Prenatal Massage in Gastown, Vancouver

Registered massage therapy for every stage of pregnancy, in a quiet, unhurried studio in the Historic Dominion Building.

Pregnancy Comes With Its Own Aches

By the second and third trimester, most of the extra weight you're carrying settles into your low back, hips, and legs. Sleep gets harder to come by. Your ankles and feet swell by the end of the day, and there's a kind of tired that no amount of rest seems to touch. On top of that, many people deal with sciatic pain, tight shoulders and upper back from the shift in posture, and general muscle tension that just builds as pregnancy goes on.

Prenatal massage can help with all of it. With the right positioning and a gentle, pregnancy-specific approach, it eases the tension carrying this extra weight creates and gives you a stretch of real, unhurried relief.

What Is Prenatal Massage?

Prenatal massage uses many of the same techniques as a regular therapeutic massage, adjusted for pregnancy: side-lying positioning supported with pregnancy cushioning, lighter pressure in certain areas, and closer attention to how you're doing throughout the session. It's typically used to ease low back and hip pain, reduce swelling in the legs, and help with the general tension that builds up as pregnancy progresses.

It can be booked at any stage, from early pregnancy through the final weeks. What changes is the positioning and pacing your therapist uses, not whether the service is available to you. Some people book once for relief from a specific ache; others come in regularly through the pregnancy as a form of ongoing care.

How Crystal and Sue Approach Prenatal Massage

Two of our RMTs, Crystal Simser and Sue Hartling, offer prenatal massage. Crystal has more than a decade of experience and specifically names prenatal and female health issues among her areas of focus, alongside Swedish, deep tissue, trigger point work, and myofascial release. Sue brings 15+ years of experience and draws on myofascial, deep tissue, and neuromuscular techniques, along with craniosacral therapy training.

Both are registered and in good standing with the College of Massage Therapists of BC. You'll be treated in the same quiet, personal setting every other client sees, a small studio in Gastown's Historic Dominion Building, not a high-volume spa where prenatal clients are an afterthought.

Benefits of Prenatal Massage

Relief where it's needed most. Targeted attention for low back pain, hip and pelvic tension, and leg or ankle swelling.

Better rest. Reduced muscle tension and improved circulation can make it easier to settle into sleep, even in the later stages of pregnancy.

An unhurried session. Treatments happen in a small, quiet studio, not a busy spa floor, with time to check in on how you're doing throughout.

Support through the whole pregnancy. Many clients return at different stages, from early tension to third-trimester discomfort, rather than booking just once.

What Our Prenatal Massage Process Looks Like

Book Offline

Choose a time with Crystal or Sue directly through our online booking page.

Get Comfortable

Let your therapist know how far along you are and what's bothering you most. You'll be positioned with pregnancy cushioning for support.

Receive a session tailored to that day

Whether you need general relaxation or focused relief for your hips, back, or legs, the session is shaped around how you're feeling right now, not a fixed routine.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • For most pregnancies, yes, once it's done by a therapist trained in prenatal positioning and technique. Crystal and Sue both have experience treating pregnant clients and will adjust positioning and pressure as your pregnancy progresses. If you're considered high-risk or have specific concerns, it's worth checking with your care provider first.

  • Yes. Prenatal massage is available at any stage of pregnancy, including the first trimester. Your therapist will simply adjust technique and positioning to what's appropriate for where you are.

  • No. Pregnancy cushioning is provided so you can be positioned comfortably, usually side-lying, for the full session.

  • The main differences are positioning and pressure. You won't be asked to lie flat on your stomach, and certain areas are treated more gently. Otherwise, the techniques draw from the same skill set our RMTs use in any session.

  • Yes. When you book online, you can choose either Crystal Simser or Sue Hartling directly and see their available times.