Get ready to embrace massage, touch, and pleasure! In this episode, massage therapist Melissa Hailemelekot shares the profound benefits of bodywork before, during, and after birth. Listen in as Melissa guides us through practical techniques to find comfort, empowerment, and bliss in pregnancy and new motherhood.

Melissa draws from her own inspiring birth stories as well as decades of experience supporting women as a massage therapist, doula, and educator. She discusses the importance of building community, customizing care, and moving from healing to pleasure. Whether you love massage or have never tried it, Melissa will inspire you to honor your body and embrace touch on your sensual journey to motherhood.

In This Episode:

Melissa's inspiring birth stories and journey to supporting women Customizing care by listening to each woman's needs Addressing fear and building community trust Building a collaborative team of practitioners Easing discomforts through massage techniques Preparing the body for birth by reducing stress Promoting postpartum recovery through massage Key Takeaways:

Massage provides comfort, empowerment and pleasure Take time to listen and understand each woman's needs Build a supportive community and collaborative care team Use massage to gradually prepare the body for birth Continue massage postpartum to aid recovery Nurture yourself with touch and massage on your journey

Key Quotes:

"Connecting to your body, raising those levels of oxytocin...having your partner massage you and connecting before is just having that pleasurable experience." - Melissa Hailemelekot

“There's this aspect that we carry that surrounds us … this ethereal body of stress that sometimes we carry and to be able to lift that up and to be able to help mothers feel like those goddesses and feel empowered and to feel in their power is what I do.” - Melissa Hailemelekot