Mayan Abdominal Massage (UPDATED)

thistle8677

I made my appointment! This Thursday at 9am! Holy wow!
I'm so excited and feel like I'm just ready to address whatever tension and spiritual tension I'm holding onto. I expect to bawl like a baby.
I'll update after my first session :-bd

emsmama15

I can't WAIT to hear about it!!  If this IUI didn't work, I'm making an appointment.  I found a promising looking lady on the internet, but I thought I'd ask my acupuncturist if she has a referral as well.  Fingers crossed it works wonders for you @thistle8677!

thistle8677

@emsmama15 I have everything crossed for you!!!! I'll keep you posted. She actually recommended an acupuncturist that is on the same healing center, so I feel like I'm finally on the right path and that I can ignore the medical Drs that just won't help me.

BulgariHeart

Can't wait to hear all about it! Mine isn't until the 8th. I'm going to bawl my eyes too!! Lol

carrieandr

I just pictured you crying while someone rubbed your tummy and I giggled.

lyssaroony

I've been lurking on this post and hope I'm not intruding.

I looked this up and found a video of a woman demonstrating this on a man. I was laughing because the lady was pointing it the obvious fact that he didn't have a uterus and he was like "yeah unfortunately". Lol

It does sound intriguing though. The lady in the video actually had another video demonstrating how to do the massage on yourself. Anyone tried that yet? Just curious.

How much does it usually cost? (For those of you looking into it or have already done it.)

SN: I would probably bawl my eyes out too!

MntnGirl

@lyssaroony I have done a version of it based on YouTube videos. I have not attempted to redirect blood flow from legs to uterus (i.e., temporarily cut off flow to leg). It's very relaxing. Your partner could also probably do it.

lyssaroony

If I don't get BFP this month I might get hubby to try it on me!! Thanks!

BulgariHeart

There's a video of the lady I'm seeing next week on the YinOva website. Her name is Nicole if you ladies want to look for it.
The part of the massage where blood flow to the uterus is interrupted then restarted is also called femoral massage. There are several videos of it on YouTube.

This lady I'm seeing is supposedly going to teach me how to give myself an abdominal massage, at the end of the session, which cannot come soon enough.

carrieandr

Don't cry, Thistle...  (couldn't resist) 

thistle8677

@CarrieandRoy love me some ugly cat.
I don't want to cry but I know I will.
Thursday can't get here soon enough.

carrieandr

Aww... poor Grumpy Cat. You just called him Ugly Cat.  )

thistle8677

@CarrieandRoy that thing is seriously fuggs.
>-)

thistle8677

Every woman needs to consider trying this.
If you have the inclination, I highly recommend it.
I did not have the V-steam like @Goldsgirl9, however I do feel like I had a decade of therapy in a one hour session of talking followed by an hour and a half of energy work, lymphatic massage and Maya Abdominal Massage.

I feel lighter emotionally and my uterus feels warm and cozy.
She gave me some recommendations she's going to email me later tonight...things like a tea blend, oils for my skin, and a tutorial on self-massage. She gave me a bottle of organic castor oil which I will use with self massage until I ovulate.

Some of the results were immediate...such as, I've had a swollen tonsil and lymph node (for the past year) on the right side of my neck, and it is almost completely normal now.
I didn't even think about it until I was washing my face and felt my neck.

I think there is something to be said for improving your circulation and I really understand now that after the number of pg's and births that I've housed in my body, things were needing to be soothed and massaged.

She guided me through some great conversations about internal and external needs, wants and desires and how they may or may not be getting met.
I'm gonna take some time to really ingest the session, and whether I get pg right away or not, I definitely feel like I have a healthier mindset moving forward.

She did ask if I could wait on ttc for 3mo so I could let my body regulate with seed cycling and massage, but I told her probably not...maybe one month but not 3!

lyssaroony

That sounds like a wonderful experience! Thanks for sharing all of it with us. I seriously thinking about looking into it now.

Knottie16743552

Man! Wish there was one in the Philly area!

emsmama15

I'm going next Tuesday!! I can't wait!!!  

thistle8677

@Knottie16743552 omg, that sucks! For anyone that is considering a career in massage, this is definitely a niche that needs to be filled. I wonder if you could find someone that does lymphatic and abdominal massage?

@lyssaroony definitely worth it.

@emsmama15 I am SO EXCITED for you!!!

BulgariHeart

Thank you for sharing! I'm counting down the minutes to my Tuesday appointment!

thistle8677

@BulgariHeart that's right! Can't wait to hear your update as well

Tomerine

I'm so glad you had a good experience @thistle8677!  It's something I'll continue to think about, if only to improve my attitude!

emsmama15

I had my abdominal massage today.  I thought it was really cool.  We started with about 45 minutes of consultation where I told her everything that's been going on and where I'm at in my infertility journey.  She had several suggestions and ideas of things that could help me.  She mentioned castor oil packs and the "V" steam, but we didn't do either of those.  She started me out with some self-care homework and belly breathing / meditation exercises.  I'm going back in 2 weeks to do some more.  I feel very relaxed.  

The funniest / weird moment: when she asked me what my relationship was like with my c-section scar, right after she told me how beautiful it was and that I'd definitely picked the right team to do be present at my delivery.  HAHA!  I was like - "well, with the awful pooch of skin that hangs over it and the fact that it's still numb, I really don't have much of a relationship with it at all."  

One thing that resonated with me ... she told me that in ancient times, the midwives all felt that it took a body 3 years to recover from childbirth - ROUTINE childbirth.  She referred to my childbirth as my body being under siege - c-section with general anesthesia, postpartum hemorrhage, c-section incision infection.  She felt it was no wonder I was having trouble.  

When I mentioned my age, she kind of poo poo'd me, which actually made me feel good because EVERYONE is fixated on my age and what part it's playing in my problems.  It was so refreshing to meet someone who didn't think it was a big deal.  

All in all, I really liked it!!

thistle8677

@emsmama15 so so glad you had a positive experience! I too left pondering my connection to my body, and I also left feeling like my age was really nothing to be concerned with!

You really went through it with your birth process. Wow...
Hopefully now you can start to heal the emotional and physical side effects, and get your body back in balance.

Thank you for updating!
I've given myself a few massages so far, I'm holding off for now, because I think I O'd today. Got a peak reading last night on wondfo & clearable digital (waiting for FF to give me crosshairs) ..oddly enough with all the seed cycling and the massage I seem to be O'ing several days earlier than usual.

We shall see what happens. Where are you in your cycle this month?

How did your massage go @BulgariHeart?

BulgariHeart

Here I am!

My massage was amazing! We figured out what's causing the blood to not circulate properly! Apparently my uterus is leaning slightly forward and pressing against the vessels that run between it and the pubic bone. Consequently, the cervix is slightly tilted backwards so the LMT also gave me BD position tips.

The massage itself was an amazing experience. It started with a guided meditation that also included a lovely dinner date with my BFF Uterus ( ) and other forms of relaxation. After the meditation was over the LMT told me about how she guides herself through dinner date with her Uterus and how "she" shows up in fancy clothes, wearing boas and stuff. LOL. So I told her that mine ordered wine, which I don't even drink, so LMT was like "oh good, it means she's relaxed!" Eheh, that was fun.

Then LMT moved on to massaging me and checking the situation and at the end taught me how to give a 10-15 minute massage to my whole belly. I have to do the whole thing up to O day and only the top part of my belly after O day. This will help strengthening the muscles in charge of keeping the uterus a little further back from the pubic bone as well as teaching the uterus to stay in that more aligned position, thus allowing the correct flow of blood.

My husband came to pick me up so he met the LMT, at which point she gave us a few extra minutes to teach him how to massage me and said that I can do the same to him, since the massage improves sperm motility, morphology, count etc in men as well.

I should see her again at the beginning of next cycle and I can't wait!

thistle8677

@BulgariHeart love that! Dinner date with your uterus!
I think it is amazing you got some feedback about your uterus and cervix! I did the massage for my man as well, even did the castor oil packs on him. He doesn't have motility issues to our knowledge, but increased circulation can only serve to benefit, so why not?!!

The reconnection with your uterus is a wonderful concept, and I think that I'm often associating "her" with heaviness and aching, so it's nice to feel lighter and less burdened.
I have pelvic prolapse, so after a day on my feet I often feel miserable which affects my mood and limits my physical capabilities. I love that now I have something to do for myself (self-massage) to help ease and soothe my condition.

Will you go back again, or work on it yourself and with dh for now?
Thanks for updating!

happyktmom

I'm searching for someone to do MAM in Northern Virginia/DC Metro and can't find anyone through the normal resources - Angies List lol! Anyone here in this area know of someone?

Sporty1216

That's a great update, @emsmama15 ! I'm grateful for the reminder that our bodies do, indeed, need to recover from childbirth. I also had a c-section and have wondered if my body is just giving itself more time to heal than I wanted to give it.

If I don't get a BFP this month (which, obviously, I hope I will), I may have to look into this maya abdominal massage. Your experiences sound awesome!

lyssaroony

I am so happy you all have had great experiences with MAM! I am really wanting to do this now! I might try the castor oil pack and definitely the self massage. (Well Hubby will be doing that part! Lol)

BulgariHeart

I'll go back again, she wants to see me on CD3 so at the start of my next period I'm supposed to contact her directly. 

My H doesn't have sperm issues either but appreciated the massage nonetheless as it also helps with digestion, and that's his weak spot. 

I very much agree that feeling connected to the uterus is a wonderful thing. I didn't even know it was there where it actually is... it was kinda funny to finally "meet" her.  

emsmama15

I'm so happy you had a good experience too @BulgariHeart.  It's so odd to think about your relationship with your uterus, isn't it?  The whole premise of the connection with your uterus just gave me such a feeling of happiness and contentment.  Does that sound weird?  My relationship with my c-section scar, on the other hand, obviously needs work.  

@thistle8677, I'm on CD9 today.  God knows when I may ovulate.  My last totally natural cycle, O was on CD 28 (I kept thinking 30, but finally looked back at FF).  So, I likely have a few weeks to go.  Before I had my daughter, my usual O day was CD19, so maybe with dietary changes, I may get a little earlier?   

thistle8677

@emsmama15 I totally got a peak reading on cd11 this month. FF hasn't given me crosshairs yet at cd14. I guess we'll see tomorrow. I usually O on cd16...so I don't know why the peak reading on cd11?...
I think I posted about this somewhere else, but I don't remember. I think ttc kills brain cells. :-/

jilligan14

@thistle8677 what are your temps doing? Have they risen at all?

thistle8677

@jilligan14 I'll post a link for you.

thistle8677

@jilligan14 https://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/45f318/

jilligan14

@thistle8677 oh, how strange. Your temps started to rise on CD 10 but you didn't get the peak OPK until CD 11...it does look like you O'd but it's hard to pinpoint the exact day. I guess we'll see what your temps do the next few days. I bet FF is just stumped on this one, at least for the time being. Fingers crossed for you!!!

thistle8677

@jilligan14 thank you so so much for commenting on my chart. I've been feeling like this is an annovulatory cycle. Is that possible even with a peak reading and a temp rise?

thistle8677

*Anovulatory

jilligan14

@thistle8677 well, if I look at just your temps, it actually looks like you O'd on CD9! But that doesn't correspond with the OPK. So I'm a bit confused. But if your temps continue to stay up then you should assume that you did in fact O. Unless the high temps can be explained by another reason?

thistle8677

@jilligan14 I have no idea what is going on.
It's really annoying.

thistle8677

@jilligan14 if I put in temps for the next few days FF finally puts O at cd15, which makes no sense at all. Wtf?! I'm gonna be practically getting AF before FF gives me freaking crosshairs. ~X(

jilligan14

@thistle8677 oh, silly FF. I guess it's just trying its best to predict with the info it has. What day do you usually O and is it consistent?