Sarah Feinstein, CMT

The question every bodyworker gets asked—

“Do you do deep tissue massage?”

The answer is yes…but my real answer is a little more nuanced.

Because what you may actually be craving isn’t simply deep pressure, it’s in-depth work.

Still deep, but not necessarily forceful.

Depth can mean slowing down, getting specific, following patterns, and looking beyond the place that hurts. It opens up so many more ways of working with the body.

Fascia is adaptable

One of my favorite things about fascia is its adaptability. It’s part of what makes it so fascinating.

Mamas are resilient. We adapt because we love so fiercely. Unfortunately, sometimes our bodies adapt in ways that lead to tension and pain.

If you’ve ever breastfed and/or co-slept with an infant, then hopefully you are aware of the side lying breastfeeding/c-curl position. It is one of my favorites! Unfortunately, like many other body mechanics when it comes to caring for our babies, this can start to cause pain in our bodies.

Just like we adapt to care for our babies, our fascia adapts as our bodies mechanics change.

This can lead to some symptoms that tend to hit moms hard:

Upper back pain
Headaches
Neck pain
Carpel tunnel
Mommy thumb
Nursing shoulder
Jaw pain
Rib discomfort
Hip aches
And can also feed into pelvic floor imbalances that are already at play postpartum

Luckily there are some things we can do ourselves to help with balancing body to hopefully help reduce the stress on our bodies.

Open the front of the body 💜
Holding, feeding, sleeping on your side with one arm on your side and the other somewhere north east of here all encourage a general rounding of the upper body and other imbalances. Make some time each day to stretch your chest and body open from the front!

Support yourself 🫶🏼
Pillow(s) under your top leg, wedge under your waist for a little low back support, and one or two supportive pillows for the neck when you are on your side.

Accept a little help 🤗
Something your partner can do while you’re on your side nursing, is give you some rubs. Along the spine (not on the spine), around the shoulder blades, nape of the neck and sacrum (end of spine at your hips) are great areas for a partner that is not a trained professional to work on.

And last but not least….don’t forget to switch sides!

Your body isn’t broken, it’s incredible and getting exceptionally good at holding the positions you’re asking it to hold.

Photo of me and Callie, circa 2015 😊🫶🏼

If you’ve known me for a while, you probably know that it’s always been important to me for bodywork to feel accessible.

While I deeply value the time, training, and care that go into each session, I also know that taking the first step can sometimes feel like the hardest one.

So, just for the summer, I’m offering $30 off your first 90-minute session.

Whether you’re pregnant, postpartum, living with chronic pain, carrying stress in your jaw and shoulders, or simply feeling like your body could use a reset, I’d love to welcome you into my practice.

✨Mention this post when booking. Valid for new clients only. Offer expires September 21, 2026. ✨

I can’t wait to meet some new faces this summer. 🫶🏼

The last few weeks of your pregnancy may feel like a liminal space. Physically, emotionally, spiritually, you may feel completely ready to meet your baby.

For me personally, with both of my daughters, it was the hardest wait and each day felt like a week.

You’ll see a lot of advice out there on how to go into labor:

Eat a bazillion dates

Walk

Pump

Intimacy

Acupuncture

Chiropractic

Massage

Essential oils

Stare into the full moon while painting your face with the menstrual blood of your ancestors

When really, it’s not that simple.

And not that any of those things are bad. However, there is a key component missing from this sort of advice, and focusing too much on “getting labor started” can sometimes cause more stress versus what you actually need: oxytocin.

The culture around late pregnancy can make people feel like they need to find the missing trick to go into labor. Your body is not a problem to solve.

There are ways you can prepare for the end of your pregnancy before you get there.

1️⃣ Ask the hard questions. Find providers that you align with.

Every provider operates in their own way, based on their education and experience.

Instead of trying to convince your provider at 38 weeks pregnant to “let” you go past your due date, choose a provider that you know from week 10 will support you and your goals (if going into labor naturally, provided there’s no emergency, is one of your goals).

2️⃣ Keep your body comfortable.

Pregnancy is hard work.

Try to find as much comfort in your body towards the end as possible.

Support your body with rest, movement that feels good, hydration, proper support in all its forms (pillows, exercise balls, a good friend), bodywork, and whatever else helps you feel more at ease in your body.

3️⃣ Do things that make you feel good.

To help pass the time, do things that you genuinely enjoy and that naturally encourage oxytocin.

Eat dates if you love dates.

Go for a walk if it makes you feel good to be outside and moving.

Get bodywork if it makes you feel relaxed.

Do birth art.

Spend time with people you love.

Watch the sunset.

Definitely howl at the moon while summoning the birth warriors that came before you.

The idea isn’t to force labor.

The idea is to make your body feel safe, loved, supported, and cared for while you wait.

That is birth preparation, too.

What helped you most during those final weeks before meeting your baby?