Our guest blogger today is Kalyn Wolf, owner at Cloud Nine Flotation. Cloud Nine offers prenatal massage, flotation and other therapies for moms-to-be to ease the physical strain of pregnancy. These therapies have some wide-ranging benefits: the American Pregnancy Association says that prenatal massage “can reduce anxiety, decrease symptoms of depression, relieve muscle aches and joint pains, and improve labor outcomes and newborn health.” Check out the benefits of these alternative therapies, as well as testimonials from moms who have tried them!
PREGNANCY AND FLOTATION THERAPY
Did you know, that Pregnant Women can Float?
Flotation Therapy has been called by many names. Sensory Deprivation, Isolation Tank Therapy, R.E.S.T. (Restricted Environment Stimulation Therapy) to name a few. Joe Rogan has talked about it, Hugh Jackman and many other Hollywood types own flotation tanks and pods and float regularly. One of the most overlooked and necessary treatments, however, is for pregnancy. Women past their 1st trimester, who are experiencing back pain, leg pain, or just overwhelm are finding tremendous joy in the act of floating. If you are past your 1st trimester, and you have your doctor or midwife’s clearance to submerge in water, floating will astound you. Not only are YOU floating, but your baby is floating as well, so what is created is an environment where you are both floating in the same kind of fluid, and bonding together in bliss. You probably know that after 16 weeks it may not be safe to lie on your back when you are pregnant because it can cut the blood flow to your baby. But you can lie on your back in a Flotation Tank because you are free of gravity, and your blood flow increases due to the increased magnesium in the water, that enters your body through your skin.
Check out this video from The Morning Blend in Tucson, AZ with Judith Schuler, the author of “Your Pregnancy Book”.
Flotation Therapy allows you to escape the added weight of pregnancy by floating in a weightless environment, taking the strain off the body and spine. It promotes excellent sleep, a lovely sense of well being, and can help with all the aches and pains normally associated with pregnancy.
Floating in a flotation tank can help the pregnant mom to be, literally float through the pregnancy with a level of calm and comfort, and the Epsom salt solution will decrease inflammation and the pregnant mom will absorb lots of magnesium from the solution in the float tank.
There is often comment about the ‘mirror effect’ of the baby floating in the womb of the mother, and the mother floating in the womb of the tank and the spiritual/communal pleasure for the mother in this regard, deepening her connection with her baby.
In the third trimester of pregnancy, you are the most uncomfortable. You have all this pressure on your lungs, and organs, you may have trouble breathing and sleeping. Imagine if you will a brief respite. If we evolved from the sea it only makes sense to use floatation therapy to draw comfort, we are 80% water after all.
In Tucson, you can float at Cloud Nine Flotation. We not only have a beautiful and homey environment but also have very experienced massage therapists who are trained in prenatal massage and other massage styles. Our Premier Program is a Heavenly Sandwich. A Float followed by a massage of your choice, followed by another float. It’s an amazing reset of your body, mind, and spirit. You can find out more about the Flotation Experience at www.pointzerofloatation.com
Testimonials:
“I was eight months pregnant when I floated for the first time. Pregnancy takes a toll on every muscle in your body, especially your torso. Ironically, the times when you get a chance to rest is when the baby becomes more active and its weight continues to put stress on your muscles. While floating, I expected the baby to be very active, but was pleasantly surprised. Since there was no pressure from any side, the baby didn’t feel the need to kick or roll around. It was the best rest I’ve had in several months. I would recommend floating to anyone, pregnant or not, for a time of physical and mental renewal.” –Heather Warren (Oakland, CA)
“I know that floating helped me so much to be as calm as possible during the birth. I was actually (mentally) using mantras the entire time, as well as visualization, both of which helped me tremendously. Birth is an extremely intense process, but I was able to meet it exactly how I’d wanted to and I got the water birth I’d dreamed of. So, thank you beyond big-time for all your help in creating the best birth for my baby!! She was born calm and content and she’s been that way ever since! Much love and many blessing” — Sarah & Samarra (Oakland, CA)
“At 34 weeks pregnant, my floatation session made me aware of the tension draining from my body and my mind went into a complete state of relaxation. As I floated I felt a strong connection with my baby, it left me blissfully calm.”
(Zaza Patterson, London, UK)
Pregnancy is an emotionally intense time, and frequently a spiritual one. Floating can provide the ideal environment for processing and exploring the experience and the connection with your baby.
“I have facilitated numerous floats with pregnant women and they absolutely love it. Most will share with me that they connected with their child. Many more tell me that they experienced a profound realization of having a child in their womb and them floating in a womb themselves… They say this experience is very difficult to describe but amazingly beautiful.”
(Kane Mantyla, Float Matrix, San Francisco)
“I was 22 weeks pregnant and hadn’t feel my baby’s movement very much, but during my floatation session, I was so relaxed, I became aware of every move.”
(Melanie, London, UK)
“Often times, pregnant women will comment on how relaxed their baby is during their time floating in the tank. This makes sense, as your baby can read your body. If you are 100% relaxed while in the tank, your baby will enjoy the relaxation, just as you will.”