Bodywork adapted by trimester, focused on where the load actually shifts. Pregnancy changes the mechanics of the low back, hips and pelvis faster than the body adapts to them, and most of the resulting discomfort is mechanical rather than inevitable. Sessions at Fit Body Therapy in Los Altos are one-on-one with Angelo dela Cruz, practicing since 1996.
What Is Actually Changing
Three things happen at once, and they compound.
The centre of mass moves forward. The pelvis tilts to compensate, the lumbar curve deepens, and the muscles along the low back take on a job they were not doing before.
Ligaments become more mobile. Relaxin increases laxity through the pelvis in preparation for delivery. That is useful later and destabilising now — the surrounding muscles increase tone to make up for the loss of passive stability, and that extra tone is a large part of what gets felt as pain.
The abdominal wall lengthens. As it does, it contributes less to trunk support, and the low back absorbs the difference.
None of it is pathology. All of it is mechanics, and mechanics respond to treatment.
How Sessions Are Adapted
Positioning is side-lying with bolstering, from the second trimester onward. Not face-down, and not flat on the back for any sustained period, which can compress the vena cava and reduce return circulation.
Pressure is moderated. Increased ligament laxity means the joints have less passive protection, so aggressive work is inappropriate regardless of what you tolerated before pregnancy.
Focus follows the load: low back, gluteals, hips, and the muscles around the pelvis. Also the upper back and neck later on, which take the strain of changing posture and, afterward, of feeding and carrying.
Being Clear About Scope
This is orthopedic bodywork adapted for pregnancy, delivered by a CAMTC certified massage professional. It is not obstetric care and does not replace it.
Please clear massage with your OB or midwife first, particularly with a high-risk pregnancy, a history of preterm labour, preeclampsia, or any clotting disorder. If anything changes during your pregnancy, tell me before the next session rather than at the start of it.
Sessions are not offered in the first trimester.
Afterward
The postpartum period asks different questions. The abdominal wall has to reorganise, feeding and carrying load the upper back and neck continuously, and after a caesarean there is scar and adhesion work that is worth doing once your provider clears it — often long after people assume the window has closed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which trimesters do you work with?
Second and third, with your provider’s clearance. Not the first trimester.
Do you use a table with a belly cutout?
No. Side-lying with proper bolstering is the safer and more comfortable option, and it gives better access to the low back and hips where most of the discomfort actually sits.
Will this help with sciatica during pregnancy?
Often. Much of what gets called pregnancy sciatica is referred pain from the deep hip rotators rather than nerve root compression, and that pattern responds well to manual work. Persistent or worsening symptoms should go to your provider.
How soon can I come back after delivery?
Once your provider clears you. That is usually earlier after an uncomplicated vaginal birth than after a caesarean, where the incision needs to be fully closed before any scar work begins.
Book a session at Fit Body Therapy in Los Altos. Tell me your trimester and what is bothering you and we will work out whether this is a fit. Serving Los Altos, Mountain View, Palo Alto and Sunnyvale.