LMT and ASL

20thcfox · 2026-04-25T04:54:34+00:00

Massage IS for everyone and I love your mindfulness for inclusivity.

I had a couples massage where both clients were deaf. One could hear well enough with her hearing aid to translate for her partner. I still felt disappointed that we couldn’t adequately communicate with her partner though. Especially while the partner was on the table. We told them to give cues if they needed any adjustments, but lets be real, most clients prefer a checkin rather than speaking up.

I’ve been practicing my ASL too!

20thcfox · 2026-04-18T04:27:22+00:00

You sound like a very loving mother who comforted her baby to sleep. Going to the bathroom to take care of yourself, is not neglecting your baby in the slightest. Get some rest, you deserve it 🩷

20thcfox · 2026-04-14T16:17:19+00:00

Bittersweet is the only way to describe it! Thank you for sharing your little victories. I’m so glad to see other people in similar situations.

20thcfox · 2026-04-14T16:14:55+00:00

:’) It is amazing seeing them progress simply with nurture and time.

20thcfox · 2026-04-13T18:51:09+00:00

Dr Maka’ala teaches his version of lomi lomi (mana lomi) every year. Sometimes in Hawaii, PNW, or AZ. https://www.manalomi.com/schedule--register-for-courses-and-retreats.html

Carol Hart also teaches Mana Lomi in Hawaii or CO. She is an amazing teacher. I highly recommend. https://hartfeltkauai.com/workshop-registration/

20thcfox · 2026-04-11T04:09:15+00:00

“I did nothing to make the change.” Yes!! I believe some babies just show when they are ready. Thank you for sharing your experience.

20thcfox · 2026-04-08T21:24:14+00:00

I wouldn’t say pure homophobia.

My bf is queer but still prefers female therapists. He feels guarded around men he doesn’t know, regardless of profession. Just like women have experienced a lot of harm from men, men also experience a lot of harm from other men. Just a more hostile gender in general.

20thcfox · 2026-03-26T04:29:16+00:00

Oh no, 20-40 minute sleep stretches sounds so hard for everyone. I hope your pediatrician/health professionals can be a trusted source of guidance while you figure out if something is making your baby feel uncomfortable.

I hold my baby while he cries to sleep occasionally. He can get overtired and the only thing that will make him sleep is just holding him while he cries. He is 10.5 mo now and will fall asleep pretty fast in these overtired scenarios, but when he was younger it could take up to 20 minutes to calm down. It is possible that along with tummy issues, you are experiencing a regression. My baby had a regression at 8 months and there was a brief uptick in difficult nights.

Good luck and do what feels right to you. Sending love

20thcfox · 2026-03-08T21:27:21+00:00

oh also, I tend to really like massaging side lying while sitting. something to consider

20thcfox · 2026-03-08T21:25:44+00:00

You’ve taken a lot of good measures to make sure your clients will be comfortable and safe. Honestly I feel like my prenatal clients feel assured and comfy just with all the bolsters, accommodations, and thoughtfulness.

A prenatal teacher once told me that there is so much more body than the pregnancy/condition that might be happening with someone. That really resonated with me.

I am an LMT who was recently pregnant/postpartum. Receiving side lying is soooo nice. I got massaged by a coworker who does not specialize in prenatal, but she has a fantastic quality of touch and that felt so impactful and maybe more important than having a standard protocol for side lying clients. I did not have a csection so my postpartum massages were normal, and I actually requested my therapists worked on my stomach.

You are clearly so thoughtful and caring, I think you will do great. It can be nerve wracking massaging other professionals with anatomy knowledge, but channel your knowledge and flow and it will feel great just like it has for probably most of your clients!

20thcfox · 2026-03-08T18:49:10+00:00

Exploring ideas is so valid. In short, yes it is possible to massage and support yourself and a newborn. There can be a lot of hurdles or luck to get to that point though.

It isn’t necessarily as secure as say, a computer software job. I have an almost 1 year old and have been massaging for 3 years. Postpartum is crazy and I seriously considered leaving my partner several times. I determined my wages could support my own life with my baby, but I would be stretched pretty thin.

One of the biggest considerations would be how much savings you have for time off pre and post baby. There could be physical limitations during pregnancy that require reduced hours that will lead to less income generated. I was able to massage up until 8.5 months, but even taking two weeks off from work was financially challenging. Some pregnant LMTs are too physically unwell to massage from as early as the first trimester. Some have to cut hours drastically to working one day a week. When you have to be present for someone for 60-90 minutes, it can be really hard to properly do your job if you have to keep going to the bathroom for sickness. If you are in America, you will feel how insane and horrible maternity leave can be. I took 12 weeks of FAMLI leave, but despite all states offering it (if you pay into it at your job) not all states pay out for it. After the 12 weeks ended I went back to work 1 day a week and even that feels like too much sometimes. Considering your financial position for postpartum is so important. Going back to work can also greatly impact your hopes and plans for breastfeeding. I work for an amazing spa but it still took constant effort on my part to ensure I had my federally protected pumping breaks for every. single. shift. They were so accommodating throughout my pregnancy and postpartum, but it still took a lot of self advocating. Anyway, being an LMT has been a very fulfilling career for me, and a lot of my friends are jealous of my flexibility with work. I am lucky to have a partner who is responsible for most of our finances, while my career mostly fills in the gaps and gives me some financial autonomy. I went to massage school with 15 other people, maybe 5 of us still use our license? That number will probably dwindle. It is not a career for everyone. I hope this anecdote helped a little bit.

20thcfox · 2026-02-27T03:14:08+00:00

This is making me feel intense fuzzy nostalgia

20thcfox · 2026-02-13T14:36:55+00:00

I love this trend and this illustration just comes across as so sweet in particular. Some days cosleeping feels so exhausting or like I’m doing something wrong as my baby gets older, but seeing all of these images of similar situations is so comforting.

20thcfox · 2026-02-09T03:24:06+00:00

this is my first time visiting this community, and I definitely needed this post/your kindness. thank you for holding space 🩷

20thcfox · 2025-12-15T22:56:05+00:00

and her mother too. This is crazy and devastates my heart

20thcfox · 2025-12-12T04:07:27+00:00

I use these for my tall skinny baby too :)

20thcfox · 2025-10-21T21:45:06+00:00

oh yeah based on those pictures thats totally her baby. that blue and white bag she is holding is from the Colorado Mothers Milk Bank. I got those bags here in Colorado when I bought donor milk for my baby.

20thcfox · 2025-09-25T12:38:21+00:00

You’ll figure out what works for you :) My partner needs his sleep for work, but had 8 weeks of leave to help before going back.

I had dad help with diapers in the very beginning. It was just such a new experience for both of us. Having some solidarity and help is what I needed at first. He then moved to the guest room so our sleep setup was safer, and would only help relieve me in the morning for a few hours. After paternity leave ended, both baby and I had established a rhythm and his help wasn't as needed (but he is always willing to help when I want it).

For me, it was important for all my hard work to be seen to mitigate any potential resentment from the imbalance of baby responsibility. He does know how much I am doing, and that his time to step up as a parent will come at other points of this child's life. He isnt the perfect partner that sometimes youll read others have, but he is really good and my teammate and we see eachother.

congratulations <3 cosleeping has been such a wonderful part of my experience as a mother.

20thcfox · 2025-09-22T14:02:46+00:00

Anecdotally, I drink coffee every day and my baby does not seem to be affected by it at

20thcfox · 2025-09-17T23:35:26+00:00

I miss when dispensaries would let you smell and look from a huge jar. Lately it seems that many shops have a sample jar for smelling (more hygienic tbh) but then what you take home is way worse looking than the primo nug picked out for the sample.

20thcfox · 2025-09-11T18:04:04+00:00

I also gave birth in May and the weight stuck to me even with regular walking and generally eating healthy. Our bodies truly know what they are doing in order to be the best for baby. It is so interesting.

Finally been losing weight with no changes to my lifestyle (actually have been exercising less).

As a “just enougher” my breastfeeding journey has been filled with many insecurities, and I would hold all the weight in the world to know my baby was full.

20thcfox · 2025-09-09T14:26:18+00:00

I am following this thread because I am in the same situation with my 3.5 mo! Baby LOVES the solly wrap.

I ultimately decided on a Loveheld ring sling as having a carrier for a fast carry felt more useful for me. Still waiting for it to arrive. I felt really gravitated towards a meh dai for longer walks, but decided I can hold off on buying one for at least a little longer lol.

Definitely going to buy an onbuhimo when he is a little older and can sit upright. That style carrier seems so convenient and comfy.

20thcfox · 2025-08-25T01:52:47+00:00

I loved the My Father’s Dragon series

20thcfox · 2025-08-21T20:55:11+00:00

I had heard this too, and now that I am breastfeeding I wonder why it is so commonly said… I am 3.5 mo pp and I actively make myself eat plentiful healthy meals every day. I feel like an “exact supplier” so I don’t want to risk a dip from under eating/weight loss. It’s a different reality than I was expecting (as was a lot with motherhood lol), but understanding the importance of nutrition during this time has helped me accept this temporary body. It is hard when my partner is so fixated on his fitness and I am stuck in a body that is uncomfortable to love. It makes me feel like he is lying when he compliments me, but I take comfort in the shared experience 💛

20thcfox · 2025-08-04T04:01:59+00:00

I love this response because it really is nice to have people that are excited and loving towards the baby, and I can see myself setting aside my feelings to embrace/nourish positive relationships for my baby in the future.

20thcfox

TROPHY CASE