natural position for a pregnant body, and it lets every aching area be reached.
If "how on earth do I lie down with a bump?" has been the thing putting you off booking, this is the reassurance you need.
Why not on your front or your back?
Lying on your front becomes uncomfortable and impractical as your bump grows. Lying flat on your back is also avoided for any length of time from around the middle of pregnancy, because the weight of the growing uterus can press on a large vein (the vena cava) and make you feel faint.
Side-lying solves both at once. It keeps all the weight off the bump and off that vein, and it happens to be a genuinely comfortable way to be massaged.
How the side-lying position works
You lie on your side with a pillow supporting your head, one under your bump, and one between your knees, so your hips and spine stay aligned and nothing is straining. Cushioned like that, most women settle quickly. Partway through, you can turn to the other side so both sides get worked.
Early in pregnancy, a semi-reclined position propped up with cushions also works well. We set it all up for you — there is nothing to plan or bring.
Cushioned on your side, most women say it is the most comfortable they have been in weeks.
Can the therapist still reach everything?
Yes. Side-lying gives easy access to the areas that ache most in pregnancy: the lower back, hips, glutes, shoulders, neck and legs. Many women find their sorest spots are actually more reachable this way than lying flat.
If any position feels uncomfortable at any point, we simply adjust the pillows. Your comfort sets the pace.
Good to know
You do not need to bring anything or know anything in advance — the pillows and positioning are set up for you. Just tell me if a position is not comfortable, and we change it. More on what a pregnancy massage involves.
What a session looks like
In the warm, quiet log cabin, women only, you are settled on your side and supported throughout, while the work stays calm and adapted to your stage. More on why pregnancy massage is safe.
It is gentle, unhurried, and shaped entirely around a body that is doing a lot right now.