Futon pregnancy massage - The Kai Urban Retreat way

Gentle comfort for the journey of two.

An exploration and interview with Kai Urban Retreats co-founder Clare, to help gain understanding of the traditional futon pregnancy massage.

Hello everyone and welcome to Kai’s first ever blog post, to start us off, let me introduce myself. My name is Eavie and I am one of the team members at Kai. My knowledge and understanding of massage has been garnered over many years of working at spas and also being a customer, hah! However, I can say that I know (basically) nothing about the traditional Japanese style of Futon pregnancy massage. The aim of this blog post is for not only myself to gain a better understanding but to share with the community our co-founder’s experience.

Plus! I have added some snippets of conversation with Mika; co-founder and spa manager of Kai and Helen, one of our very talented therapists. 

Eavie: What is a futon massage?

Mika (Pregnancy massage connoisseur): Futon is the Japanese word for unsprung mattress. In Japan, we usually put futons on a bamboo sheet, and it's very grounding. During pregnancy, a woman's centre of gravity changes, so a futon massage provides that extra stability. It helps. Your therapist is able to get up close and shift your body into positions to get the absolute most out of your treatment. Great choice for mum and baby!

Now over to Clare, co-founder of Kai Urban Retreat -

Eavie: Have you ever experienced a futon massage and how does it compare to a regular massage? 

Clare (Business wiz): Yes! I discovered the futon pregnancy massage during my first pregnancy, I found it so much more comfortable being on the ground and not feeling like I was going to fall off the table, even though I knew I wouldn’t, it’s the peace of mind and extra space to move. It also meant there wasn’t any pressure on my breasts or parts of my body that felt tender, as you go through changes during your pregnancy it can be quite daunting so having the comfort and ability to relax fully into a treatment is exactly what I needed. After that, I never looked back and continued having the treatment throughout my next two pregnancies. 

Eavie: What was your ‘ah ha!’ moment when you realised this was the best pregnancy treatment for you? 

Clare: I think it was just being able to manoeuvre, you are of course a bit bigger than your usual self during pregnancy. So it’s a bit easier to get on the ground and move around. Often I felt that table massages during the 2nd and 3rd Trimester, however brilliant, didn’t offer me the kind of stability I was hoping for. I actually had futon massages during each pregnancy up until the point of giving birth, and I was never worried about how my centre of gravity changing would alter the treatment. When you are on the futon the therapist can control every movement with precision so its also having that peace of mind that not only are there therapeutic benefits but also a deeper physical release is happening. It’s about having that inner peace, or assurance during a time of change.

Eavie: Where did you get our Futon from?

Clare: I brought it home with me. It was quite a process, but totally worth it to say the least. We chose it because of its size, support and based on the way traditional futons are made. A huge thing for us when building Kai was adding all of the little luxuries, we installed heated flooring, which means when laying on the futon you are staying warm at the core, even during times when the blanket may not cover you. 

Now over to Helen - 

Eavie: As a therapist how does a futon massage compare to a table massage during pregnancy? 

Helen (Amazing facialist and masseuse): During your pregnancy journey it can be very beneficial to incorporate massage, and especially as a first time mother it can be daunting to be on your typical massage table due to limitations on the size of the table. Futon provides comfort and stability for full relaxation. Additional benefits are being able to focus on mother and baby connection and full range of movement and not be restricted by certain movements. This can be an amazing alternative to your traditional table massage, and I’m so happy that we are able to offer this experience during a special transformative time for all mothers.

My thoughts after hearing Clare, Mika and Helen speak about their personal experiences and also how Kai wishes to support mothers on their journey, is that futon massages can be a great accessible choice, perfect for relieving stress, muscle tension and fatigue. If a massage table is a bit too tight for some people having a futon massage would be an excellent choice. To say I am excited that we will be providing these services is an understatement. 

Thank you for coming along with me on this journey, I look forward to writing more blog posts in the future! 

Eavie