If you’re pregnant or newly postpartum and looking for prenatal massage in Salem, I want you to know Kate Saunders. Kate is a licensed massage therapist and the owner of Holistic Bodyworks & Coaching, along with its specialized service, Salem Prenatal Massage. She has been doing this work in Salem for about 12 years, and for a lot of expecting and brand-new parents, her massage table is one of the only places where someone is taking care of them.
As a newborn photographer, I spend a lot of time with families in those early weeks. I see how much love and attention pours into the baby, and how little is usually left over for the parent. That gap is exactly where Kate works. I asked her to share her story and what she wishes every pregnant and postpartum person knew, and her answers were too good not to share.
The Work She Never Planned to Do
Kate didn’t set out to do prenatal massage at all. Her own pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum experience was traumatic, and afterward she had no interest in spending her days around pregnant people.
Then, while she was still home with her baby, one of the owners of PNW Doulas found out she was a massage therapist and offered her office space. That was the push she needed to get back to work. As she built her clientele and her network of local business owners, the same question kept coming up: did she offer prenatal massage? Eventually it was clear that she should.
“My training to be prenatal certified was very therapeutic and helped me process a lot of feelings from my own experience, and now it is a joy and an honor for me to support pregnant clients.”
Her own experience shapes the way she cares for her clients. She knows how hard pregnancy can be, and she brings that understanding into every session.
“Not Delicate and Not Easily Broken”
If you’ve looked into prenatal massage before, you may have been told you can’t get a massage during your first trimester because of miscarriage risk. Kate wants you to know that isn’t true. In her words, there is nothing about receiving massage that raises the risk of miscarriage unless the massage therapist is really bad at their job. So the problem isn’t massage. It’s making sure you find a massage therapist who understands proper technique.
The other myth she runs into is that pregnant clients need to be handled like they might break, so the massage has to be soft and barely there. Kate’s response is my favorite line from our whole conversation:
“Have you ever met a pregnant person? Not delicate and not easily broken. Strongest people ever!”
A prenatal massage can still be effective. What matters is finding a therapist who is trained and experienced in prenatal work, someone who understands how the pregnant body changes and knows the positioning and precautions that keep you safe and comfortable through all of it.
Why Pregnant Clients Book a Prenatal Massage in Salem
Kate says pregnant people need massage more than almost anyone, and the reasons go well beyond sore muscles. Many clients come in for pain in the low back, hips, and feet. Others are exhausted and simply need a chance to rest. Some are anxious and need help calming their nervous system. And some are just uncomfortable with how fast their bodies are changing. Safe, caring touch helps them adjust to those changes and cope with them.
What to Expect at a Prenatal Massage in Salem With Kate
According to Kate, it’s safe to receive massage at any point in your pregnancy. The only time she won’t work on a pregnant client is during labor.
Early on, a session may feel a lot like a regular massage. As your belly grows, Kate changes how you’re positioned on the table. She has equipment that lets you rest comfortably in several different positions, and at every visit she looks at your current body shape and size to decide which positions will feel best while still letting her do the work you need most.
She also adjusts how and where she uses pressure as pregnancy progresses. The hormone relaxin, which loosens your hips to make room for baby, also makes your joints less stable, so the goal is to relieve muscle tension without destabilizing those joints further. Closer to your due date, a lot of her work is about helping you feel calmer and safer in your body as the nerves about labor and delivery build.
Postpartum Massage Is Care for the Parent, Too
After baby arrives, Kate works on all the tension that comes with new parenthood: nursing, holding a baby all day, sleeping in strange positions, hauling car seats and diaper bags. But she says the even bigger piece is the exhaustion, the lack of real sleep, and the mental health struggles so many new parents face.
“During postpartum, there’s such an imbalance in how much care and attention the baby is receiving versus how much care the parent is receiving, and coming in to get a massage is a small but meaningful way to correct that imbalance.”
I wish I’d understood that better with my first kids. By the time my younger ones came along, I’d learned that taking time to care for myself postpartum mattered too, and it made a real difference.
Caring for Your Body Between Appointments
Kate’s biggest piece of advice for caring for your body during pregnancy is simple. She recommends that you keep moving. That can look like going for walks, lifting weights, and playing with your kids. Staying active is the best way to help your body feel good throughout pregnancy and to prepare for the physical work of birth.
She also recommends building a support team beyond your massage therapist if you can, like a chiropractor, a physical therapist, or a personal trainer who is educated in fitness during pregnancy.
A Safe Space for Every Body
Kate is trauma-informed, consent-forward, and body-positive, and she works hard to make her practice a safe space for people of all shapes, sizes, genders, races, and backgrounds. She is also a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach, and her coaching focuses on helping people learn to listen to their bodies and find more compassionate ways to care for themselves.
What Kate Loves Most
When I asked Kate what she loves most about this work, she talked about listening. She gets to hear her clients’ experiences, hold space for their big feelings, and reassure them that they are going to be okay. For a lot of people, Kate included, pregnancy is overwhelming and much harder than they imagined.
“It’s critical to find the people who help you feel safe and remind you how strong you are when you’re going through that. I feel honored every time someone chooses me to be one of those people.”
How to Book a Prenatal Massage in Salem With Kate
Kate’s office is in Salem, just north of downtown, and she books all appointments through online scheduling. You’ll find her scheduling page at either of her websites:
You can also follow along on Facebook and Instagram at @salemprenatalmassage and @bodyworksandcoaching.
If you’re carrying a baby or caring for a brand-new one, this is your reminder that you deserve care too. Book the massage.
And when your little one arrives, I’d love to photograph those early days for you. My newborn sessions in Salem are relaxed and unhurried, so you can soak in your baby while I capture the details you’ll want to remember. If you’re starting to plan, reach out here and we’ll find a time that works for your family.
