Can you use an acupressure mat when pregnant?

What is our answer – can you use an acupressure mat when pregnant?

We don't recommend pregnant women use the Shakti mat. That applies to the pregnancy as a whole, and to the first trimester in particular.

Pregnancy is also on our list of conditions where the advice isn't a recommendation but a prohibition. This is how our FAQ puts it: “Do not use the Shakti mat or its accessories if you have any of the following conditions:” – coagulation problems or blood-thinning medication, epilepsy, significant skin damage in the area where you intend to use the mat (including pronounced skin inflammation or large papillomas), neuropathy with loss of sensation or reduced sensation, pregnancy, cardiovascular conditions, thrombophlebitis, and fever or other acute illness. So it isn't a caveat in the margin – pregnancy is on the same list as the rest.

We go a step further: if you are pregnant, or planning to become pregnant, talk to your doctor before using the product. And if any of the other conditions on the list also applies to you – blood-thinning medication, for example – the mat and its accessories should stay unused whatever your healthcare provider says about the pregnancy itself. It is a separate item on the list.

Why don't we recommend an acupressure mat during pregnancy?

The Shakti mat is based on acupressure. The spikes press gently against the skin on direct contact, and pressure on specific points is exactly what the technique is about. Certain acupressure points are sometimes used to naturally induce labour. We have no way of knowing which points your body meets when you lie down, or what that would mean for your pregnancy in particular.

A related reason concerns circulation – but it is tied to coagulation problems and heart and circulatory problems, not to pregnancy as such. The fact that the Shakti mat can affect circulation is why those particular conditions are on the list. If one of them applies to you while you are pregnant, that is one more reason to ask your healthcare provider first.

When we can't answer with certainty, we choose the cautious answer. It costs you a few months without the mat. The alternative would be guessing at a question that isn't ours to guess at.

Who should you ask?

If you'd rather have the answer from a healthcare professional than from a shop, that's a sensible instinct. We can tell you what we recommend and why, but an assessment of your pregnancy belongs with your midwife or your doctor.

It helps to bring this with you when you ask: how many weeks along you are, what medication you take, whether any of the conditions on the list above apply to you, and where on your body you were planning to use the mat.

If your doctor or midwife tells you something different from us, follow their advice. They know your pregnancy. We don't.

What if you used the mat before you knew you were pregnant?

It happens, and it's a question our customer service receives. We can't make a medical assessment from a distance, and we won't try.

What we can tell you is what we would do ourselves: stop using the mat, and bring it up at your next midwife appointment. If you feel worried, you don't need to wait for your booked appointment – contact your healthcare provider sooner.

Our customer service is happy to answer questions about the product: materials, levels, size, returns. Questions about your health and your pregnancy we leave to those who can answer them.

Can you use an acupressure mat after giving birth?

After the birth, the picture is different – but not straight away. We do not recommend acupressure tools during pregnancy or immediately after giving birth.

Once that time has passed, many new mothers find the Shakti mat a great support – many use it when their back feels tense, their hips stiff, or when sleep has been broken.

Two things still apply. Check with your doctor or midwife before you start, especially in the first weeks – the same advice as during pregnancy. And the list above still stands: if you have any of those conditions, do not use the Shakti mat or its accessories – for example, if you have significant skin damage in the area where you planned to use the mat.

There's no rush. The mat won't get any worse for waiting a few extra weeks.

How do you store the mat in the meantime – or return it?

If you already have a mat at home, or were given one as a present, you don't need to get rid of it. Roll the mat from the short end, preferably with the spikes facing inwards, and store it in a dry, cool place without folding it. A storage bag or a hook works just as well. Avoid direct sunlight and humid environments – this extends the lifespan of both the fabric and the spikes.

If you'd rather return it, our 30-day returns apply, as long as the item is in the same condition as when you received it. Email hello@shaktimattan.com and you'll receive a return shipping label; its cost is deducted from your refund. If the product was a gift, give us the full name of the person who placed the order, and we'll help you further.

And if you have questions about the product in the meantime, you're welcome to get in touch.