Massage in Pregnancy

[Axel Night]

Hi all,

I have just this year passed my ITEC Holistic Massage Diploma and have now been approached by my first pregnant client.

I have already been through the consultation stage and received written confirmation from her DR that it is OK for me to give her massage treatments.

I am after some advice - is it OK to massage during the 7th month of pregnancy. I made a note during my training that you should avoid this stage as there are changes going on that massage can affect. I cant howeverfind any information about this anywhere else to back up my writing. I only find when reading up that it is OK to massage all through pregnancy, avoiding the first3 months and after medical approval.

Please let me know your views.

Also, what positions do you find most comfortable for a client, when treating in the last trimester.

Many Thanks, Therapy Su

 

[Slap & Tickle]

Hi Su

Honestly what are they teaching you people these days, a normal pregnancy is not a contraindication to massage, an abnormal pregnancy is a cautionary contraindication indicating that it is advisable to get the Drs approval.[/align][/align]It is better toavoid doing heavy work an the stomach all the way through the pregnancy, when it becomes too uncomfortable for the patient to lie down on their fronts, you can do them on their sides or sat up on a stool with their arms resting on the couch or any way they feel comfortable.[/align][/align]Please consider what you do and howthe treatment you are givingaffects the body of the patient who is receiving the treatment, even when treating remedially which is a lot deeper and more intense massage than an holistic massage does not cause any problems if applied thoughtfully.[/align]

 

[O_o]

There have been interesting discussion on at least twoearlier threads:

[link=http://www.healthypages.net/forum/tm.asp?m=300011]URGENT! Massage in Pregnancy[/link]
[link=http://www.healthypages.net/forum/tm.asp?m=296769]First trimester of pregnancy [/link]

Alan

 

[BabyPIe]

Hi just read this thread. I have done an IHM on a pregnant lady which was really wonderful. She was very heavily pregnant and just felt fantastic afterwards and I just loved the fact that she felt so great. I would now like to do more massage with pregnant clients and have read up on this. BUT can anybody recommend any good courses in this which are not in London. I am based in Yorkshire and so would like somewhere a bit closer. Thanks. xx

p.s. we were told that it was fine to massage during pregnancy, except for people with histories of miscarriage and then it would be fine with doctors consent etc. I think that the sad thing now about courses at college is that there is no consensus as to what is a contra-indication or even to the curriculum in general. What students are being told seems to vary from tutor to tutor - even within the same college. I don't think that this applies to just massage but to lots of other therapies too. It can't be good can it??

 

[hvccuctu]

You must be careful in the later stages of pregnancy with positioning. Obviously client cannot lie on stomach for a back massage so you should learn a side-lying technique. Also your client must not lie on her back for any of the leg, arm work you must tilt your head rest to a 75degree angle during later stages of pregnancy. Need to take lots of consideration to support with towels and pillows under bump and leg for side-lying and also under legs when in supine position. Would highly recommend you do a workshop if you are considering massaging in pregnancy.

 

[Dorinta]

With the right equipment, you CAN have pregnant clients face down all the way through their pregnancy. I don't recommend those massage tables with the hole cut out for the belly - it can add strain on the back lying over a hole even if you're not pregnant! I do recommend a cushioning system called the bodyCushion. I ordered mine about 8 years ago from America and it is fantastic and it paid for itself very very very quickly. I have a lot of clients come to me because they get to lie face down.It puts them in a position between lying flat on the table and on all fours with all support on theboney parts of the body like the sternum. I've worked on hundreds of pregnant clients in that position with no ill effects - many of them will even say it helped with the position of the baby, plus the obvious aches and pains. It's a lot easier giving a massage with them in the normal position than side lying, the only issue is you need your table a bit lower than normal since the cushions lift them up a bit.
the bodyCushion takes so much strain off the lower back, it is worth using on non-pregnant clients. The leg support section can be used as a bolster without the rest of it, it's very versatile.It is also great for those with a larger chest It's quite an investment, but more than worth it if you do a lot of pregnancy massage!