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ASK LINDSAY
Lindsay answers questions about pregnancy massage.

Lindsay MacInnis CMT, has integrated the modalities of Swedish/relaxation massage, deep-tissue massage and trigger point therapy with the specialized discipline of pregnancy massage.

Dear Lindsay,
... when it is safe to do massage on pregnant clients? There is some concern that massageshould not be started till after the first 14 weeks. I can't find anything that supportsthis in any of my books on pregnancy massage. What do you do? and any place I can find somedocumentation on this? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
CS
Sisters, OR

Hi CS:

Thank you for asking such great questions!

Two good references on prenatal massage:
Pre- and Perinatal Massage, by Carol Osborne-Sheets - I highly recommend her 4 day intensive training/certification workshop prior to working with pregnant clients. http://www.bodytherapyassociates.com Carol's book is very clinical, extremely horough regarding prenatal anatomy & physiology, safety precautions as well as modality and positioning.

Mother Massage by Elaine Stillerman. This is a wonderful book with terrific illustrations. The most common purpose for waiting until the 14th week for prenatal massage is - most miscarriages occur within the first trimester. The decision to offer prenatal massage only in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters is often made as a safety net for "insurance purposes."

The Mommy Spa policy is to only work with pregnant clients after we have obtained a signed physician's release form from their primary maternity healthcare provider ( midwife, doula, OB/GYN ). sample physician's release form. This is a great way to open up the communication path between their healthcare provider and the massage therapist. This practice allows us to maintain the highest level of care and safety for the client and their baby. We use a pregnancy specific intake form and require all therapists who work with our pregnant clients to complete no less than 30 hours of prenatal massage training. Upon completion of this training they must then pass a comprehensive and practical exam. We use the bodyCushion support system for safe semi-reclined (70 degree angle), side-lying and prone positioning. I recommend the bodyCushion Full Pro System with the solid leg bolster, it includes all the pieces necessary for safe prone positioning up to nine months. You can also use pillows and cushions.

A few rules of thumb:
No massage if client has severe nausea.
No massage if bleeding, cramping or spotting.
No massage if client has pitting edema (if this is present we call their physician immediately.)
NO DEEP WORK ON LEGS.

I am currently developing a 2 day training seminar for spa employees. If you are interested contact me at 408-506-4024 or therapist@themommyspa.com.

Thank you for your inquiry,
Lindsay MacInnis, CEO/CMT

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