Nurturing Massage for Pregnancy: A Practical Guide to Bodywork for the Perinatal Cycle Enhanced Edition

Nurturing Massage for Pregnancy, Enhanced Edition is one of the most comprehensive books available for massage students and licensed massage therapists who treat pregnant, laboring, and postpartum clients. The author is a highly skilled perinatal massage instructor who is also a registered nurse, childbirth educator, and doula. Written in clear and direct language, this useful guide offers step by step instructions for hundreds of techniques useful during the pregnancy, labor, and postpartum periods, including general techniques and those specific to common complaints. While focused on general Swedish massage, the book also integrates myofascial release, lymphatic drainage, acupressure, and reflexology, as well as complementary bodywork methodologies such as the use of breath and visualizations, stretches, hydrotherapy, and aromatherapy. Contraindications and precautions are examined thoroughly, health intakes forms are discussed with sample forms pictured, and case studies help highlight concerns and considerations. Video clips are available online for viewing specific technique demonstrations. Self-Care Tips for the Mother are practices a client can learn to relieve some of her discomforts. These include stretches and general health activities. Massage Therapist Tips are highlighted bits of wisdom that can help the massage therapist address or understand certain conditions. Traditional Birth Practices highlights methods of touching used by people of various cultures around the world when caring for pregnant, laboring, and postpartum women. How the Partner Can Help provides ideas that the massage therapist can teach to partners or birth supporters to give them confidence in offering nurturing touch during pregnancy or labor. Dispelling Myths is a feature that dispels common erroneous beliefs about bodywork and pregnancy. Complementary Modalities provides information about bodywork modalities which massage therapists may wish to investigate further, when treatments besides massage are especially effective for a particular condition. Case Studies help address some concerns a practitioner may have, by sharing stories of therapists' encounters with pregnant, laboring, or postpartum clients. Contraindications and Precautions are identified by a special icon throughout the text. Seven chapters focus on pregnancy, three on labor, and three on postpartum. Common complaints for each phase of the perinatal cycle are presented alphabetically for the practitioner's ease of use (Chapters 6 and 10). Review questions and learning objectives help focus the reader's understanding of the material. Key terms are boldfaced in the narrative and are defined in a glossary at the end of the book. Over 100 photographs and line drawings provide useful visuals of how to implement particular bodywork techniques, and offer inspiration about pregnancy and birth. © 2008 | 256 pages Read more