A day at the spa

A few months ago, my thoughtful hubby gifted me with a certificate for a pregnancy massage at a local spa for my birthday. Since then, he's been politely pestering me about when I would redeem the massage, reminding me that I'm a ticking time bomb, and don't want to miss the chance for a good old fashioned professional rub down to ease my general discomfort.

So, I scheduled some time for relaxation this Saturday -- with a little nervousness about how this would work. Would they have a table with a hole cut out for my belly? Would the massage not be "as good" as a regular one due to special positioning? Would I be able to make it through an hour without having to pee?

The answers: no, yes, and barely.

Rather than a special table, Sarah (my masseuse) offered me a special pillow with a cut out so that I could lay on my stomach. I tried this at first, but I don't think buddy appreciated being a little squished, as he kicked the living daylights out of me until I gave up and had the massage on my side (hugging a body pillow).

To my surprise, the massage was fantastic. Sarah spent a lot of time on my hips, which was awesome since they've been hurting quite a bit lately.

And, while I visited the ladies room mere seconds before going into the massage room, I was in definite need of speeding across the hall post-massage. (Hourly trips to the bathroom are nothing to sneeze at these days -- more if I'm actively consuming liquids.)

So for any pregnant ladies considering a massage, I encourage it -- if nothing else, it's some quiet time to relax and enjoy some soothing music and have someone ease the pain in your aching joints.