Melanie Gillians, RMT

Melanie Gillians, RMT I am a registered massage therapist located at The Well, in Bayshore Mall. Relaxation combined with therapeutic massage is the essence of my practice.

Peace, love, and vitality.

40 weeks is a short duration of time for the body to change so rapidly. Aches and pains throughout a pregnancy are commo...
11/06/2022

40 weeks is a short duration of time for the body to change so rapidly. Aches and pains throughout a pregnancy are common and can be attributed to these radical changes. As the baby grows and your center of gravity changes, your body compensates by creating tension to areas for support and stability.
There is no better time to implement a self care routine that includes body work. Massage therapy is one of the most effective ways of managing pain and discomfort associated with pregnancy. Building a maintenance protocol with your massage therapist is an amazing way to help maintain your comfort levels throughout this journey.

My suggested interval for treatment is:

✨1st trimester: 1 massage around 8-12 week to help manage hormonal changes and possible relaxin insurgence

✨2nd trimester: 2 massages 5-6 weeks apart

✨3rd trimester: Bi-weekly massage if possible. At this stage the baby grows at a rapid rate, approximately 1/2 pound per week. Regular treatment is beneficial to managing the the shifting support network of connective tissues, muscles, joints and ligaments.

Knowledge is power and collaboratively working together to support women is meaningful and gratifying. Very grateful to ...
11/03/2022

Knowledge is power and collaboratively working together to support women is meaningful and gratifying. Very grateful to know these ladies, to learn from others, and to be apart of empowering women across the world. with some beautiful colleague and

Manual Lymphatic Drainage is a gentle and restorative way to assist new moms post labor, either natural or cesarean deli...
03/03/2022

Manual Lymphatic Drainage is a gentle and restorative way to assist new moms post labor, either natural or cesarean delivery. It aids in flushing away the excess fluid retained during pregnancy, helps to regulate hormones, and detoxifies the lymphatic system.

MLD can be received directly after any uncomplicated delivery or after 14 days post-cesarean.

Available

There are so many reasons why receiving massage therapy while pregnant is incredibly beneficial. Here are my 3 favorite:...
18/02/2022

There are so many reasons why receiving massage therapy while pregnant is incredibly beneficial.

Here are my 3 favorite:

✨decrease pain related to the shift in center of gravity, shift in the pelvis, spine and abdominal wall, and shift in the anatomical plum line ✨decrease edema from increase in fluid retention. ✨decrease stress and anxiety by activating the parasympathetic nervous system

I have been providing massage therapy to perinatal clients for over 9 years. I have a great deal of experience working with high risk pregnancy. I am a prenatal yoga teacher, prenatal doula, and level II Reiki practitioner. My education has allowed me to provide the safest and most effective treatments to my clients.

20/01/2022

How do we recover from post seasonal over indulgence? We get back into a healthy routine. Eat healthy, get plenty of sleep, drink plenty of water, and stay active, but if this isn’t doing the trick or you’ve really done a number on yourself or just just want to give yourself a little push (or shall I say pump) into the right direction, book yourself in for a Lymphatic Drainage massage. A full body Lymphatic Drainage massage can help boost your immune system by detoxification and increasing the production of immune-competent cells. The lymphatic system is a slow moving system, it has no pump to help move the fluid throughout the nodes and ducts. It relies on smooth muscle contraction from diaphragmatic breathing and physical movement to help move fluid throughout. On its own, the lymphatic system can move 1.5 - 2 L of lymph fluid a day. After a full body manual lymphatic drainage massage, lymph circulation increases by 15-30L a day and after 24 hours the body produces 20% more immune-competent cells.

Regular massage therapy while pregnant can assist the muscles in adapting to the changing body. With low back pain, trea...
09/12/2021

Regular massage therapy while pregnant can assist the muscles in adapting to the changing body. With low back pain, treating the low back, hips, and glutes can greatly alleviate the stress these muscles undergo with the shift in the pelvis and the added pressure of a human sitting in your pelvic bowl. With p***c symphysis pain, treating the hips, glutes, and adductors (inner thigh muscles) will relax these compensatory muscles, which help with mobility and fluidity in motion. An ice pack to the p***c region helps to alleviate the inflammation. When shortness of breath is a factor and the
ribs are expanding, working through the intercostal muscles (muscles between the ribs) and diaphragm help make breathing less laboured and allows for a fuller breath to be taken. If calf cramps are the issue, loosening up the gastroc and soleus will help alleviate that resting tension that sits in the calves after a spasm. As the center of gravity shifts, the spine compensates with exaggerated curves of the lumbar and thoracic spine, this can create added tension in the neck and shoulders as the head and chin start to move moveward towards a head forward posture. This can create tension headaches and stiffness in the neck. A massage will release tension and treat unwanted hyperirritable nodules aka trigger points, allowing the tension to melt away, alleviating headaches.
Understanding the physiological changes that can occur (common, uncommon, and high risk) can help to create a safe treatment plan for pregnancy. Massage is almost always safe for pregnancy and modifications can be made for certain circumstances. A Massage Therapist’s duty is to accommodate the clients needs, to consider all possible options in order to provide the safest and most effective treatment. There are so many ways to ensure comfort and safety. Massage is always magic, but when pregnant, it is phenomenal!

The evolution of the pregnancy journey is heavily weighed on the musculoskeletal system. Yes, it also includes all other...
09/12/2021

The evolution of the pregnancy journey is heavily weighed on the musculoskeletal system. Yes, it also includes all other systems of the body but the musculoskeletal system is a direct connection to the pain and discomfort felt while growing a human. In the first stage of pregnancy the first surge of Relaxin overwhelms the body. A lot of women can experience some low back pain even before they begin to “show”. Relaxin, a magical hormone that allows the body to stretch and make way for the baby to pass through the birth canal, also creates laxity in the ligaments and joints of the body which triggers muscles to work overtime to maintain stability, thus all the aches and pains while pregnant. As the pregnancy progresses into the 2nd and 3rd trimester, Relaxin levels out but the body is changing at a rapid rate. As the baby grows, the center of gravity shifts forcing an imbalance to our regular phasic and postural muscle groups. Depending on where the baby is sitting in the uterus increased levels of discomfort can be felt. A baby that sits low in the pelvis can put additional pressure on the pelvis, creating pain in the low back, hips, and p***c symphysis. A baby sitting higher up can push into the ribs and diaphragm, creating shortness of breath, tightening accessory muscles of breathing in the upper chest and in the intercostal space between the ribs. Some women experience all of these symptoms. Pregnancy is different for every woman but the pain patterns stay relatively the same. Relaxin has a resurgence towards the end of the pregnancy in the late 3rd trimester, preparing the body for birth. At this time the body is also receiving oxytocin, “the love and feel good” hormone. This is why a lot of women feel the discomfort of weight gain and feel “heavy” but the localized aches and pains diminish.
Regular massage can assist the muscles in adapting to the rapidly changing body.

A chunk of my massage therapy practice has been focused on seeing women through their journey to childbirth. I, myself r...
09/12/2021

A chunk of my massage therapy practice has been focused on seeing women through their journey to childbirth. I, myself receive weekly massages while pregnant and I truly believe there is no better time than while pregnant to receive massage.
My job is physical, it requires continuous pressure and stress from the body. Pregnancy was not easy and I can’t say I enjoyed it. It was painful. My back was constantly sore, I went through a period of p***c symphysis dysfunction as commonly known as “fire crotch” , my legs spasmed, my hands were swollen and achy, it was kinda brutal. I’m not saying pregnancy was the worst. There was such a beautiful connection created by my son and I in utero. The movement I felt was incredible and creating life is such a magical experience but my body was not my own, it belonged to him and he took what he needed to grow and thrive... motherhood in a nutshell.
Massage was my source of pain relief and I was fortunate to work with massage therapists, ready as needed.

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George Town

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