Pregnancy Without the Pause: Part I

Mother May I? Yes, You May

Seven pregnancy spa treatments that have the support of physicians

1. Prenatal Massage

It's perfectly safe—even in the first trimester—as long as it's with a well-trained prenatal therapist and you're having a normal pregnancy, says Dr. Evans. Research done by the Touch Institute in Miami confirms that prenatal massages relieve back pain and improve sleep and mood; and regular massage decreases stress (measured by the amount of norepinephrine in urine) and reduces labor complications. Prenatal massage is best given while you lie on your side propped up by pillows. (Moon says the safety of massage tables that are scooped out in the belly area is questionable.) Neck and shoulder massage is a safe sitting-up option, as well.

2. Facials

These can treat newly mottled skin and dehydrated or pimpled complexions and restore the promised pregnancy glow, says Dr. Evans. Barefoot and Pregnant's founder, Stacy Denney, favors facials with gentle, all-natural skin-care products. Steam on the face doesn't raise your core body temperature, she notes, so even normal pimple extractions are fine. (Just hold off on chemical peels and hydroquinone, a brightener.)

3. Acupuncture

Medical-journal studies show that during pregnancy, acupuncture can help with morning sickness, migraines, and back pain, says Spabébé owner Heidi Moon. "It's also used to induce labor in women who are overdue."

4. Reflexology

While the feet and hands do contain pressure points that can cause contractions and stimulate labor, a well-trained reflexologist can easily avoid them and instead focus on those that relieve heartburn and other pregnancy symptoms. "It's simply not contraindicated across the board," says Dr. Evans. (Reflexology also helps with postnatal milk supply and normalizing the menstrual cycle, says Moon.) If you're not visiting a pregnancy spa, Moon suggests asking for the therapist's prenatal-reflexology résumé to make sure their training and experience are just as thorough.

5. Warm, not hot, baths

Dr. Evans says it's fine to be in hot water for a brief period, but if you want to linger in the tub, the water should be warm. Rule of thumb: If your face is sweating, the water is too hot.

6. Leg treatments

Fluid retention, especially in the legs, is one of pregnancy's primary discomforts. So targeted "tired leg" massages address this condition, as well as achy legs and feet. If you're noticing new varicose veins, hold off on aggressive treatments for now. The Mayo Clinic's literature states that these often improve without medical treatment within three months of delivery.

7. Manicures and pedicures

It's getting easier to find polishes without controversial chemicals (SpaRitual contains no DBP, toluene, or formaldehyde, for example) and spas that use them. But plan to bring your own nail tools, and ask that the footbath be cleaned right before your service, says Moon. And since nail technicians aren't pregnancy-trained reflexologists, you may want to ask them to skip the foot and calf rub, says SpaRitual's Shel Pink.

NEXT: Five spa treatments to skip if you're pregnant