Entries RSS Comments RSS

A guide to In-Home massages

March 10th, 2010

Hello again.

Lately I’ve had several in-home massages.  Having a massage in your home may seem like a great idea and it is a service I provide I’ve noticed sometimes, the location or situation isn’t optimal.  So here’s a guide of things to consider when booking an in home massage.

Is your home on the ground floor or do you have several stairs to go up or down to enter your house? 

My massage table is portable but it can be quite heavy particularly if I have to carry it up or down lots of stairs.  If you do have more than about three steps, let me know before hand so I can organise help.

Is there enough room in your home to set up the massage table and to move easily around it.

My massage table is about 2 metres long and about 1 metre wide and I need clear space to move around to give you the best massage I can.  The clear space also makes it easier for you to get onto and off my table.

Will your partner, family, friends, pets or neighbours allow you to enjoy your massage without interruptions?

My most memorable in home massage featured my clients son who wandered in every 5 minutes to see what was going on and ask him mum questions.  I have also given several massages with cats rubbing up against me or sitting on my feet.  Very cute but I’m just as likely going to step on or fall over them.  Partners are also great for interrupting with questions as well.  Door bells and phones will ring so if you can please turn them off or onto silent.

Is parking available close to, preferably right outside, your home?

I do have a cart for my table, a suitcase for the linens and the support system in a back pack, but if I have to keep driving around and around looking for a car park, I could be late and it could take longer for me to set up if I have a distance to go to unpack the equipment.

Do you have heating or cooling suiting the weather to keep you comfortable while receiving the massage?

In a massage you can become quite cool.  The areas not being massaged are covered with towels, but sometimes your body temperature can drop.  Also, if your house tends to heat up, you might not feel comfortable either.

Other things to consider is potential for a shorter massage, traffic conditions delaying my arrival or the need for a piece of equipment or information I have in my massage room.  I also ask that you tell me if you or your partner are a smokers before your appointment too.  Another thing to do is let you partner know when you are having a massage so they don’t get a surprise when they walk into your home.

When you are happy with the answers to these questions, call or email to book your appointment.  If you have any concerns, please ask me.  You never know I might have a solution up my sleeve.

In other news, used my new massage support system again the other night with fantastic feedback from my client.

Talk again soon.

Em.

Tags: , ,
Posted in family, massage, time out | Comments Off

For the sake of sanity

March 5th, 2010

In every parenting journal, magazine, book, website and blog, you get hit with a whole bunch of information that may or may not fit your particular style of parenting or child.  We also hear “every child is different” in the same article telling you to do what they say.  That’s all well and good, but they’re not the ones up with your child at 3am, covered in puke and going deaf from screaming.  I can distinctly remember through the PND haze being told to rock and hold my baby til they went to sleep and then keep holding them.  Awesome.  Little miss slept but when did I get to sleep?  Then the next day being told I’ve made a rod for my back because little miss needs to learn to self settle.  Great.  Did they offer to come clean up the vomit after Little Miss had cried until she spewed?  No.  I did.

So for the sake of my sanity, Little miss was breastfed to sleep initially and eventually just cuddled.  She still gets a cuddle to sleep.  I’ve also had the guilt’s about this until something was mentioned by a friend.  She was telling me about her niece and how because of her strong personality and curiosity, won’t sleep.  She doesn’t want to miss out on anything.  This description was almost a perfect match to Little Miss.  Even the health nurses said when Little Miss was tiny, that she was an aware baby.

So with my story said, I’ll say this.  Do what feels right for you and gets what you need.

Now on with other news.  I had a day of time out.  Another essential service for mums that is lacking.  Real exciting stuff.  I got my hair cut, purchased red shoes and had a photo shoot complete with hair and make up.  I’ve also got a massage instead of just giving them and I was way overdue for it.

So in the interest of sanity and time out, I’m going to tell you about an event in may.  It’s the Mum’s Night Out brought to you by real mums.  See the website www.mumsnightout.com.au to find out more about it and book your tickets.  I’m going and I can’t wait. 

See you there.

Em.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in depression, family, massage, time out | No Comments »

A review

February 23rd, 2010

I’ve decided to do a review on something I use all the time.  Just for the record, I have purchase this item with my own money, no sponsorship or freebies have been given, and I actually do use this item.

Today’s review is on the Ergo baby carrier.

This carrier is fantastic.  After Little Miss was born, my back was ruined.  I think I tried every baby sling and carrier on the market trying to find one that didn’t cause my back to spasm after a few minutes.  Eventually, I found the Ergo.  I was in love.

The waist belt spreads the weight on your hips, not your back, meaning less strain and pain on your upper back and shoulders.  The wide padded shoulder straps don’t dig in and the clips are easy to use.

I loved that you can use the ergo carrier from birth right through to toddler hood and I still use ours with Little Miss (aged 2 and a bit).  Babies are carried on the front snuggled up to mum.  The carrier positions bub in the best position and because they are close to you, bub’s relaxes and dozes.  Some mums can even breastfeed while bub is still in the carrier.

When bub’s has become bigger, the carrier can be worn on the hip and lastly, toddlers can be carried on the back.  Little Miss loves being carried on my back because she’s up high so she can see what is going on and where we are going.  We’ve even mastered the art of getting her in the carrier when we’re out by ourselves.  It’s great for when Little miss is tired of walking and wants to be carried.  Yay, she’s carried, my hands are free and we can keep going without a tantrum.

There’s also some really useful accesories available.  I highly reccommend the back pack attachment so you can have all the nappy bag stuff at easy reach and it attaches to the carrier!  For newborns there is an insert required.

Another reason I loved the ergo was an extension for the waist band.  As an above average woman, many of the carriers just didn’t go around me.  Yay!

All the clips and adjusters have a safety loop.  If for any reason the clip comes undone, the safety loops kick in.  The carrier also has a very cool snooze hood for when bubs has a snooze.  This is especially great when they’re a bit older and need something to rest their heads against.

Absolutely worth every cent.

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

The announcement!

February 17th, 2010

Ok, I said I’d be back with a big announcement.  Well here it is!

THE PREGNANCY SUPPORT SYSTEM HAS ARRIVED!

This support system means a pregnant woman can have a massage lying face down!

I’m so excited about this.  When I was pregnant, I had massages on my side and once with this system.  I think just spending the 20 minutes lying on my tummy was worth it!

Spread the word.

Em.

Tags: ,
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

My butt hurts…..

February 17th, 2010

Hi everyone,

Big announcement on it’s way.  Will tell you more later today!!!!

In other news, I was chatting to a fellow practitioner yesterday about how I seemed to have become an expert in buttock massage. 

Sciatic nerve pain is nasty.  It’s a sharp, burning, aching pain that starts at your buttock and runs all the way down to your knee and possibly your foot.  Makes getting in and out of the car difficult and sometimes even walking is a challenge.  The majority of my pregnant clients have sciatic nerve pain from postural changes, relaxin (pregnancy hormone) flowing and just the weight of the uterus but also my non pregnant clients seems to have this pain too.  Is it because we sit at the computer far too long?  Do we not stretch and walk around as much as we should?

The techniques I use are really effective, a little painful during treatment, but worth it.  I know this because they’re the same techniques used on me when I have sciatic nerve pain (whilst pregnant and now).  Other options for when you can’t get a massage quickly are heat packs, very gentle stretching, and laying flat with your leg straight.  Maintaining your pelvic floor muscle exercises is a great preventative measure and all women should do this anyway. 

It’s always a good idea to have any long lasting pain checked by your doctor.

So until the big announcement.  Have fun.

Em.

Tags: , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Reading

February 10th, 2010

Today I revisited a book that makes me cry.  Not sad cry exactly.  More from being moved and it’s not exactly a book you would expect that kind of reaction.

It’s “Australia Unbuttoned” by Kerry Cue.  It sub title is “Australia’s culture exposed”.

Why does it make me cry I hear you ask.  Well, the first time I read the book was just after my grandfather passed away.  The book looks at different rituals and traditions in Australia including death and funerals.  That’s the first reason it makes me cry.  The second is the chapter on new life and birth.  There are some examples of baby blessings that are beautiful and it reminded me of just how disappointed I was at Little Miss’s baptism.  So as a starting point for my investigation into traditions surrounding birth, this was a good start.

There’s also a very interesting insight into other celebrations and rituals.  Including the habit of not RSVPing.

Worth the read.

Em.

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Interesting

February 7th, 2010

In the last three days we have had 300% increase in traffic.  Maybe I should support (sorry) the cause more often…

Still, the world keeps turning and I’ve been working.  Always a good thing.  Most people complain about going to work but I love it and getting paid is a bonus.  Which is something I’ve been thinking about lately.  So I ask you, what job would you happily do, even if you didn’t get paid?

When I was studying my diploma we were told massage can only be worked on a part time basis.  This is mainly to prevent injury and needing more massages than you give.  The most I could ever work on clients is 25 hours a week.  This doesn’t include the time I take cleaning, paper working and linen washing.  I’m telling you this as a result of a conversation  yesterday.  Another natural therapist and I were discussing what we charge for a session.  I charged more than her and she looked surprised that I get clients.  Why do I charge more?  Simple, I can’t work full time hours but have the same bills as everyone else, I have spent time post training to increase my knowledge in my specialised field, and because I’m worth every cent!  This is not a vanity thing either.  In fact I charge less than the local beauty therapists charge for a relaxation massage but I have more skills.  I genuinely care about all my clients and you do get what you pay for.  My massages can potentially be claimed back on private health insurance too.

So what are you worth?  Are you charging your customers and clients enough?

Tags: , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Open up and Show Your Support

February 5th, 2010

I’m sitting at my In-law’s house writing this post.

A few posts ago I mentioned a little adventure I had with Amanda (Mad Cow) and Renee (Bra Queen).

Well it’s time to tell you what it’s about.

To show my support of depression awareness, a portrait of me was taken showing my “support” i.e. my bra.  Given that one in 5 (that’s 20%) of the population suffers from depression, there really isn’t much awareness of the condition that can kill.  From my own experience, it’s terrifying.  The constant cloud of doom and feeling like everything was grey.  The way your energy is zapped and not being able to “just snap out of it” is horrible.

I was recently talking to a friend and she was feeling just like I was when pregnant.  She wasn’t even aware of the services available.  I don’t think I’ve written downs a bunch of phone numbers so quickly.

So for her sake, every-one’s sake and my own:

I’M SHOWING MY SUPPORT!

Showing my support

Thanks Maree for the awesome photos!

So I now ask you to join in and show your support by either writing a post about depression and adding a photo of you in your support, join the facebook group or leave a comment of support. 

There’s no point keeping depression in the dark.  Bring depression out in the open!

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Today

January 31st, 2010

I’ve just got back from a peer support group for alternative practitioners.

It was interesting because we were each able to help each other and yet not actually be in direct competition.  They other lovely ladies were able to give me some ideas and connections to help with the business side of things as well as providing a bit of accountability for my goals.

So the goals for this year?  Many and varied but workshops, cd making, more study of rituals and cultures and of course lots of massages!

Stay tuned for the results.

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Just in case you didn’t know.

January 29th, 2010

Did you know there are many ways to keep up to date with Hand Print Massage other than this blog?

We have twitter and a facebook fan page.

Click on the links to follow us!

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

« Older Entries