Breast Massage
Breast massage is something that you can request be a part of any massage session. It typically takes between five and 20 minutes of your total session time, depending on your desired outcome.
Here are a few reasons my clients have chosen breast massage:
They have added breast massage to their massage because it makes them feel relaxed and whole.
They have included breast massage with treatments focused on the chest, neck, and shoulders.
They have requested breast massage to help reduce feelings of breast congestion, discomfort and pain.
They have chosen breast massage as a way to help them integrate their changed body into their sense of self following breast cancer surgeries.
Additional intake paperwork is required. After you have expressed interest in receiving breast massage I will send you an online intake form specific for this treatment. Once that form is on file you can ask to include breast massage at any future appointment in the same way you ask me to include any other part of your body.
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Breast massage may simply feel comforting. It may reduce swelling, congestion and pre/post-menstrual breast pain. Breast massage after lumpectomy, mastectomy or reconstruction may help with healing and re-integration of your changed body.
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Breast massage is expected to be beneficial for breast health because it facilitates lymph circulation.
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Any work within the anatomical boundaries of breast tissue requires your permission in writing prior to starting. I will not uncover or massage your chest unless we have discussed treating this area prior to the session starting. If you choose, you may bring a person in the room with you as witness. Finally, the choice to stop the treatment is yours to make at any time.
Let me know of any other choices you need to help make this treatment option feel safe and comfortable.
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The drape is the sheet, pillow case or towel that covers you. You’ll start fully covered with me working over the sheet. You can then decide whether to give me permission to work on your breasts partially uncovered, or fully uncovered (pictured here). Another option is to wear a soft tank top or t-shirt and I can massage over your clothing.
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I will describe when and how we’ll be working on the breasts before you get on the table. Prior to undraping I will ask “Would you like me to work on your breasts?” as a final check-in before we proceed.
If we have worked together before, you will know that I am open to receiving your input during treatment. If you’d like to ask questions about what we are doing, or share how something feels please feel free to do so.
At any time tell me “I’d like to stop,” if that’s what you need.
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I like when my clients ask me about breast massage. Ideally, we’ll have worked together a couple times, and you bring it up one session before you want to receive it for the first time so I can have you fill out the required paperwork.
After that, you can ask me to work on your breasts in the same way you would ask me to work on any other part of your body.
Will you be able to feel lumps?
Breast massage is not a medical examination. While I am familiar with working with breast tissue, I am not intentionally feeling for lumps, nor am I pressing the breast tissue against the chest wall in a way that would make lumps apparent. In other words it would be easy for me to miss something. However, if I happen notice something that feels unusual to me, I will have you feel it as well, so you know what to show your doctor.