Pregnancy can be, quite literally, a pain. I know this because I'm pregnant. And though I haven't had any major complications, it hasn't been easy. Back pain, headaches, hip and pelvic pain, swollen feet, raging hormones — add these up and what do you have? A normal pregnancy. When I catalogue each new ache and pain at my prenatal appointments, my doctor usually replies, "There's not much you can do about it; it's just part of being pregnant."

But I found there is something you can do about it: prenatal massage. According to registered massage therapist Lynn Days, prenatal massage "focuses on the special needs of a mother-to-be. It reduces swelling and back and neck pain, improves muscle tone, stimulates the circulatory system, and provides much-needed emotional support." After trying one session I was hooked and since then prenatal massage has played a big part in my ability to enjoy my pregnancy.

How is prenatal massage different from regular massage?
Prenatal massage shares many of the same goals regular massage has — it can relax tense muscles, ease sore trouble spots, increase circulation and mobility, and just make you feel good — but it's also tailored specifically to the needs of pregnant women. Prenatal massage therapists are trained to understand the changes a woman's body goes through and adjust the massage accordingly. "The most important thing to consider is the mother's comfort level, which may be different from before she was pregnant," says Susan Peltier, a certified massage therapist in San Francisco. This held true for me — I've always been a big fan of deep-tissue, gotta-hurt-to-feel-good massage, but I certainly wasn't up for the vigorous rubdowns I craved before I was with child. Peltier also stresses the importance of communication with mothers-to-be, as one woman might be most concerned about edema, while another is having a problem with sciatica or back pain.

How do you lie on the table?
My first thought when considering prenatal massage was "How the heck can I lie on the table?" Lying on my stomach was totally out of the question, and most practitioners recommend that you don't lie flat on your back after the fourth month of pregnancy. But I soon learned that many prenatal massage therapists use a special table or pad with hollowed out areas to accommodate your belly and often, your breasts as well, so you can lie facedown. The first massage therapist I visited didn't have a special table in her office, so instead I stretched out on my side, half-draped over a full-length body pillow.

What kinds of pain can prenatal massage relieve?
It seems like since I've been beset by a new ache or pain almost daily since I've been pregnant. What was really bothering me, though, was a dull headache that set in around my 10th week of pregnancy and was still hanging around when I got my first prenatal massage at 16 weeks. I'd tried everything — more water, more sleep, hot packs, cold packs, Tylenol — and nothing worked. After one massage, my headache was 80 percent gone. After the second session, it disappeared for good. I vowed to treat myself to massages at least monthly, and more if I could afford it. Pregnancy massage isn't cheap — an hour-long session can cost anywhere from $50 to $90, depending on where you live. But if it cures what ails you, it's worth every penny.

As time went on, my body had more surprises for me — pulled muscles, tense shoulders, aching neck, throbbing lower back pain — the list goes on. Of course, this won't surprise anyone who's ever been pregnant. Carrying a baby inside you not only changes your center of gravity, but also puts a lot of stress on your back, neck, abdominal muscles, and shoulders. Add to that the change in posture that pulls your pelvis forward (while it's simultaneously expanding to get ready for labor), and you've got yourself an aching lower back.

I also developed swollen feet (and ankles, and hands) around week 18 or so. And like most pregnant women, I tried all the "cures" — I put my feet up, tried to sleep on my left side, drank lots of fluid, exercised. But no matter what I did, my feet still looked and felt like sausages trying to burst out of their casings. Once again, my massage therapist came to the rescue. Edema is caused by blood pooling in the lower extremities, and massage will get the blood moving back toward the heart. For the same reason, it also helps to alleviate varicose veins and leg cramps.

I've recently entered the home stretch — the third trimester. As if on cue, my hip and pelvic bones have started to ache. Now I know how my arthritic grandmother feels — getting out of bed to use the bathroom (which, of course, I do about five times a night) is excruciating. And while I do what I can on my own to ease the pain — stretches, sleeping with about 300 pillows, walking — my massage therapist is really the only one who can help me. Thank goodness, I've yet to be stricken with sciatica, but if it happens, I know who to call.

There hasn't been enough scientific study to prove that massage is the ultimate cure for pregnancy complaints, but I don't care. I've conducted my own study, and I suspect that if it weren't for my massage therapist, my back would be knotted up like a tree trunk, my head would still be a throbbing mass of pain, and I wouldn't be able to walk a flight of stairs.

What else can it do for you?
Let's not forget that a prenatal massage just feels heavenly. Pregnancy is definitely the time to baby yourself. An hour massage session gives you the opportunity to let someone else focus on you without expecting anything (except money) in return. There's nothing like walking out of a massage feeling loose, flexible, exhilarated, and taken care of.

And it may go even deeper than just feeling good. Elaine Stillerman, in her book Mother Massage, says that massage releases the stress hormones that build up in your system and keep you tense, possibly contributing to fatigue and a weakened immune system.

If there is ever a time in a woman's life when she needs to feel connected to what's going on in her body, it's during pregnancy. During and after every massage I get, I feel better about my pregnancy, and all the discomfort seems a small price to pay for having a healthy baby.

I found another benefit I hadn't expected — the opportunity to learn more about my pregnant body. My prenatal visits with my doctor last all of 10 minutes, so I don't have much time for non-essential questions.

So is pregnancy a walk in the park now that I've discovered prenatal massage? Hardly — some days it's difficult enough just to walk to the bathroom. But I can say that massage is one thing I can do just for me that makes me feel good about my pregnant body, and more prepared for what lies ahead.

Is there anything prenatal massage can't do for you?
It may seem like I'm ready to move in with my massage therapist — believe me, I've considered it. But while I'm a true believer in the power of massage to heal, it can't cure everything. In fact, you should avoid getting a massage and call your physician or midwife if you experience any of the following:

• morning sickness, nausea or vomiting
• vaginal bleeding or discharge
• fever
• diarrhea
• abdominal pain or unusual pain anywhere in your body
• sudden excessive swelling in your arms and legs